Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-12-19
TRANSCRIBED BY FLORENCE WARDEN
the Marsh"
by Shore" of Darkness Etc
1900, by Florence Warden.)

But ! was always a rickety sort of a
chap, and they never thought | should
grow up. | don't suppose any doctor
could keep me alive very long"
DR., Mullion, who was looking atten-
lively into my face as | spoke, smiled
little
Haven't you noticed, " said he, that
it's often the people whose health is
habitually feeble that outlive the ro-
bust ones? Now, | shouldn't mind bet
ting, if | ever did bet that you will
outlive everybody on board"
He said this with so much confidence
that J confess | was impressed.
Il suppose you mean, | presently
suggested, that I'm likely to live long
because | have to take such a pre-
cious deal of care of MYSELF"
"Ah." said Dr. Mullion. Il won't
deny that you will have to exercise
reasonable care. But more than that
You have no need to make Your life
a burden to yourself. Only trust vcur-
/ self 10 me for the time the voyage
lasts, and perhaps few weeks longer.
You are going to stay little at Cape
! Town, are you not?''
THAT will be long enough" said Dr.
Mullion.
Shall you give me very nauseous
medicines and make me ave by rule?"
| asked, for the moment laying aside
my preoccupation, struck by his earn
estness and the interest he showed in
me.
You need hardly live more strictly
than you do at present" said he. "Ob-
serve the golden rule of moderation
in all things; nothing more. My med
cines You shall test tonight. | don't
think they're more nauseous than others
you'll have taken"
We were both so much occupied that
we did not notice the entrance of Dick
Mulllon, until we found him very near
us. Looking up suddenly found him
glaring at us, and apparently strain
ing his ears as if he had been trying
to overhear our conversation, which
both the doctor and | had carried out
in low tones.
| started up At once he tried to
assume an attitude of comparative in
difference.
There's no need for you to listen"
said | curtly 81 was not talking about
you"
IL was not listening" said Dick,
while sudden flush spread over his
face, and he clenched his hands in
stinctively.
He was now looking, not at me, but
at the doctor with a desperate anxiety
which convinced me that he feared |
might have learned something about the
imaginary bilious attack" | suppose
he was treasured when DR.. Mullion
said.
well, Dick, where have you been?"
only said Dick shortly.
And he turned 10 me again. Has my
uncle been prescribing for you, Mr..
Blair?"
well, what if he has,
Oh OH nothing"
He turned away without aRethe
word. but with the same furtive anx-
iety in his manner. | was sitting down
again beside the doctor with the in
tention Of unburdening my mind on the
subject of my suspicious of his nephew
when Dick returned again to us, and,
with some excuse 50 flimsy that it
was almost insulting to me, carried OF
the old doctor and left me by myself.
1t may be imagined that ] was angry
at this deliberate step taken to pre-
vent my accusing him to his uncle:
and that ] was not in the most amiable
mood when the young man presently
came back, by himself. and informed
me that he had made his uncle go to
bed. as he was tired
With sitting up with you during
your bilious attack perhaps" | sug-
gested not trying TO conceal my con-
tempt at this subterfuge.
Perhaps" said Dick steadily. And
he added as il my tone had contained
no offence, He works too hard. Now
he's retired and getting old, he should
have rest Instead of that he trots
about prescribing for half the steerage
passengers and making up pills and pc
tons not one Of which does anybody
any good
Il confess that was Disguised at this
aspersion of his uncle's powers.
DO you mean to accuse DR.. Million
Of incompetence in his profession"
asked coldly.
by no neane. Bat he Is oi fashion
ed very old-fashioned: and he would
do much better to leave the people TO
modern methods.
Now, Il anyhndy hut vounG Mulhon
had said this, ] should have been ready
to think it an honest expression OF
opinion. But coming from this quarter,
/ fell strongly inclined to think 1t was
clever pretext devised to keep me
from conhding in his uncle For
hao little doubt that, If | could get him
10 believe my story of the nights adj
venture. and interesting him To the
point OF persuading him to make inqui-
ries into il. Did he know that his
nephew had been shot by me? ! could
i scarcely doubt that he did But tier
thought it probable that Dick had eX-
planned the matter away, by saying that
il had been an accident, and | was
qaite sure the old doctor did not sus-
pect bis nephew TO have been guilty
- IN attack upon me.
made ii my business, after this
talk with young Mulilon to inquire
among the poorer passengers about the
i results Of Old Mullion's doctoring. And
i I found. not only that he was thor0U ;
4 up-to-dste In his methods and remedies
hut that his science was looked upon
with the greatest respect: he was not
i only a good doctor, they all said, but an
| ...~xe4srraliA. OXnd one and had rrAe~