Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-10-08
CHAPTER XVIII.

malevolent expression. The doctor
watched him for a moment and then
went to the bedside. Amelia had UNI
Gergone no change apparently, and the
doctor expected none for many hours.
AS he stood there he reflected on the
strange situation in which he was
placed; committed by his public action
to shielding a man whom he believed
to be a murderer, and refusing the
hand Of woman whom until that day.
that very evening. in fact, he had be
!ieved that he loved With lasting deyo-
ton. He felt not little self-contempt
for what he regarded us his incon-
stancy but there was noC ,he slightest
disposition to waver from the ground
he had taken with the professor.
The latter gained control of himself
presently and said
You don't know what you are
throwing away, Doctor
Il am content with my ignorance,
replied DR.. Williams, turning away
from the bed, "aud l command you to
speak in a lower voice if you must
continue to talk. Will not have Miss
Willis disturbed.
Il suppose a physician may assume
command without offense," returned
the professor, although there is more
than one way Of asserting it. take
no offense You are N the way of do
ing your own chlrl eter and career a
great injustice ana my child great
wrong. | do not know exactly what
you think of me, for | cannot believe
your recent words really expressed
your convictions, out it is plainly the
case that you are visiting upon the
head of an innocent girl the sins you
ascribe to her father. That is not
manly, and it is not like you, DR.. Will
liams."
You are mistaken, Professor
Drummond," said the doctor. What
you are or what Won have done have
nothing to do with the matter |
thought loved your daughter and told
her so. l was wrong, and it should be
cause for rejoicing that | discovered
my error in time and that she has not
the slightest love for me. There is
absolutely no room for discussion"
What if you had mlsinterpreted
my daughter?" asked the professor
You are young man and perhaps
not old enough to know that a girls
affection is not only hard to gain but
that it is a harder thing to bring her
to acknowledge It. What if Louise
dismayed by what she conceived to be
hostility to her father on your part
should have felt it her loyal duty to
reject you while Ill the time the ten
derest love for you was glowing IN
her heart? You aroused that love, Dr.
Williams; you sought it; you fostered
it by your suit. DO You deny that you
have some responsibilities under such
circumstances? Does not your high
conception of honorable obligations
suggest a somewhat different attitude
from that you have now assumed|
The doctors heart felt like a leaden
weight 1t was with positive fear that
the force of the professors argument
appealed to him. Could he satisfac-
torily answer the supposituous ques-
ton? Was the professor speaking
from mere conjecture or was he stat
ing a fact as he appeared to be toward
the end of his speech?
Il see" said the professor, after a
moment, that there is room for dis
cussion after all The night is before
you. Everything in Fairyiew is at
your service. Can ! send you any
thing? Well, l shall be awake for
hours, and you need not hesitate to
call or to arouse me after l have gone
to bed Matters may look differently
tomorrow. Good night, DR.. Will
Iiams."
The professor went from the room,
leaving the doctor 100 much perturbed,
too much in conflict with himself TO
speak. 1T was hours before he re-
covered his composure wholly. He
had TO review mis- scene with Louise
over and over again to stand firm in
his conviction that size had no love for
him.
Professor Drummond will change
his mind when ne hears from Phil
brick" concluded the doctor.
AS the night Woo on DR.. Williams
became conscious Of his nerves. His
fancy dwelt, in spite of the appeals OF
mis- reason, upon all manner of villain
les that might be perpttrated by the
professor He seemed to see the man
at work in his secret shop concoct-
ing poisons and engines Of destruction
Every mysterious noise Of the night
suggested the cautious footballs OF the
professor as he dfaw near the chamber
to work some diabo,ical plot against
his unconscious niece. Not for an in
slant did the iocto~ fear for himself.
All his apprehension was centered up
on the well-Deing Of Amelia, for
whom he felt aim self responsible, not
only as a physician. but as a man
under whose prote zion she had come,
He felt himself called upon TO save
her, and to this purpose he resolved
that all his energies should be conse-
Grated.
Methodically, as nc would diagnos-
ficata annfhPr's ailment he viewed