Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-21
CHAPTER VI.
A TRIP INTO THE COUNTRY.

A TRIP INTO THE COUNTRY.
Sixty-four days exactly after my TAX
. ing charge Of the health of the settle
ment the last patient was discharged
from the hospital, cured. Out of 195
cases treated 1873 had recovered. The
rest lay in the little graveyard on the
hillside to the eastward Of the town. 1t
had been weary, harassing time from
beginning to end, and the strain and re-
sponsibility had had more severe effect
upon me than should have anticipated.
Allie alone, Of all the workers, seemed
untouched. Her indomitable will would
not permit her body to know such a
thing as fatigue, and for this reason the
last day of QUIZ work found her powers
as keen and her energy as unabated as
they had been on the first.
On the afternoon Of the day following
the discharge Of my last patient she
came into the surgery, and seating her
self in my armchair looked about her
with that interest my medical affairs
always seemed to inspire in her.
"Dr. De Normanville, she began,
clasping her little white hands together
on the arm of the chair, II have been
watching you lately, and have come
to the conclusion that you are thorough
" tired out. There is but one cure for
that-rest and complete change Of air
and scene"
"And pray what makes you suppose
I am worn out?" I asked, wiping pair
of forceps that had been using on a
native boy five minutes before and put
ting them back into their case.
"The color of your face for one
thing" she answered, "and the way
you move about for another. Your ap-
petite, I have also noticed, has been
gradually falling off of late. No, it
won't do. My friend, you have been so
good to us that we should be worse than
ungrateful if we allowed you to get i'll.
So, without consulting you, have ar
ranged little holiday for you"
"That is very kind of you," said
"And pray what is it to be?'
II will tell you. You are an enthu-
siastic botanist and entomologist, are
you not? Very we'll, then. This island
abounds with unclassitied flora and
fauna. will have an expedition fitted
out today, and tomorrow morning we
will leave the settlement and plunge
into the interior. l expect weeks ab-
sence from worry will work wonder
full change in you. At any rate, we'll
try it. What have you to say to my
proposition"
81 should like it above all things" I
answered eagerly. And, indeed, apart
from the scientific chances it would
afford me, a trip anywhere in her COM
pany could not be anything else than
delightful.
Having gained her point, she rose to
II may consider it settled, sup.
pose?' she said. cat daybreak tomor-
row morning we are to mount our po-
MES in the square down yonder and set
off. You need not bother about rifles or
any impedimenta Of that kind. / will
see that you are we'll provided.
So saying, she withdrew, and saw
no more of her that day. The rest of the
afternoon / spent in preparing my speci-
men boxes for the trip, and when
sought my couch at night it was to
dream of birds and beetles Of the most
glorious coloring, size and variety.
True to our arrangement, daybreak
next morning found me, booted and
spurred, striding toward the village
square. Early as was at the rendez-
vous, Allie was there before me, mount
ed on a neat bay pony, and evidently
awaiting my coming. She wished me
"good morning" and then pointed to
the group of pack horses standing at a
little distance in charge of half dozen
men.
"We shall not want for provisions
during our travels" she said, with a
happy laugh, and as she did so she sign'
ed to one of her attendants to lead up
q pony she had reserved for my use.
"The cook and his staff" she contin-
ued, "have gone on ahead of US to pre-
pare our breakfast, SO now if you are
ready We'll start"
The order to march was thereupon
given, and we Immediately set off up
the mountain track.
When the first half dozen miles were
overcome, the aspect Of the country be-
gan to change. 1t became more open,
and we continually emerged from tim
ber on to highly grassed plains, where
pig and deer of many kinds were to be
seen feeding placidly. Toward o'clock
the trend of the country lay upward and
continued so until we had mounted to
considerable elevation, when an exten-
siye panorama was unfolded before us.
The island must indeed have been a
large one if it could be Judged by the
extensive views we had presented to us
of it. Only on the settlement side could
see the sea, while Oh the other the
forest rolled away as far as the eye could
reach.
A little before sundown Allie inform