The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-04-22

Lester IS going away he said.
"Has he sold his practice?" asked
Gertrude.
''He would hardly 60 without. Not
that there is much to SELL"
Edna sat quite silent. Her face was
pale and her eyes were moist. Itwas
all she could do to prevent the tears
from falling till she reached her own
room. At dinner she scarcely spoke.
The following morning she happened
to be passing Testers house at IL
o'clock, and, seeing no sign Of him,
turned and repassed the door ten min
utes later. He was just coming down
the steps.
Don't let me hinder you," she
said, when he stopped.
81 am merely going to the post-of-
fee" he answered.
IL am going that way, too,"
said Edna, and they walked together.
'Is it true you are leaving Upper
combeP" she asked, presently.
Perfectly true"
"Then you have sold your practice?"
"Well, it was principally question
Of getting the house and so forth of
my hands; but have every reason to
believe the matter will be settled this
afternoon"
CDR. Lesterl" Edna exclaimed as
he halted at the postoffice, 'if we're
you IL would not run away from it;
but, perhaps, you have some enticing
place to fly to-"
'No," he answered; 81 am FORUM
ate enough to have the wide world to
choose from-oxcept this one spot,
and" he added, "this is the best and
the worst on the face of the earth.
My practice is ruined"
"But if you could only stay your
practice would come back. People
are very tickle. 1t isn't every doctor
who can buy practice, yet they man
age. How do they do it?"
He held open q gate for her to pass
through into q meadow as she spoke.
The sun shone brightly aud the hedges
were fragrant with wild rose and
honeysuckle.
'Oh, there are various ways" he
explained. "Some take parish work,
but am too unpopular to attempt TO
get that, even If there were an open
ing at the moment. Others receive
resident patients-lunatics, hypochon.
driacs and so FORTH"
"Then couldn't you take patients? +?
Would not that enable you TOTO stay
at UppercombeP"
ooh, yes; only first should have
to take a wife, Miss Sinclair.
He turned to look down at her face,
and at the same moment Edna leaned
across the ditch to pluck spray of
honeysuckle. No sooner had she re-
covered her balance than she began to
pull the blossom to pieces.
"Well, DR.. Lester?" she said, look
ing up suddenly.
"Ah that sort of thing is over as
far as am concerned" !" he answered.
T-.I don't see why, if it would
If it would really help YOU"
He leaned forward eagerly. She
bent her neck to smell the honey
suckle.
"Edna," he muttered, "you are
trihing with mel"
She shook her head slowly.
"But you-you said"
'1s it generous to remind one of q
mistaken" she retored.
81 am not in q position. Things
are at very low ebb-"
"The tide will flow again." she said,
"and-and / have three hundred a
year of my own."
"What will your brother say"
"Oh," she cried, 81 am not child.
I am a woman, and have q right to
please myself; though to be sure, 1"
she added, "you may not think Ihave
played very womanly part this morn
ing"
She looked very demure, very
pretty, as she stood dissecting the
honeysuckle, and perhaps he would
have been more than human to have
resisted.
"We will face it together" he said.
''You will be my comrade as we'll as
my wiie-my best beloved you know
you have been since the first week l
cav you"
Presently she limited at the desira-
bility of returning.
"Ah, yes" he answered, 81 ought
to lose no time in seeing Sinclair"
"Come around after dinner to-
night" she said, and returned home
alone, not without trepidation.
That afternoon she took Gertrude
into her confidence.
ECNovv - she concIudad GSvor1 rouet
tell Alfred. 1t isn't that I am afraid,
only don't want him TO say anything
we should both regret all our lives.
Nothing he can say will make the
slightest difference, SO he may as we'll
yield with good grace"
"You know, darling. said Gertrude,
"you will miss things awfully."
"Walt for q year." was the answer.
''You will see by that time. Blythe
by, of course you must make an excuse
to DIR. Blenkinsopp."
"Oh, of course, said Gertrude. "In
fact, between ourselves, l have never
been quite satisfied. Oh, l do hope
Alfred will come home in good hu-
NOR !"
As a matter of fact, he did, and,
without much loss of time, Gertrude
broke the news. During the ensuing
ten minutes she formed the highest
opinion of Edna's diplomacy. It was
quite as well that her sistar.in-law
was not present. The strongest man,
however, must bow to the inevitable,
and Alfred possessed sufficient dis.