Morris tribune., 1901-08-31
5 ANatterof Conscience
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

the gate looked somber and meIan
eholy. -f---~.~---
A gnarled apple tree tapped playfully
ut the closed shutters of one Of the up
1 per rooms and even went SO far, under
extreme provocation from the wind
as to poke some Of it's blossom lader
twigs between the ramshackEe 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 hurryina
into the presence of death. Sssssssso-
/ A pale young woman opened the door
in response to his knock, and without
any form of greeting ushered him tnts
the chilly hall and went before htm VI
the stairs to the floor above.
He is very Ill, my poor little boy, y
she said as she opened the door OF a
bed chamber. Every, very i'll, fear. y
The doctor stepped into the room.
He stopped for an instant until he
could accustom himself to the general
dinlness. The woman caught his arm.
"Here." she whispered, ana 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.
81 think" he replied, looking at her
pitifully, that your little boy
"Doct0r~
"But we win do what we can"
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 for
your husband"
"He is no betterY' she asked, look
OF agony creeping into her great dark
eyes.
"No 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 duh.
quiet tone:
81 am stranger in Ellisville and
have no friend or acquaintance here.
When Mr.. Grafton went away this
morning, the baby did not seem SO very
I'll, but he said he would ask you to
call. / have no one to send for hin
now"
where is hep asked the doctor.
"He has an Office on Front street.
He is tsying to establish an Insurance
agency here"
II VIII go FOR him." said the doctor
and tscned away.
Late that afternoon the tiny spark of
life that fickered in the child's breast
went out. Afterwa ID 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, st1u lived on the
same street, and his housekeeper was
fretfing 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 conner
@From Grimby,," replied the woman
ibid you say DR.. Eaton was quite a
middle aged manT she added anx-
iously.
II didn't say, ma'am, but s'pose
you'd call him 80 in pint OF age. All,
here he is nowv'
From the window the lady could see
a doctors gig draw up at the curb and
a tall, dark man with grizded beard
descend from 1t.
The doctor entered and looked in
quiringly at his visitor with keen, kind
ly eyes She rose and said q little un-
certainly:
I'll am afraid have made a 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 May morning
and darkened room, with the scent
of apple blossoms safted through clos
ed blinds, but the impression was
vague and transitoty and was gone be-
fore he could attach any meaning to 1t.
"You were not looking for me, them
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
femember it." she said, with a flush
and little deprecatory smile. 'T've
been toTa great many doctors in Ellis
vile and have not found him. I'm
afraid he must have gone away-or be
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