The Holly chieftain., 1897-11-12
A CASE IN EQUITY.
leoeynel,. .ss, by J. 3. upp,aeea Col
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.

l don't think quite took IN
pgth and breadth of IT."
rndyke was in his shirt-sleevcs,
reached mechanically for his
nd vest when the physician re-
the stethoscopc among its kins-
the glnss case.
h that your condition is very
the concern in DR.. Perevin's
as too real to be PROFESSIONAL;
NE don't look out you'll slip
I'm us as your Uncle Granville
Die Thorndyke had died of
bnsumption when his nephew
y OF ~, and Philip had very
ollection Of the strong mans
hase down the road to emacin-
death. II seemed incredible
ch thing could happen TO him.
q down and tried to realize it.
King is usually . methodical
kess, but when a man believes he
> just heard his death-sentence pro-
lllbunced it is apt to be different. Thorn
dykes mind skipped the intermdiate
steps and arrived at the end OF things
with a shock that Jared him out Of his
usual habit Of Indifference.
For Gods sake. doctor. Do you
know-but Of course you don't; no man
can really put himself in another's
place when 1t comes to the pinch"
Not wholly, perhaps; and yet can
tell you it isn't pleasant to be q prophet
of evil. Hadn't you any hint Of your
danger?''
Not the least in the world. Why,
I'm here now only because the mother
and Helen insisted upon my coming.
And can't take it in yet; I'm not sick
I've never had twinge or symptom
worth mentioning"
That may be; the trouble frequently
begins so stealthily as to give but little
warming. Your uncle reached your age
without suspecting that he had the.
disease, and then, as you remember, he
died within the year"
AYES, know all about it," assented
the young man, moodily, land now i
know why mother was so anxious"
He got up and walked nervously back
and forth in front of the physician,
with his hands behind him and his head
down. IF anybody had told me was
such coward / shouldn't have be-
lieved it, doctor. This thing has come
30 suddenly that I'm all at sea. What
is there to be done ? or is there anything
TO be done?"
The physician shook his head. "Tak-
ing it for granted that you want the
plain fact, I'm afraid the chances are
M ina
change of scene, climate, and habit will
work the miracle that would seem to be
necessary in case like yours, but it is
only fair to warn you that such an ex-
pertinent might only shorten your life"
"a sort Of forlorn hope" rejoined
Thorndyke. Nevertheless, think I'll
try it, not 30 much on my own account
RS because Doctor, where should go,
and how long time can / count on?"
Answering your last question first
II don't know; no one can say positive
ly; brt unless you get help almost inn
mediately the disease i1 likely to de-
velop very rapidly. should say that
six months would tell the story, one
way or the other; though 1t might take
longer. And as to the place. there isn't
much choice, SO long ns you get an even
temperature and pleasant surround
ingss-' have considerable faith in the
climate OF the southern. end Of the Blue
Ridge; but you must live out Of doors
IL you go there"
six months; something less than 200
days. That ought to give man time
enough to make his peace; many poor
devil gets less than that many minutes
or seconds. And yet there are some
things that can't well be settled in o
short half year."
You are thinking Of your engage
ment to Helen?"
Yes; that, and the property, and
my mothers grief and worry. and a
hundred other things that were not of
the least consequence an hour ago."
He took his hat and paused in the door
way. doctor, l wish you wouldn't
say anything about this-nt least, not
just yet Don't tell the mother or
Helen, 1 mean"
Certainly not"
Thank you. I'll sec you again be-
fore I so, that is, il it seems worth while
To make the experiment"
An hour earlier In the day, Philip
Thorndykc had sauntered into the ves-
tibule of the great Office building with
the thought that q visit to DR.. Perevin
would answer the double purpose OF re-
lieving his mothers anxiety, and of
enabling him to wear out half hour of
the afternoon in chat with the old
family physician; and he went the more
willingly since the hnlf-hours had of
late taken to dragging rather disceurag-
ingly. especially in the hfternoons.
That they dragged was due to number
Of causes. the chief OF which was that
Thorndyke was an unsuccessful idIer.
His father had been hard-work-
ing attorney, gathering and lesv-
ing an estate which would have
been fortune elsewhere than in
New York, and which WINS COM
petehce even in that city of mil
lionaires. The, will gave Philip half,
and the irksomeness of its possession
had not made itAelf felt until after his
postgraduate courne in the law hal
left him . squire Of DANES, and Jack
ing the spur OF necessity which might
have made him succesxful in his pro-
1cssion. Up to the moment when he
stood waiting for the next ascend-
ing elevator which should lift him to
the altitude Of Dr.. Perevin's chambers,
his life had been ~ uneventful - his
un0ther's solicitude could make It.
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