The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-08-27
) fsw years svsn g = 4 reserved

= few years even a Al rsssrvsd
' DO you mean to iasiau & shat / am
not . well-preserved mar
''well, Admiral. IL % y1ng life at
sea. Sailors In their yoghn - days are
ray dogs. ana take Il out oS themselves.
Then when they grow ol00r they are
still hard 1t It. and have NJ chance Of
rest or peace. do not thinka sailors
i life . good one" M
''1'll tell you what. a, NJ ia the "A.
miral hotly. '.If You shavS 4oS pairs Of
gloves I'll undertake tos 6ckg you out
under three rounds. race you
from here to st. Paul's M my friend
here will zee fair. I'll Iok You sec
whether I'm an old man ornot.,. 4
''This 10 beside the question: said the
money-lender with . deprecAtory shrug.
1.-THE point 10 that if you dled to-mor-
row where would be the seonxity them.
II could insure my lie. ana make the
policy over to you" ss5SSs3
"Your premiums for such . sum, IL
any ONCE would have You. which very
much doubt, would come to close on Ave
hundred q year. That would hardly
suit your book.
"well. sir, what do you intend to pro-
pose?" asked the Admiral.
81 might, to accommodate you, work
It In another way. should send
for medical man, and have "a opinion
upon your life. Then I might see what
could be DONE"
''That is quite fair. have no objec-
ytion to that
''There IL q very clever doctor in the
"a ~ a. a. 70
go and fetch Doctor Proudie." The
youth was dispatched upon his errand,
while Mr.. Metaxa sat at his desk, trim-
ming his nails, and shooting out little
comments upon the weather. Presently
feet were heard upon the stairs, the
moneylender hurried out, there was q
sound Of whispering. and he returned
with large. fat. greasy-looking man.
clad In q much worn frock-coat, and q
very dilapidated top hat. 4
Doctor Proudie. gentlemen said Mr..
Metaxa. !,
The doctor bowed. smiled. whipped OF
his hat, and produced his kaleidoscope
from its interior with the air Of 70 con-
jurer upon the stage. Which Of these
gentlemen am to examiner" he asked.
blinking from one to the other Of them.
'Ah. It is you! Only your wsistcoat!
You need not undo your collar. Thank
you! A full breath! Thank you! Ninety
nine! Thank you! Now hold your
breath for moment. Oh, dear. dear.
what IL this I .hear?" y
what 10 It them" asked the Admiral
coolly.
"Tut! tut! This is great pity. Have
you had rheumatic feverT
':Never."
'sYou have had some serious illness7''
':Never." y
'.Ah, you are an admiral. You have
been abroad. tropics. malaria, ague-I
know"
81 have never had days illness."
''Not to your knowledge; but you have
inhaled unhealthy air, and 1t has left
its effect. You have an organic MUIR
mur-slight but distinct
'.Is 1t dangerous?"
at might at any time become 30. You
should not take violent exercise"
ooh, indeed. It would hurt me to run
half mile?'
ut would be very dangerous
"And mile?"
"Would be almost certainly fatal"
"Then there is nothing else the mat
ter?" {
mo. But If the heart is weak. then
everything is weak. and the life is not a
sound one" ~,
'You see. Admiral" remarked Mr..
Metaxa, as the doctor secreted his steth-
oscope once more in his hat, my re-
marks were not entirely uncalled for.
I am sorry that the doctors opinion is
not more favorable, but this is a matter
Of business. and certain obvious pre-
cautions must be taken"
"Of course. Then the matter is at an
end"
"well, we might even now do bust
ness. am most anxious to be of use to
you. How long do you think, doctor,
that this gentleman will in all proba-.
bility live?"
'well. well. it's rather delicate ques-
ton to answer" said Mr.. Proudie, with
a show Of embarrassment.
mot a bit, sir. Out with It! have
faced death too often to finch from 1t
now. though saw 1t as near me as you
are"