The Red Cloud chief., 1898-10-07

ltohS uuu plCIultU III lHt huppN wv
college days. He had left the univer-
sity with a good degree. and his
chances of ultimate success were most
highly estimated by those professional
friends who knew him best: but he
had himself almost lost heart. He
looked every day with sinking spirits
and lengthcnlng face on his young
wife and scn-now a rapidly growing
boy with q portentous appetite, WHOM
he must soon begin to think Of placing
at school-and his heart sank lower
still one morning when the only Visi-
tor to his surgery was a ragged mes
senger. who produced from his pocket
a dirty and much-folded slip OF paper,
which, on being smoothed out, proved
to be only the usual parish order to
visit n pauper patient In the poorest
quarter OF the town. 1t looked just
like any other such as he was In the
daily habit Of receiving. aud he glanced
at 1t almost mechanically as he an
swered:
"'Peter Ingram, 8 Paradise Row-ur-
gent Very we'll, 1 shall be there In
about half an hour"
1t was not q promising duty, but 1t
was at least better than TO sit
eating his own heart in the bitterness
Of enforced idleness, as he had too Oft
ell been compelled to do Of late; so,
waiting only to put his s%tethoscope aud
thermometer in his pocket, he seized
his umbrella and started. The streets
through which he passed to his destin-
alton, each darker and dirtier and moro
thickiy studded with public houses
than the last, seemed to his morbid
fancy to symbolic his own position
and prospects. In one OF the darkest
and dirtiest of all he stopped before a
house even In such a neighborhood
was conspicuous for Its neglected ap-
pearance. The paint had long ago
peeled in great patches of the door.
and more than half the panes Of glass
were broken In the window, while the
remaining ones were perfectly opaque
with dust and cobwebs. Nine out of
ten persons would have passed the
house as uninhabited. but DR.. Falconer
knew better. Finding his knock UNI
answered, he tried the latch, but the
door was locked. Again he raped
sharply, this time with the handle OF
his umbrella, and after a second rcpe-
titlon a key grated in the lock, the
door opened three inches, and a gilt
tering eye. under q red bushy eyebrow
sharply scrutinized him from behind
. It. Then 1t closed again; he heard a
chain unfasten, the door was opened
; just wide enough to admit him, and
closed, locked, and chained behind him
the moment he had entered.
Are you afraid OF thieves, my
=, friend?" said the doctor, glancing round
the four bare walls as well as the
light permitted. You need hardly be
nerovus on that score, I think"
NO" said the man who had admit
: ted him; 'one who has parted with
t the gerry last rag and stick he car
spare has at least that consolation
Vacuus cantabit. you know. But
e have still a little pride left, and don
like every one to see me in thi'
: plight"
"Ah," said Falconer. catching hin
o by the arm to draw him near the light
you have come down in the world
@ then. Was II drink? Be frank wit!
G me-"
Q II won't deny that drink began 1t,
he answered, quietly. but don't max
a mistake, doctor; drink isn't the caus
OF my present illness. was once
\ university man myself. and looking for
8 ward to a profession. Drink RUNE,
my prospects, and l found myself
8 private soldier instead. But l pullel
up. / haven't tasted drink for man,
years. An old wound received at Alb
Z Klea, and repeated doses OF malari
have brought me to my present cond!
D ton"
& Am I to understand, then" said tn
. doctor, that you are yourself the pa
. tient I was sent for to see? Why ar
= you not in he'd. then?"
lc Because there Is no n to open tn
door but myself. l am alone in tn
house-and In the world. But whe
you see my bed" he added, grimly
l. "you will not wonder that l like
8 keep out of 1t as long as I can"
r. You ought to be in 1t now" sal
l. the doctor, and, indeed, as he spolS
70 the man began to shiver and trembl'
10 and crying with chattering teeth, 20
-h-h! It's on me again!" clutched Q
n the solitary chair that stood in tn
W room and sat down In such a paroxysr
70 OF shuddering that the floor shook bc
n meath him. and the very window raj
re tied in It's frame. The doctor hastil
produced his hypodermic case, an
looked around in vain for a jug
water. Opening a door behind hin
10 he stepped into q almost as bal
n as the first, except that a heap of rae
lay in one corner and a handful OF fiji
smoldered in the rusty crate. A waite
TO jug and a cup and plate stood upo
10 the floor close to the wall, but on LII
l. Ing the jug he found 1t empty. RI
I'd turning to his patient. he found the I
had terminated in violent sickness.
ce my poor fellow" said he. as 500
t. as this had subsidized, you must go
bed and have a nurse to look after 20
" I shall have you taken to the infrmai