Arizona republican., 1898-06-30

I followed slowly in his wake, let ting the bay choose his own gait. Dr. Banks proposition had taken me by surprise; moreover, it 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; it was hardly probable that should profit by any bequest-. Suppose his enemies should discover his retreat and descend upon him; the result, so far . as I was concerned, would be the same. . This last danger seemed to be the least l imminent of the three, but it was as we'll to reckon it in. I had been in his | pay for the better part of year, but, in reality, was my position improved? I had lived in comfort, free from the i cares which had burdened me in the city, had accumulated a few hundred i dollars, and physically l had been gainer by the removal 10 the country. That was one side of the ledger. On ; the other could be read loss of the lit tie progress I had made in my profes- sion, absence of settled purposes of any sort, and 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 1 prepared to devote myself to the narrow field of 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 q stand still in front of the village post office, and equally from habit I 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. 1 walked to the buggy, climbed in, and turned my nag's head homeward. Still possessed by doubts and speculations, 1 rode to the farmhouse, and, reaching it, locked myself in my office, there to endeavor to arrive at some conclusion. to choose way out of my uncertainty. 1 sat there for hours before 1 achieved decision. and it was hardly more than compromise. In justice sDr. Banks, I would tell him it was out of my power to enter into permanent arrangement with him, for eventually I should seek a more populous district; if he cared ! for temporary alliance, such terms as he offered should be accepted.
 Catching sight of the newspaper in my pocket, drew it out, and, as I did so, the letter fell from it's folds to the 1 floor. I picked it mp and read the ad- dress, written in feminine hand, all angles and straight lines, like the frame work of a house, yet clear and legil,le. l The postmarl1 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 | | office. She has tried number of treat ments since the voyage from Rio, but i none of them has been of marked bene- fit to her. She remembers gratefully the success attending your ministra- tions on shipboard, and feels confident that your skill will 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 it possible to secure your address.
 Yours very sincerely,
 DOROTHY GRAY"
 Again and again I read these lines, boring over them as joyously as ever did Egyptologistover freshly discovered l hieroglyphs which set at rest a much mooted point. Out above the rest of the letter stood two words, flor us.' Mrs. Loring's niece would hardly leave her, but here was proof that both of them would come to Rodneytown. That could succeed in convincing the elder lady that nothing serious ailed her was hardly possible; it was quite on the cards that after month or two she would depart in huff; but, in the mean time-well, I didn't trouble myself with the details of that problematical period. The great central point of in terest was that for several weeks, at least, Dorothy Gray and I would be thrown together. For the moment Lamar, Banks, and all my recent wor- ries were forgotten.
 Mrs. Weston," said I, bouncing upon ' c 10 bn door of the office, 'please do me a great favor. I have an old friend-patient, I :, niean-who is anxious to put herself