The record-union., 1898-02-13
When he finished. Macintosh. stand

When he finished, Macintosh, stand
ing with the chart III his hand, he'd 1t
out for the chief, who, with a snort OF
impatience, took 1t, and stepped away
toward me. Then he laid finger or
the upward line that marked rising
body temperature, and turned to Mao
intosh again.
Partly this notion Of his. think,
SIR" Macintosh said softly. He S
worrying over it tremendously. or I
shouldn't have troubled you. He slept
very little last night, you know"
What on earth does he want to con-
fess a man for?" asked the chief inr-
patiently; but that was beyond Macin-
tcsh, and he shook has head
If things go on like this" said the
chief. with his finger on the chart. Il
shall operate tomorrow morning"
What do you think of letting him
have his way in this?" asked Macln-
tosh: but the chief was quite indignant.
and they went down the shadowy ward
it was growing very late-with their
heads together. talking softly, While
Father Munro lay and watched, peeriag
anxiously after them all the time.
What Macintosh said further i don't
know either but at last the chief called
me, and at once began to relieve ms
mind
What are you doing here at this tine
of night, Mr.. Tregenna?"
Taking a case. sir"
You've no right to be here, none at
ALL There's no discipline here. We
can't have this sort of thing. DIR. Mac
intosh. There, there" (as Macintosh
tried TO speak,; chat will do. it must
be seen to-" Then he turned and bent
over Father Munro again.
You'll be satisfied if you see this
man to-night?'' And Father Munro
smiled en- him. Ten minutes are all
you want, and you promise TO sleep
after?"
Il shall sleep he promised; and then
l got my instructions.
l was to fetch young Tim to Father
Munro's bedside. and | was 10 leave him
there ten minutes. ! was TO warn him
first as TO his behavior, and / was 10
take him away when time was up Then
we all three left the ward-Macintosh
to get little sleep for he was to come
and | to do my errand
/ found Young Tim sitting in his one
room, at the top of a seven-storicd
house. staring out at a cloudless sky
in which stars were beginning to show.
His wife and the baby were sound
asleep, but Tim looked as though he had
never known what sleep meant. He
heard my errand in silence, and in 81
lence he walked by me until-in the
darkened ward. where only here and
there a glimmer of gas was shown, and
where the only other moving thing was
the ghost like shape of the night nurse
we stood by Father Munro.
Ten minutes my son." was all that
the priest said to me; and then. draw
ing away to a window seat, watch in
hand l left them screens fenced the
corner in which the bed lay, the last
on that side of the ward. / could not
see, 1 could not hear. what was going
on Once or twice l heard a stified
sob. hushed at once by the voice of the
Little General. The minutes dragged
like hours The night nurse, moving
like a shadow here and there down the
glimmering length of the place, the
silent forms dimly outlined in the near
er beds, were no company to me. Once
raised my watch until l could see
the second hand moving and hear the
sound
1 gave them the ten minutes and Il
few seconds over Then l went and
tapped at the screen. The voices had
stopped. and when I went round at
the Little Generals ward he lay and
smiled peacefully at me, his hand laid
upon Young Tins head. while Tins s
face was buried in the bed clothes.
Tim and l have settled our affairs, -
said the Little General and you are a
witness to it, my son, if ever witness
is needed.
Tell him, father!" Tim begged.
Would ye doubt my authority, Tim
solved you, with penance and prom
Use. Fare ye Well"
The thin fingers were extended in
benediction, and then Tim, the tears
streaming down his face. crept away
into the darkness, and l knelt in his
place.
Can do anything for you, sir?"
His hand trembled in the air once
more, whether for me or for the van
ished man l do not know
AN innocent wife and BARN" said
Father Munro, ''Nunc dimittis," and
turning his face to the wall slowly
slipped into dreams from which he ner-
er rallied.
The Little General was carried to his
grave with more pomp than ever he