The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-08-28
CHAPTER III.

! CHAPTER Ill.
How well you're looking, sir, and
quite fat, too" said my good old
housekeeper, as she put down the
last parcel in the hall. six weeks sub
sequent to the events last recorded.
l had just returned from my holiday
and stood by the side of my 'locum
tenens." who appeared quite as happy
to relinquish her charge as Ann was
to see me back.
Two hours after closed the door on
poor Lark, who left the house, as he
said, without regret and then | went
into the dining room again and rang
for Ann.
Well Ann. and what news have
you? How did you like Mr.. Lark"
Pretty well, sir he was very funny
about his food
did the patients like him.
Some of them, sir. He wasn't quite
like doctor: he Was too big and too
merry; he used to laugh so loud and
sit on the side of the bed instead of
in chair. One woman told me he
whistled as he went upstairs"
What very wicked things to do.
Has any one left?"
Eyes; that woman with the broken
leg sent for another doctor, because
Dr.. Lark called twice without looking
at her tongue or feeling her pulse
either time"
"Old fool But have you seen much
of Miss Milne?"
Il have only seen her twice. She
came fortnight ago. the night your
letter came, in which you told me
about the young lady. | read that last
sentence to her, and she got up and
went away at once, quite altered like
just as though you had no right to fall
in love! Then she came in a week
afterward and-Lor, sir, you never saw
such a change!'
What sort of changer?
Her dress was quite different-not
q bit like her-all bright ribbons. and
/ flowers in her hat; she laughted all
the time and talked so loud as never
was. She said she had a young man
outside, and was going to music hall
She said she had wasted all her life
and had no fun. but now she was CO.
ing to be quite different, and enjoy
herself. She was exceedingly rude to
me- sir"
How do you mean rude?"
hang around here and make my life
other things which | prefer not to re-
peat. sir" and Aun drew herself up
with dignity. when she left ran TO
the kitchen window and watched her
going up the street with her young
man. and il was dreadful, She
laughed and talked that wild every
e,k,
1T is indeed very strange Ann. after
what we know of her-aimost incredi-
BILE"
yes sir" broke in Ann; "a,d after
the way she nursed you The bell
rang and Ann left me to my contem-
plations of this new and strange de-
parture of my whilom nurse, friend
and constant mystery.
In a week / had settled down to
work again, md had not seen Miss
Milne. nor had 7 thought p'uch of her.
Men are proverbiallv selfish. and inst
at this time had abundant reason fer
cultivating that unchristian tendency.
had left nv heart in the country; it
was stolen there. or rather. found its
altar, and stayed to worship; | came
back but half myself, and that the
lesser half
One evening had walked past Miss
Mines shop to see a patient, and on
nv way home | went il 70 see her.
} There was no one IN the shop when
entered and | had time to glance
around; in a moment I saw that the
whole appe? ~arce of the place hal
changed. UntidineSs reigned eve-v-
where. papers were lying all over the
: counter. the shelves. where of old the
: stock of tobacco and clears hal been
: arranged so neatly and tidily were
now, but for dust and rubbish, empty
} Presently the door opened very slight
ly and through the crack. but without
: looking. some one shouted:
who's there? What - you WANT
Twas the voice of Miss Milne. but
; terribly changed. 1t lad been a soft
voice: now it was harsh and unmusi
cal.
| ITS I. Doctor Rigby, but don't lei
me disturb you"
''Oh. you, is it? Will you come in:
1 am quite alone"
= And | went in, and the room found
had shared the fate of the shop. Il
3 had always been barely furnished. bot
: never untidy: now to the poverty wa:
e added dirt and disorder; soiled cups
c am plates covered the table; in the
5 fender there stood unwashed sauce
a pans. irving pan. and other coolins
: utensils. The room he'd evidently beer
e neither swept nor busted for many
y DAYS.
t Miss Milne herself was a strikin:
e contrast to her forme- self. There wa,
n about her person an air of wrath, bu