The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-02-28
'rafton2e she asked at last. with some


peated, shaking his head. "She is not
patient of mine"
Not now, but somehow l feel as If
you must be the man am looking for.
Is there any way you can find out
whether you had patient named
Grafton 20 years ago? oh, it is very
important that l should know she
concluded earnestly
Il Will consult my books of that
time" he said kindly and arose.
As he walked across to the closet
ly struggles the woman's eyes followed
him with eager intentness. Suddenly
she got up and ran to his side.
"Ah, know it is youl The moment
| you walked away l knew beyond n
doubt. 1t was Just rs IL l were back
again in the room where my baby
died and saw you leave me to go for
my husband! oh, You must remem-
Der me! You tried so hard to save my
dear little boy l lived In an old
stone house that stood in big garden.
l was Ill after my baby died, and you
attended me--so kindly, SO WE'LL And
then we went away and did not pay
your bin. 1t is 20 years ago, and you
are changed, but know you nowl'
DR.. Eaton had turned and was look
Ing thoughtfully down Into her eager
face. At last he said slowly:
Il think | do remember you-yes,
know do. Is there anything can do
to serve you, Mrs. GraftonY
"Yes," she answered "When we
went away from here, we were very
poor. We could not pay you nor pay
for the burial of the baby" Her eyes
dropped, and she clasped and unelasp-
ed her hands nervously. "But oh, how
| wanted to! For n time my husband
was very fortunate and made n great
deal of money. But the debts | speak
Of, while the thought of them drove
me almost wild, did not seem to trou
BILE him. When | urged their payment,
he always grew impatient and said
they belonged to time he could not
bear to think of, lie thought | was
heartless to remind him of them. You
see" she added hastily, "the loss of
our little boy preyed upon his mind
and made him depressed and morbid.
So ut last | ceased altogether to speak
OF the matter and made UP my mind
that somehow some time-I would
pay them myself. ! never reliuqulshed
my purpose, and in all the years after,
whether we prospered or whether we
struggled for bare existence, | never
touched the sum | had put by as Il
nucleus, but added to 1t, little by lit
| tie. And now | think | have enough.
1t has taken n long time, and only God
knows what haunting horror has
been to me the thought that my little
child's funeral expenses, that | felt to
be a sacred debt, were still unpaid and
lay like blemish on his innocent
memory. And now Will you tell me
how much | am to pay you and do
what you can to help me find the I'M
dertakcrl"
The doctor sat thoughtfully for mo.
ment then he glanced up and flashed
II smile at his visitor-a smile OF such
rurpusaing awcctncss mat sne re1t her
self smiling, too, half tcarfully In sym
patty.
"Twenty years Is n long time TO re
member little bill like mine" Ii
said.
ut cannct be little bill"
"You came here from
"Grlmhy," she replied.
"And you Lave dlnedf'
moo"
"Thcn you must be my guest, and
afterward | will help you find that
| think remember who It was. Are
you and Mr.. Grafton living in Grim
byY
"Mr Grafton has been dead some
years" she said. II am teaching school
there"
II was well on in the afternoon when
the doctor ana Mrs. Grafton returned
from their interview with the under
taker
~ cannot tell you how much thank
you for helping me-" she said And
now please tell me how much yours
was."
81 assure you never gave the mat
ter thought after the first. Let II
rest" he said earnestly, "and some
| time
ooh, no. she interrupted; at must
be today. Indeed 1t must. | shall nj
ways remember you with the greatest
gratitude. But don't you understand
how | feel about thIsf"
every well, as 1t is matter Of con
science with YOU" lie replied.
In one Of the old ledgers he found the
name Grafton and, making quick cal
| culation, announced that the indebted
ness amounted to $15, which she hand
ed over TO him, with look that show
ed how important she deemed the mat
ter
"And now" she said, holding out bei
little shabbily gloyed hand, "goodby.
will never be able TO thank you"
I'm not your physician" said DR.
Eaton, "but I'll take the liberty of pre-
scrlblng n seat In my gig for you.
have patient to visit near the tow
road"
He spoke as one unaceustomed t.
having his directions disputed, am
Mrs. Grafton submitted smllinGly t.
his decree. So they drove away to
gether IN the late afternoon sunshine
AS he glanced at her from time to tim'
the doctor saw the look of relief in he
face deepen to one Of quiet content.
When they had reached her lodgings
he said, 81 come 10 Grimby sometimes
he had always hated Grlmby ant
avoided Il on n principle "and shall
call and see you II | may"
She smiled her assent.
The doctor held the slender hand II
his for moment and then let go witt
a smile. He watched her walk up TIN
path In the setting sun
"A good little thing n pretty It'll
thing" lac said to himself. and |
was matter Of conscience with her"
Then he got thoughtfully into his gil
and drove away San Francisco Call
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