Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-06-04


plans" said I, "bu, ;.. ..s 10 evpecta-
tion Of moving Immediately.
"WcN. think it over. There's no
hurry about it." he answered.; and,
chirrupine 10 his mare, away he ratified
toward the village.
followed slowly in his wake, let
ting the bay choose his own gait. DR..
Banks proposition had taken me by
surprise; moreover. il had served TO
rouse me to a realization of the com
pleteness with which my future was
subject to the caprices of fate. For the
present, to be sure, there was no cause
for anxiety; but a week might change
the situation completely. Suppose
Lamar should choose to depart; there
was no certainty that he would not
leave me behind. Suppose he should
die; il was hardly probable that L
should profit by any bequest. Suppose
his enemies should discover his retreat
and descend upon him; the result, so far
as l was concerned. would be the same.
This last danger seemed 70 be the least
imminent of the three, but IL was as
well to reckon il in. l had been in his
pay for the better part of a year, but,
in reality, was my position improved?
l had lived in comfort, free from the
cares which had burdened me in the
city, had accumulated a few hundred
dollars, and physically l had been 4
gamer by the removal TO the country.
That was one side of the ledger. On
the other could be read loss of the lit
I
sion, absence of settled purposes of any
sort, and a growth of that often disas
trous docility which follows unques-
tioning subjection to another's strong
will. Things could not go on as they
were indefinitely. Sooner or later the
end must come. And then? Was l
prepared 10 devote myself to the narrow.
field of a country practitioner, useful
and honorable as it was? Banks had
done ME great service; he had reused
me in most timely fashion; but the
awakening had been far from pleasant.
From habit my horse came to Il stand
still in front of the village post office,
and equally from habit | entered the
place and asked for my mail. a letter,
medical journal, and a newspaper
were handed out, and, mechanically
thrusting them into my pocket,
walked to the buggy, climbed in, and
turned my nag's head homeward. Still
possessed by doubts and speculations,
I rode TO the farmhouse, and, reaching
it, locked myself in my Office, there to
endeavor to arrive at some conclusion,
to choose a way out of my uncertainty.
| sat there for hours before | achieved
a decision, and it was hardly more than
a compromise. In justice to DIR. Banks,
would tell him it was out of my power
to enter into permanent arrangement
with him, for eventually should seek
n more populous district; if he cared
for q temporary alliance, such terms as
he offered should be accepted.
Catching sight of the newspaper In
my pocket, drew it out, and, as did
so, the letter fell from its folds to the
floor. l picked it up and read the ad.
dress, written in o feminine hand, all
angles and straight lines, like the frame
work of a house, yet clear and legible.
The postmarl was New York. With
waxing curiosity, for my correspond
ence was extremely limited, broke the
seal
MY dear DR.. Norris" the letter ran,
my aunt, Mrs. Loring, desires TO learn
whether it will be convenient for you
to receive her as patient, and whether
rooms can be secured for us near your
Office. She has tried a number of treat
ments since the voyage from Rio but
,f no. haa,, Of ,,,o,.l-al hana-
fit TO her. She remembers gratefully
the success attending your ministra-
tions on shipboard, and feels confident
that your skill viii bring her the relief
she has sought so long. She asks me to
add that this plan was in her mind when
our chance meeting made il possible to
secure your address.
Yours very sincerely,
DOROTHY GRAY"
again and again l read these lines,
poring over them as joyously as ever
did Egyptologistover freshI discovered
hieroglyphs which set at rest a much
mooted point. Out above the rest of the
letter stood two words, "for us" Mrs.
Loring's niece would hardly leave her,
but here was proof that both of them
would come to RodneytOwn. That l
could succeed in convincing the elder
lady that nothing serious allied her was
hardly possible; it was quite on the
cards that after a month or two she
would depart in huff; but, In the mean
time-well, / didn't trouble myself
with the details of that problematical
period. The great central point of in
terest was that far several weeks, at
least, Dorothy Gray and / would be
thrown together. For the moment
Lamar, Banks, and all my recent wor-
ries were forgotten.
Mrs. Weston" said l, pouncing upon
that good woman as she passed the
door of the Office, please do me great
favor have an old friend-patient,
mean-who is anxious to put herself
under my care. / must find boarding
place for her. Can't you take her imp
well, now, I'd real like to, doctor,
but l amt got the room," she an.
swered, with kindly regret in her tone.
as she all by herself?"
"No, she isn't" confessed. Her
niece is with her"
Little Elrl, Is Sne
"No; young lady" answered, try
ing to avoid the consciousness of a
twinkle in my hostess eye.
It's too bad, I'm sure; but were a |
pretty full house az IL is," said she. |
However, don't get discouraged. Try |
Mis- Clark across the road; she don't |
use half that big house since her boys |
went out west It'll be good place, |
too. Mis- Clarks a good provider, and |
as neat as a hull paper of pins"
Over the way to the house of Clark l |
hastened, only TO find its mistress dis
inclined TO receive boarders. City |
folks notions" she averrcd, were not |
to be endured. But she began TO re-
lent little when put her yielding on
the ground of q personal favor; and |
when I dwelt generously on Mrs. Wes-
tons praise of her as housekeeper, she
led me upstairs TO two ROOMS, sphinx and
span and very comfortable withal, aud,
with pretended ungraciousness, said
that my friends could occupy them,
provided they could "stand plain liyin'
and palmer comp'ny." I closed the
bargain on the spot.
Mrs. Weston met me at her door, on
my return late that afternoon from
drive, il the course of which the an
5wer to Miss Gray's letter had been in
trusted TO the mail.
"You look like new man." said she,