The Ravalli Republican., 1898-02-02

call daily, and did SO most consci-
antiously, but that Miss Fairleigh
derived any benefit from my medi-
cines if she took them) | am not
prepared to admit, though a check
which was forced upon me at an
early date was very acceptable, and
I could not afford to quarrel with
my bread and butter
Three months passed away. | was
absurdly happy. ] suppose | must
have been a ''gone coon' from the
first. know that was now over
head and ears in love with Grace,
and, although had not divulged my
secret to her by an open proposal OF
to how matters stood with mo from
cardiac point of view neither, as
| rightly gathe red little later, was
her uncle.
was only waiting for a looking
upward in my practice to plead
my love with fervor and all the elo
quence could command But the
practice did not 'look up" Indeed,
things financial were becoming
worse and worse with me. Bills
rained down upon me with monot-
onous regularity, and Z was becom~.
ing desperate.
One evening after had been din
ing with the Sharps my host invit-
ed NE into his study for q smoke. /
felt that something was in the wind,
and my surmisal was not incorrect.
"You are looking gloomy tonight,
Hardman, - he remarked after we
had selected chairs and relapsed in
to comfortable attitudes. "You are
in trouble-in trouble financially,
eh? know it, and you will find it
to your advantage to be plain with
me- :"
! hardly knew how to express my
self, and confessed lamely enough
that was more or less on my last
legs. He continued without COM
mcnt:
"You are also, I think, in love
with Oracle. Is it not so?'
lit is quite true MI Sharp
"Then why don't you marry
her?'
My panion gazed into my face,
q ;colrical smile playing about his
lips His bluntness positively
amazed me.
II tear that what cannot support
one would be a poor living for two, -
l said after a moment S thought. IF
l could afford to marry your niece,
/ would gladly DO SO tomorrow. -
"You mean that!'
Most certainly do I love her "
He arose from his chair and stood
beside me, looking into my eyes
steadily, -.- .....
Listen, Hardman Oracle is q
lady by birth and education. She is
also as good q girl as ever breathed.
She has no relations in the world
saving myself, and l may have tc
leave her at any ti1ne. | have made
} inquiries about you, and | know
your past to be 4 clean one. Given
4 helping hand at the start, you
would succeed at the finish. Tell
me, how much would you require tc
buy a good practice or to start in /;
fair way against ordinary opposi
tion5'
| was becoming more and moro
; astonished. Was the man going t
adopt me?
It would be possible to DO tic
thing decently for $4,000, would i
} not!" he said presently, for | hat
felt too taken aback to Volunteer
any suggestions. He waited for ;
reply.
: II could go into partnership Will
an old afriend Of my i;ither for les
i, than that, answered. "Dr. Jol
, dan offered to give me a share fo1
: FL, 500 when | passed my final
but could not find the capital -
} "Whero does Jordan liye:"
In Birmingham. y
SIS the practice Il good one an'
n can you trust him?"
There is no doubt about the prac
| tice, and Jordan is al, excellent fel
low, an old bachelor, and if he ha'
n not lost a lot of money when we di
= in the same concern would hav
:, been a rich man today
g Sharp laid a heavy hand on m,
shoulder.
, go and ask Oracle to MARI,
you," he said in low voice. Il ;1
|. sure that she will do SO On you
&c wedding day will give her e3, O0(
and vii! give you $4,000 tomol
, TOW, With which you can sottlu you
i affairs here and arrange with Jo1
dan, the condition being that yo
: ask no questions and undertake t
it marry this month. "
, But, Mr. Sharp . cried, sue
Ie magnanimity, -
# $50 and ask Oracle "
is He pointed to the door, wavin
> aside my remohstrance, and | TO
!, lowed the direction Of his finger ;
one in dream. That evening le