Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-08-27

standpoint of everyday sanity. sat
up late o nights, smoked moro strong
tobacco than was for my good. took
to mopine and violent language. On
the whole, it vas fortunate that my
practice was limitedTfortunate for
both me and my supposititious patients.
Whether anybody guessed the charac-
ter of my thoughts, or fathomed my
moods, was a matter almost OF indiffer-
ence told myself that the mask
should always be worn in the presence
of Mrs. Loring and her niece; MS for
the others, their opinion did not count.
AS matter of fact, imagine that my
secret was known to all the women
thercabouts, and perhaps to some OF the
men. Banks now and then cracked
Jokes at my expense of character
which gave ground to believe that he
had made a shrewd diagnosis of my
malady. But, when all is said and
done, the simple truth is that | was
as nearly at my wits end, even VITA
the ghost of the coloners rivalry ex-
orcised, as probably half the adult
males of the nation would own them
selves to have been on various occa-
sions, would they but make confession.
Mrs. Loring was unquestionably the
better for her life in the country. She
still kept herself under the disciplin"
of an invalid, though the precaution
was entirely unnecessary. Her appe-
tite was excellent, her nerves were al
most forgotten, the daily record Of her
symptoms was limited to an entry Of
q few lines, in place of the pages she
had covered at first She often failed
to remember that was her physician,
and suffered me to depart without
hearing word bearing on her long
cherished aches and agonies. She had
become acquainted with everybody in
the village; nobody knew better than
she the true inwardness of every piece
of mild scandal retailed from one end
of it to the other She was hand in
glove with the ringleaders in its social
diversions, and was the moving spirit
in an enterprise which promised to
eclipse anything Of the sort ever at
tempted in Rodncytown. This was no
less than "Fete Internationale," as
tie programme had it, in which youths
and maidcns of many lands were to be
personated by the young people of the
village. There were to be tableauX,
recitations, music and dancing, and al
together {; somewhat ambitious list of
advertisement. Mrs. Loring had as
sumcd the responsibility of designing
the costumes, n duty which she was
we'll fitted to perform, for she was
blessed with q keen eye for color cf-
fccts, and her travels had made her d
trustworthy source of information re-
garding the details of the picture it
was proposed to present. There were
no suggestions of invalidism in her as
she hustled about on her congenial
tasks; tn. buster she was, the greater
her content. The fete was to hcr 4
mental and physical tonic, more bene-
fetal than any possible combination Of
chemicals. This l realized, but with
the perverGe pcSsimiSm brought about
by my season of unrest, feared that it
would result in opening her eyes to
the truth that she needed no physician.
And when that discovery was made,
how long would she and her niece tarry
in that quiet ncighborhood?
The weather about this time took a
turn for the worse; for As hours Il
dense fog hung over the coast. 1t
thinned somewhat by the third morn
ing. The banks of mist were drifting
seaward when l plodded across the
plain to the house on the knoll. Lamar,
who wasawaiting me III the living room,
appeared to be giving himself up to
idleness, for there were no books on the
table at which he sat, and he seemed
to be unusually willing to engage in dcs-
ultory chat. After n little, he told
me that lie had been feeling far from
we'll for some weeks, and that the de-
pressing weather had aggravated his
trouble.
TO stranger he would have looked
a sick man, but perhaps association
had blunted my perceptions in his case,
and his words surprised me. Assured
ly he was no weaker than on the night
when he first came to me. If there
had been any change, it had been an
improvement The old air of the fu
gitive had in great part disappeared,
though he still gave one the impression
of continual vigilance.
He described his symptoms with his
habitual delibcratcness, closing the ac-
count will. a statement that he believed
his heart to be affected seriously, and
that he desired me to examine him at
once.
II am afraid that you are correct in
your diagnosis" said 1, when the task
had been accomplished. "There is car
diac trouble. 1t is far advanced"
"Its character?"
"Valvular. should like consulta-
ton at once"
"Of what advantage?" he asked, as
coolly as if he were not discussing his
own death sentence. "The disease is
mortal Treatment cannot cure it,"
"But it may prolong life" urged.
Besides, it is only fairness to yourself
to have an experts opinion. Take my
advice"
Pardon. but must decline to do so.
/ am content with your skill unaided.
1t is confirmation of my own suspicion.
The end is not SO much; I have the
warning-it is all desire"
He was silent for little, this strange
being, his expression unchanged, his
self-control absolute. When at last he
spoke there was no hint of emotion in
his voice as he asked the question l
dreaded to hear.
How long may /. in reason. count