Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-03-09

to retain me as his private physician?
Was he sufficiently wealthy to indulge
in such luxuries? His dress told moth
ing on that score. He might have
been thrifty mechanic or a million
airc.
ut is my wish," he went on, "first
to travel, but not far then to seek re-
tirement of the quictest. Once you told
q friend, n friend"-he repeated the
word as if to emphasize it,-'of a place
near the sea, solitary, remote. is it
rot 500"
eyes, I remember" said I, my
thoughts flashing back to the CONVEX
sation on the last night with Perez.
my health is precarious." he con-
tinued. ~ wish to be not disturbed,
to be guarded from intrusion, as well
as to receive medical attention when
necessary"
I'm other Words" I suggested, you
wish me to accompany you to the spot
you have mentioned, to remain with
you, and to see to it that you have the
privacy you desire"
1T is as you have said"
you ask speedy deeisionG"
"Immediate."
l looked at him doubtfully, as well
might after receiving such proposal.
He gagged my thoughts, no doubt, for
he pressed me OH the point where re-
sistance would be weakest.
You will be amply remunerated,"
said he. MAY ask the terms which
will be agreeable, and which will suf-
flee to repay your loss in leaving the
city?"
The appearance of the room might
have told him how little that loss would
be. More to test him than with any
well-detined idea as to the value of my
services. l said:
1.-TWO thousand dollars year, and
expenses, with an allowance for clos
ing up my affairs here"
"It is agreed. Let us bind the bar
gain" And with that he drew from
his pocket roll Of bills and held them
out to me.
"When shall the arrangement take
effect?" asked.
"Now, from this moment. Shall it
be SOP"
l hesitated, but only for an instant.
The sight of the money overpowered
my doubts-it represented so much to
one whose fortunes were SO desperate.
"Yes," said I, from this moment"
And took the roll of bills.
had acted upon impulse, but it
may be that long elaboration would
have brought about the same result.
knew nothing of the man, except
that he bore token from my best
friend. was ignorant even of his
| name, for from the first understood
Lamar to be an alias. AT his motives
I could hardly guess, but it was most
| probable that he was q political exile.
AT all events, association with him
could not change my condition for the
worse. There would be at least the
| prospect of decent LIVELIHOOD; and
| very alluring that prospect was. In
short. it was difficult to. discover how l
should be the loser. A moderately
successful practitioner would have
smiled at such an estimate as 1 had
placed upon my services, but the ex-
periences of the last year had not been
conducive of over-confdence. So, now
that I had put myself under this
strangers orders, lost no time in
asking him what the first of them
might be. lie replied that he was anX-
ions to leave the city at once.
There is little to detain me" said l.
II dare say can be at your disposal
by ten o'clock tomorrow morning"
Not so. We must depart tonight"
he answered, decisively.
What? Tonight? There is no train
Mt this hour"
II comprehend. But prefer car.
riage beyond the environs. One can
be obtained, can it not?"
Eyes"
"Then arrange for 1t at once. You
may return for time, If there is need
Here was haste with vengeance
STILL IL he desired 1t. 30 should it be