The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-03-20

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! $Ahdtter Of Conscience
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The garden was ablaze with MAJ
sunshine and white with May bios
SONS, but the old stone house at tht
end Of the straight path that led from
! the gate looked somber and melan
| choly.
! A gnarled apple tree tapped playfully
at the closed shutters of one Of the up
per rooms and even went so far, undel
extreme provocation from the wind
as to poke some Of Its blossom laden
twigs between the ramshackle Stats.
DR.. Eaton, who walked up the
straight path through the sunshine
could not restrain sigh of pleasure al
the beauty of the scene. Young and
strong and healthy, life to him was
good and delightful, though at that
very moment he might be hurryine
4ACO Inc pICSSuCc VI Qcdlu.
A pale young woman opened the door
in response to his knock, and without
any form of greeting ushered him into
the chilly hall and went before him up
the stairs to the floor above.
"He is very Ill. my poor little boy
she said as she opened the door Of a
bed chamber. very, very Ill, l fear"
The doctor stepped into the room.
He stopped for an instant until he
could accustom himself to the general
dimness. The woman caught his arm.
Here" she whispered, and drew
him toward the bed.
The young man took the child's tiny
wrist between his fingers Then he
leaned over and laid his ear against
the child's heart.
you think - she asked breathlessly.
Il think" he replied, looking at her
pitifully, that your little boy
Doctor
But we viii do what we cam
Then he issued some hasty directions,
and the two began to work silently
over the little creature, who lay motion
less and impassive under their hands.
After an hour the doctor ceased.
Mrs. Grafton, you must send fol
your husband
''He is no betterr' she asked, look
Of agony creeping into her great dark
eyes.
mo better" he answered. But he
does not suffer. Take comfort from
that"
She covered her face with her hands
for an instant and then said in a dull,
quiet tone:
have no friend or acquaintance here
When Mr.. Grafton went away this
morning, the baby did not seem so very
Ill, but he said he would ask you to
call. have no one to send for him
now"
'Where is hep asked the doctor.
HE has an Office on Front street.
He is trying to establish an insurance
agency here"
Il will go for him." said the doctor
and turned away.
Late that afternoon the tiny spark of
life that f1ickered in the child's breast
went out. Afterward there were weeks
Of illness in the old stone house, and
when the garden had discarded its
blossoms and become very bower Of
green Marion Grafton, shadowy crea-
ture, with the saddest Of dark eyes,
walked down the straight path beside
her husband, and the gate Of the old
garden closed upon them forever.
Years sped away. The doctor, who
had never married, still lived on the
same street, and his housekeeper was
fretting and Tuning, partly because
there was lady waiting to see him
and partly and more particularly be-
cause his dinner was growing crisp
and dry in the oven. She went to the
office door and peeped in at the deli
cate looking little woman who had sat
patiently waiting for the last half hour.
'The doctors late" she said, "but
p'raps you don't mind waitin. How
far did you say you'd Gomez"
.'From Grimby," replied the woman.
Ibid you say DR.. Eaton was quite a
middle aged manY' she added anx-
iously.
81 didn't say, ma'am, but s'pose
you'd call him so in pint Of age. All,
here he is noww
From the window the lady could see
a doctors gig draw up at the curb and
tall, dark man with grizzled beard
descend from it.
The doctor entered and looked in
qdiringly at his visitor with keen, kind
ly eyes. She rose and said little I'M
certainly:
FL am afraid l have made mis-
take and that you are not the doctor
I'm looking for"
Somehow the face and manner Of the
woman brought to DR.. Eaton's mind
an elusive memory Of a May morning
and darkened room, with the scent
of apple blossoms waited through clos
ed blinds, but the impression was
vague and transitory and was gone be-
fore he could attach any meaning to 1t.
"You were not looking for me, then?''
he asked. "If you will tell me the
name of the man you want to find, per-
haps can help you"
'I-don't know his name. I-don't
remember it." she said, with a flush
and a little deprecatory smile. I've
been to a great many doctors in Ellis
vile and have not found him. I'm
afraid he must have gone away-or be
dead"
Dr. Eaton looked puzzled and sat for
a moment, his eyes narrowed In
thought and his fingers beating a noise
less tattoo on his knee. The woman
watched him silently, the color coming
and going in her pale face.
"You-you don't remember a Mrs.
Grafton?" she asked at last, with some
eagerness.
Mrs. Grafton-Mrs. Grafton" he re-
peated, shaking his head. "She is not
a patient of mine"
mot now, but somehow 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 1 should known she
concluded earnestly.
II will consult my books Of that
time" he said kindly and arose.
AS he walked across to the closet
where he kept these records of his ear
ly struggles the woman's eyes followed
him with eager intentness. Suddenly
she got up and ran to his side.
"Ah, l know it is you! The moment
you walked away 1 knew beyond
doubt. 1t was just as if were back
again in the room where my baby