Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-09-01
CHAPTER TX,

through the drawn blinds, and helped to
give a mournful look to a room which
dark mahogany furniture and a funereal
four-post bedstead rendered already sufii-
ciently gloomy. By the fire sat the doc
tor in a large armchair, sorting papers by
the light of a couple of candles on q small
table at his side Armathwaite was star
tied BY the look on his face as he raised
his head and held out a thin hand In well
come. Having heard on all sides that the
ailment which kept the doctor at home
was nothing but a cold, the young man
had not been prepared for the sunken eyes
and ashy paleness which, to his observant
vision. seemed the unmistakable heralds
of death; he WAS SO much changed that
but for the keen and kindly eyes, the weak
and vacillating mouth, Frank would
scarcely have known him.
81 have come here by the strangest ac-
.rident," answered Armathwaite- COR
rather by an incident which has alreao. :
led to so many extraordinary adventures,
that hesitate to call 1t an accident at
All"
DR.. Peele pushed back his gray hair
with a gesture peculiar to him when he
was Interested; and with touch of af-
fectionate dismissal to his daughter, who
Rravely bowed his head to intimate that
be was ready to listen. AS soon az they
were alone, Arnathwaite, as much In
pressed by the manner of the doctors re-
ception as by any of the previous events
to which his strangely interrupted journey
had given rise, related very simply the cir
,eumstanees; that he had met Alma Cros-
mont. passed the night, by her husbands 3
iinyitatiOn In their house, and that Lady
.Kildouan had taken him to luncheon Mt
The Crags.
ut Is very strange" said DR.. Peele ut
last, "And perhaps the strangest part Of
It all Is that not many weeks ago l men
tioned you to Alma Crosmont as a man
who. in certain circumstances We were
then imagining. would be likely to have
the skill and the courage to do her a diff
cult and perhaps dangerous service"
"What was that service? May l not
knowY' asked Armathwaite in a very low
voice.
"Hardly-yet," answered the old doctor
slowly. "But if you will stay here n few
days, 1 will talk to you again on this sub
ject. Can you spare the timef"
81 will do so, if you have any strong
reason for wishing me to stay. But if !
may 90 up to Glasgow to night and return
TO YOU. | should prefer ii, as | have a
chance of an appointment at the Infirmary
there. and the candidates will be seen to-
morrow"
Let 'em be seen; / can give you some
thing better My wife and daughter think
I shall be about again in few days; but
YOU and know otherwise. / believe with
Alma and with you, that it was no chance
brought you to this place. Within a few
hours of your arrival You have come face
to face with the two cases which have
been gnawing at my very life: for | warn
you. you will have no easy post here:
there are secrets which l will confde 10
you. if you care to take my place here,
connected with certain of my patients,
the knowledge of which will make your
life an everlasting dance upon the edge of
n volcano which must break out some day.
You are young, energetic. honest. not
over-emotional, with a head very well
screwed on, though its only on young
.noulders. You may perhaps find n way
to grapple successfully with difficulties
which to An old man. weighed down bI
AID recollections and sentiments bound
mn with the dead, have been like sleeping
ao.s allowed to lie. Stay here q few
days: learn to know Us: l will introduce
you to my patients; If at the end OF
week or a fortnight you decide to remain,
you shall take up my practice, weiShte1
with this one condition, that you look after
my wife and daughter when I am gone.
Think over what l have said and study
your new surroundings for the next few
days, and when you have made up your
mind, give.ms yes Or no.