The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-05-25
(Continued.)

often done before and will often again.
A few days will pull me round all
right without troubling any one"
"I'm afraid it may be more seri-
Gus matter this time," said the doctor,
"but have your own way for the pres
ent. I'll see that you have some milk,
and it have spare rug or blanket I'll
send it swell to throw over you
Now, good-by, and see that you keep
yourself as warm and comfortable as
you can under the difficult circum-
II oughtn't to have listened to him."
he went on to himself as he walked
home through the driving snow, which
had been falling thickly for some time;
"but there's that old Ulundi rug of
mine he can have tonight. 1t looks as
II he would need it badly"
The ensuing night proved keen and
ed more than once to the miserable
shelter in which he had left his patient
and the still more miserable shake
down on which the fever-stricken
wretch was lying. At comparatively
early hour the next morning he was
again at the door, waiting in some i'm
patience until it was again unclaimed
inmate shivering and moaning in
agonies of neuralgia. $50 this is the
result Of leaving you to your own de-
vices!" he exclaimed as he strobe in;
"but come, there is no time to be lost
now. Get on your clothes. and any,
thing you want to take with you, and
will have fly at the door in five
me give you hypodermic dose of
morphia to quiet your pain. Is there
any water in the house?"
You can get it at the tap, and here is
a cup. But tell you plainly, I'm not
going out of this house. Do anything
you can for me without removing me,
and I will thank you and repay you
when I can. do thank you hundred
times for the rug you sent me last
night. But go to infirmary or hospital
I will not; understand that clearly.
''Well, well!" said the doctor, wish
ing to humor him for the moment;
''lie down there and get under the rug
then. Hold out your arm. There,
you'll feel better in a minute. A deal
BETTER" he muttered to himself as he
drove home full dose; .'it will be
easier to get him away so. Now lie
still and keep yourself warm for. half
an hour. have another case to see in
the next street, and 1 will be back here
Id that time" So saying, he walked
quickly to the door, from which he
withdrew the key and put it in his
Pocket. 1t was several minutes walk
to the nearest cab stand and nearly half
an hour had elapsed before he was
again at the door with a four-wheeler
To his chagrin he found it fastened by
the chain, but with powerful push of
his shoulder he burst it open and en-
tered.
His patient was lying on the floor of
the front room on his face, having ap-
Z arently succumbed to the influence of
the morphia as he was returning from
putting the chain on the door. what
a. monomaniac!" exclaimed the doctor
rss he stopped to lift hims. "Hallo!,
What have we here? those. tun1ors
eagain?" In moment he had laid the
:1nsensible figure on the bed and was
I hastily undoing his clothing. Under
the mans shirt, and next his skin, was
fastened broad canvas belt, furnished
with six large 1eathern pouches widely
distending and bullying prominently.
"Ha! this explains the mystery! Va
cuus cantabit indeed! What weight!
These are malignant tumors with a
vengeance! Come, my friend, let go"
this to the patient, who was feebly
and half unconsciously clutching at the
belt as he withdrew it-"I must make
thorough examination Of these tu-
mors, since have discovered them at
last"
Placing the belt on the foor-for
there was no table in the room-he un-
1oosed the strap of one of the pouches
with fingers that trembled with excite
ment. A yellow CLEAN caught his eye,
and for moment his hands shook so
violently and uncontrollably that a
small avalanche Of gold coins rolled out
upon the bare boards with tingling
crash, and spread over the floor. His
head swan, flashes of fire seemed to
dance before his eyes, thunderous
reverberation filled his ears, and before
he was able to control his own move.
ments he was down on his knees wildly
clutching at the coins with both hands,
thrusting them into his pockets as fast
as he could gather them up. Recov-
.ering himself with sense Of shame
and amazement such as he had never
felt before, he was conscious Of shud-
dering so violently that his teeth chat
tered, and the gold dropped again and
again from his fingers. For shame,
Richard FalconerY' he heard himself
saying aloud, sis this your contempt
for filthy lucre, your boosted indiffer-
ence to gold? Get up at once, put back
that money and see to your patient as
you ought! What is all this to you ?"
& With great effort he pulled himself
togather and began methodically to-
gather up the coins and put them back
Into the pouch. Most Of them were
English soysrsixps, but some were