The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-04-05
Hy Jeanette S. Benton

! The Office boy heard the doctor IN
! the annex and went out. Her face
! was buried in a basin Of water, and
| the formaldehyde bottle stood open.
"How's the smallpox" he asked.
Bad" she replied. emerging rosy
from the towel. is any one waiting:'
NO one now but Mr.. Doane Aldiich;
been three or four. but they got tired
waiting"
Very well. Tell him will be there
In a minute"
AS the bog closed the door she walk
ed to the mirror and regarded herself
attentirely, spraying violet water over
her hands and hair
4 wish l had some powder" she
murmured. 81 Am afraid look blow
~"
To the tall young man in the recep-
ton room she looked diSc0uragingly
cool and unperturDed as lie arose at
her entrance.
III is Il little matter, doctor" he eX-
planned Il have just been transferred
to the Y mine. and they have smallpox
down there, so | suppose it is ncces-
sary TO be vuccinated"
1T certainly is. if you haven't been
lately. Things are III bad shape at the
\. | have put in the whole afternoon
there. There's good deal of small
pox and more satisfaction. sup
pose the dissatisfaction is what sent
you there"
Il suppose so. What's at the bot
tom of the trouble anyway"'
''Sickening novels and the company
store. If you can get the company to
DO anything before those people MUIR
der you as its nearest representative,
you will be doing god work. How
ever, come into the Office. and | VIII
vaccinatC you"
He followed her in.
This IS the first time | ever came
here rs = subject" he romnrkCd
He barred lis arm ana IooNed dubi-
ously ut lis white surface.
How could sic. hr i Hnrtnrf S.iil he
had sometimes !si.,d IiI cvulI be sick
a week or two. 1t would be such
good chance to see her every day.
What was she going TO do with that
razor looking little knife? 1t had been
SO long since he was vaccinated he had
forgotten all about It, Did she lab the
stuff in at the end of that? If she was
going to jah, he wished she would and
stop that scratching.
He watched the scratching knife. fas-
cinated. Suddenly it began to describe
erratic circles in his vision.
DR. Richie felt his arm relaxing I'M
der her grasp. With a movement as
quiet as it was quick she eased his
stalwart body to the floor, then loosen
ed his collar and dashed a little water
in his face.
He opened his eyes slowly.
''Oh. | say" he gasped whats the
matter?"
The doctor stood little way off re-
garding him with professional gravity.
Il was vaccinating you, and you
tainted" she explained. You will be
all right in a moment"
He got rather uncertainty to his feet
and leaned against a convenient case
of drawers.
Good Lord he groaned. What do
you think Of me? | hope you don't
think It was because 1t hurt. | don't
know what it was. ! was watching
that little knife; then | was here on the
floor Please finish the job" he con-
Guided irritably. "Tll try to stand up
under 1t"
AS she adjusted the small bandage
he thought savagely:
IF | should lift you off your feet,
my sweet doctor, and kiss that dia-
bolical dimple, you might at least re-
spect my muscle. How can fellow
make love to a woman doctor any
way?" Aloud he said. Thank YOU
DOCTOR" rather abruptly, hurried into
his coat, settled with the office boy
and got away with all speed.
The doctor stroIled to the window
and watched him go striding off his
big shoulders squared.
Poor old fellow" she said softly.
Then she flushed and smiled in
way that little befitted a member of
the medical profession.
He is bashful and stupid. too" she
pouted.
Doane Aldrich squared his shoulders
against his troubles often that winter
His recognized powers as a pacifica-
tor seemed TO have signally failed.
One day he swung into the cart as
the doctor was trOttiug home.
See here" he said. Il must talk
with you. don't know what to do
with those people. Heaven knows
they have reason enough to be sore
and | am helpless. OF course they
can't realize that. but the company
pays no attention to my representa-
tons. am the nearest thing the poor
brutes have to hate and they hate me
well. Tomorrow ! have got to dis:
charge Mcclure and Kearney'-
The doctor interrupted: THAT means
strike, to begin with Then Rate
Mcclure and Dilsey Kearney why,
they would as soon have a riot as
enough to eat"
But what can do? The men have
come on the shift twice within week
drunk and quarresome. Overlook ii
and they will all get drunk and
Raise bades." gently suggested the
doctor. Then her face grew mischie.
vous. Don't you thtlk you had better
follow your predecessors example and
throw 1t up?" she suggested
He looked at her with decided stern
ness.
81 supposed that was about the opin-