The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-03-21
A Professional Visit.



figures threading their way down the
mountain side bent to avoid the slant
ing particles Of ice that stung their
faces. Yet only the day before the sun
had shone and May flowers had opened
their petals to a soft breeze.
Hurry! hurry! Doctor! FOR mercy's
sake, hurry" implored one Of the fig
ures, shouting in order to be heard
above the wind, and the other figure.
strong and athletic though 1t was, threw
Itself forward still more fiercely in vain
endeavor to overtake the old man. who
was plunging on ahead. Hurry! hur-
ry! hurry" came back to him as part
of the wind. ITS ten miles yet, an
she may be dyin'. For mercy's sake,
hurry"
Only a few hours before, just as the
storm was bursting. the old man had
lated hotel In the mountains and de-
manded a doctor, and when assured
there was not one within twenty miles
he had thrown up his hands with q
despairing, AN she may be dyin'! She
may be dyin'i" Then suddenly
Strengthening himself. he had asked
harshly to be shown the road to the
nearest doctor At that moment the
young man had appeared.
Il am not doctor" he had said, but
| studied medicine two years before
deciding upon the ministry. ! have
| nj. sns \ In q
about the location OF doctors here. As
you are in a hurry. may be better
than none, and am at your service"
Hardly a word had been spoken since
then, except the intermittent Hurry!
hurry" Down slopes they had plunged,
lodging trees and powders. slipping
and stumbling, and up slopes they had
climbed and scrambled, clinging by
sheer force Of fingers where they would
often have fallen back, their one
| thought to cover distance as rapidly
as possible. Mile after mile fell away
behind them and still they bent their
faces to the slanting particles of ice,
/ the young man unable to see where he
was going. but following his compan-
ion. who was apparently oblivious OF
fatigue or pain.
But suddenly as they hurried on the
old mans foot caught in some projec-
ton and he was thrown violently for
ward. Almost instantly. however, he
was upon his feet again and plunging
on. But only for a few steps then he
tottered and fell.
Hurry! hurry" he called. I've
broke my ankle. ard can't keep up.
| Foller the ridge tin ye come to a gull
ley with pine trees on one side Keep
through IT,, and then turn to the right.
My cabins in tho oak scrub beyond"
But you protested the young man
anxiously. II cannot leave you like
this. Let me attend to your ankle
first"
NO, no, MOI" screamed the old man
harshly. Go on. | tell ye. There's no
lime for me. I'm all right an know
every foot o. these mountains. II my
ankle IS broke. / can hobble along. an
will get there most as soon as you. Go
on. tell ye! Hurry! hurry! For mer-
cys sake. hurry! She may be dyin!"
The young man sprang away ODE
dlently. Along the ridge and down the
gulley he hurried, lodging the trees
and rocks when he could see them, and
bruising himself against them when he
could not, the storm still beating in his
face. but the bitter cold unnouced in
his haste. At the end of the gully he
heard the rush and roar OF turbulent
waters. and presently came to the bank
Of a stream, thirty or forty feet wide,
whose current was broken into white
ridges by its force against the rough
ness of the river bed. The old man
had not spoken of this. Doubtless he
knew OF a fording place, and had ex-
pected himself TO lead the way across,
There was no time TO look for ford
now, and without hesitation the young
man flung himself into the icy water.
He was a strong swimmer. but when