The San Francisco call., 1904-12-07


there in his tour of inspection, and
asked the usual questions. Only one
young Irish girl, with the clearness
of death in her eyes, laid her hand
on his as he touched her tenderly, and
whispered. You'd betther be comm
wild me, docther, dear. Thingsl be
straighter-there.
1t was not the first time he had
thought of it. Really. the inner voice
questioned. as he listened to the report
of the head nurse, what good was his
life to the world anyway? Here he
had gone half way across the CONT
nent, this bitter January. to attend in
a great operation-and the man had
died after ALL He was not necessary
in the hospital, there were a dozen
better men; his wife-but he turned
from that thought instinctively; his sis
ter-she would forget he had lived or
died, at the sight of a Lafayette plate.
The head nurse had finished her re-
port. He looked at his desk piled with
mail.
'I can't read 1t tonight" he decided
aloud.
messenger" the head nurse said. 1T
is marked important and she re-
tired softly.
Doctor Jardine broke the seal.
Dear Brother the note ran. Il
have heard of some extraordinary old
Staffordshire up in Ulster County, and
I start in ten minutes. Cornelia Frye
knows it, too, so you see there Is no
tome to lose. I may be back before
you return from the West, but in case
I do not, 1 enclose keys. We have
moved in your absence" (He smiled
at the "we."O "The new apartment is
10 East Eighty-fourth street. The jan
itor of the old one was impertinent.
It is on the second floor, to the left.
Your room is at the end Of the hall.
Your affectionate sister,
MARIA"
The note was so characteristic, the
situation so fitting a climax to his
week of work and strain, that his
sense of humor was touched. Per
feet" he murmured to himself as he
sent for a cab.
At 10 East Eighty-fourth street the
cabman had to work with voice and
hand to rouse his fare.
'I never knowed any gen'Pman so
far gone before three in the morn
ing" he observed to the area rail-
ings.
Unconscious of the impression he
had left behind him. Doctor Jardine
stumbled up the front steps.
"Jardine, sir7 Out, believe, sir"
said a sleepy hall boy.
"I know; 1 am Doctor Jardine."
The boy stared, succumbed to the
voice of authority and dozed again.
In the room at the end Of the hall
the principal object Of interest to the
weary man was the bed. four-poster,
with curtains, surprising enough to
one who was used to sleeping on an
iron cot
"Confound Marial' he grumbled.
IF she starts collecting antique fur
niture as well as plates 1 am lost!'
The four-poster wore a very invit-
ing air, despite its unexpectedness,
Doctor Jardine slowly pulled off his
shoes and divested himself of coat and
waistcoat.
II must lie down a moment" he
murmured, "and-think-thi
and the bed received him into its
depths.
He dreamed. A weird procession
passed before him like the figures in
a frieze-and every one was his wifel
Now she was laughing, now dancing.
now weeping, now stern as the angel
outside paradise, always gazing at
him with unseeing eyes. He struggled
to reach her, but could not; he heard
her retreating footsteps-retreating
yet sounding always nearer Striving
to solve the puzzle, he awoke. The
footsteps continued, not loud and omi-
nous as in his dream. but light, fit
ting steps-they reminded him of
some one he had known. For a mo-
ment he stared bewildered into the
darkness Of the curtained bed. the
steps seeming to echo from his dream.
Then he remembered-Maria was in
Ulster County. Who was the intruder2
He parted the curtains a fingers
breath and looked out. The room
beyond was dimly lighted. Trunks
GfOOd omen with ho0lxq apd o1otI,s,-