Arizona republican., 1898-07-12

the truth that she needed no physician. And when that discovery was made. how long would she and her niece tarry in that quiet neighborhood?
 The weather about this time took a turn for the worse; for AS hours a dense fog hung over the coast. It thinned somewhat by the third morn ing. The banks of mist were drifting seaward when I plodded across the rlain to tbe house on the knoll. Lamar, who was awaiting me in the living-room appeared to be giving himself up to idleness, for there were no books on the table at which he sat, and he seemed to be unusually willing to engage in des- nltory chat. After a little, he told me that he had been feeling far from well for some weeks, and that the de- pressing weather had aggravated his trouble.
 To stranger he would have looked a sick man, but perhaps association had blunted my perceptions in his case, and his words surprised me. Assured ly he was no weaker than on the night when he first came to me. If there had been any change, it had been an improvement. The old air of the flu gitive had in great part disappeared though he still gave one the impression of continual vigilance.
 He described his symptoms with his habitual deliberateness, closing the ac- count with statement that he believed his heart to be affected seriously, and that he desired me to examine him a, once.
 T am afraid that you are correct il your diagnosis" said I, when the task had been accomplished. ''There is car diac trouble. It is far advanced"
 Its character?"
 ''Valvular. I should like consulta tion at once."
 ''Of what advantage?'' he asked, a. coolly as if he were not discussing hi own death sentence. ''The disease i mortal. Treatment cannot cure it." But it may prolong life" I urged Besides, it is only fairness to yoursel to have an experts opinion. Take m, advice-''
 Pardon, but I must decline to do so I am content with your skill unaided It is a confirmation of my own suspicion The end is not so much; I have th, warning-it is all desire"
 He was silent for little. this strang, being. his expression unchanged, hi self-control absolute. When at last h spoke there was no hint of emotion il his voice as he asked the question dreaded to hear.
 How long may I, in reason, coun upon?''
 T cannot tell you definitely I an swered- ''It may be year, two years three years; it may be tomorrow 1 shock, a-"
 "I comprehend. But, undisturbed what time do the odds favor?" 'Six months. But it is no more thai the widest guesswork" Again there was a pause. Present., l he asked:
 'You spoke of shock. Would it b of necessity fatal?"
 "No. But it would be the one chance | in ten if it were not" knew my mal well enough to understand that he de | sired no evasions.
 "Iou speak from the book" h, said, quietly; 'but in that I think yol wrong. I rate the chance greater"
 May you be in the right of it, said; but he made no comment upo, the hope thus expressed. Soon after having given a few directions for hi care of himself, and having promised t. have a prescription for him made u, | at once, I left him to his thoughts What they were could hardly imagine but l hoped that among them was some | shadow of remorse at the remembrance, of the poor devil whom he had sui fered to lie helpless for hours almost his door. It was fate's irony that O | these two men the one who then wa | close to death should now be far or l the road to health, with the prospect 0 | many years before him. while the other, who had rejoiced in his mis | fortune, should find himself under ; sentence which knew TO chance of re | prieve.