The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-11-12

A1N 5aS MN were brothers, Thomas
sIs4 and James Radcliffe. re-
spectiyely, old bachelors both. one the
village parson. who looked after the
souls of the brethren, while the other,
Brother Jim, doctored their bodies.
Father Tom lived in the little par
sonage next the church. with the old
est woman inhabitant of the place-a
dame past seventy, but who knew how
to darn stockings-as his housekeeper.
DR.. Jim lived at the other end of the
village street and looked after his own
homework. even brothers who are
so fond Of each other as Tom and
ought to live apart" said DR.. Jim.
ut strengthens the Affections
The brothers passed every evening
of their lives together, one night at
the parsonage and the next at the
"doctory," and they passed every one
over their pipes, for the parson wasn't
q prig, and the doctor was wont to say
that tobacco was the only known spe-
ciic for all human ills.
''Tom," said his brother one evening.
81 see that old Bill Lamson has died
over at Leeds"
Eyes, JIM" said Father Tom, "and
I was at his deathbed.'
Il always suspected, Tom, that you
knew all about Bill Lamson's part in
the johnson killing years ago, If be
had a part in it, which I'm inclined
to believe, By the way, and that you
kept the whole thing to yourself"
''Well. suppose I did know about it,
Jim. If Lamson told me anything
which I won't grant even now-he
told it to me because I was clergy
man, and it's not in the clerical prov
ince to tell on man who is repentant,
no matter what his crime"
Fright you are, Tom, and tell you
that physician ought to hold secrets
just as tight if they come from. pa
tent. I wouldn't give up a wounded
murderer if he had come to me for
treatment and had thrown himself on
my mercy and on. my professional
care. I'd consider myself sort Of
father confessor to his bodily ills, as
you might to the sins Of his soul.'
you're all wrong, Jim. You can't
class the physician with the priest.
The soul and the body are things
apart, and the touch of the sacred
doesn't enter into your profession as it
does into mine. You have no right to
claim the clergyman's exemption from
giving evidence against an evildoer
who has trusted you. In conceaiment
you do the state an injury"
Likely would if such condition
ever confronted me, Tom, but
wouldn't give the fellow up if he had
once trusted me and 1 had cared for
him. I might be an enemy Of the state
in so doing, but I'd sleep better after
it."
The brothers separated for the night.
DR.. Jim went back into the little labor
atory back of the sitting ROOM, musing
over the talk with his brother. 1T
would be a curious situation to be
placed in," he thought, Ito have a
wounded criminal on your hands and
to feel that the state might look to you
as an accomplice because you had
failed to turn him over to justice after
you had patched him up
Dr.. Jim sat up late studying. He
heard a noise outside the door at all
hour after midnight, and, throwing 1t
open, a man fell into the room and on
to the floor. Il seen your sign, doctor.
with the light behind it. I guess I'm
done for, but mebby you can fix me
up"
The man gasped and tainted. Sturdy
DR.. Jim picked him up and carried
him to the laboratory, where he laid
his burden on the lounge and made a
hasty examination. The man had a
bullet hole through the thigh, and was
weak from the loss Of blood. Beyond
that his injury wasn't serious. DR..
Jim stanched the flow and gave the
man restoratives.
where did you get this wound:" he
asked his midnight visitor when he
had regained consciousness.
Don't tell on me, Doc. I trusted
you. I cracked place with pal. He
got away all right and has the swag.
but got shot when the old feller in
the house walked up. Maybe l done
for him. I don't know, though, but ne
didn't shoot again after he hit me. and
let drive back"
You can't stay here said DR.. Jim
"Patients and other people will be here
tomorrow. and you can't travel for a
week. I'll put you on cot in a room
over the summer kitchen at the back
of the yard, and I'll look after you
though it goes against the grain" And
the doctor smiled a bit grimly as he
thought of his conversation with Faith
er Tom few hours before
An hour later the wounded burgla!
was bandaged. fed and secreted in tic
upper chamber of the unused summer
kitchen. There was fierce pounding
at DR.. Jim's front door. He opened it