The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-30

DR.. Ian Fraser and Jim Grant, his
college chum, met on a busy street OF
Ayr after long separation. DR.. Fra
ser was -Ayr's most popular physician,
and Grant was a Glasgow journalist.
After a few hearty words of greeting
DR.. Fraser dragged his friend home
with him to dinner.
Half an hour later, as they sat in the
doctors coy bachelor rooms exchang-
ing "reminiscences across the dinner
table, Jim's eyes CHANGED to light upon
photo on aside table, and he grew
pale.
.'You have a photo there that recalls
some bitter memories to me-" he said.
3 "Whose7'
Mrs. Forests. You know her?"
Pretty well. She has been one of my
patients for a WHILE" and the. doctor
flushed slightly.
His friend observed, and shook his
head.
Tan, my lad. can see you're becom-
ing one of the moths"
why, what do you mean"
ri hope your wings have not been SO
badly singed at the flame as mine were.
But let me explain. It was at BrOdick
last summer that ] met Mrs. Forrest
for the first time. You know what she
is like-young, not more than twenty
five, though four years a widow, beau
Il1uI DIS d. CIGGh SOuOGSS, anu 1dSC1I1dl-
ing beyond words. A few days of in
creasing intimacy and I was blindly in
love-ay, blindly For, three weeks
was at her beck and call Then the
awakening came; and one night when
parted from her at the garden gate,
the lips that had returned my kisses
babe me final goodbye, with the
smiling hope that I had spent a pleas
ant holiday"
He paused for moment gazing bit
terly at the photo. while the doctors
face became hard and set
81 was one Of the MOTHS" he contin-
ued, with mirthless laugh, land i
have since learned that we are quite
large and varied collection"
The doctors face was as pale as that
of his friend, and his voice was husky
as he said:
I'm sorry for you, lad; but perhaps
you have saved me in time"
"Ah!"
cay; she plays her cards WELL and
I've been blind, or I would have seen
that. I met her for the first time
about two months ago, when she had a
cycling accident opposite my consult
ing rooms, and was brought in. She had
sprained her ankle, she said, and after
attending to 1t I drove to her house in
Racecourse road. At her request ]
called occasionally, oftener than was
necessary for all the injury that l could
discover. Then her daughter Marjory,
dear little girl of four, took whoopinng
cough, and my visits, though nomin-
ally professional, gradually became
more frequent and more friendly. Dur
ing the last week I have been attend
ing her for a cold, and had promised
to call tonight; but after what have
heard I shall write note of apology.
and break off my relationship with
her"
Three hours later this fascinating
young widow who regarded her life's
mission as the breaking of mems hearts
sat in her room with an open letter in
her hand, her face changing color as
she read:
Dear Mrs. rest.-Circumstance
which / cannot here explain render 1t
impossible for me to keep my appoint
nent tonight or indeed to claim con-
tinuance of our present relationship:
and beg that from this time you will
cease to regard me either as your med-
zeal adviser or acquaintance. In the in
terests of both of US 1t is better that we
should not meet again, and I hope,
therefore, that you will let me pass as
quickly out Of your life as I entered 1t.
Yours truly,
Ian Fraser"
Her first feeling was Of anger and
injured pride, then came the conscious
ness that this man had stirred her
heart as no other had ever done.
II will not lose him yet" she ex-
claimed.