Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-10-07


Yes
(Which one:''
told him, and he sighed relief.
AT last! You're the very first I've
not had to argue with as to what is
and what is not a public school Ex-
pelled:'
No" 1 said after a moments hesi-
tation; mo. 1 was not expelled. and
hope you won't expel me if 1 ask a
question in my turn:"
Certainly not"
"Are you Mr.. Maturin's SOM
NO. my names Theobald. You may
have seen it down below
The doctor:" i said.
Ills DOCTOR" said Theobald. with
satisfied eye. Mr.. Maturin'S doctor.
He is having Il male nurse and attend
ant by my advice. and he wants Il
gentleman if he can get one. l IA ther
think he'll see you, though he's only
seen two or three all day. There are
certain questions which he prefers
to ask himself, and it's no good going
over the same ground twice. s. per
haps l had better tell him about you
before we get any further"
And he withdrew to a room still
nearer the entrance, as l coulI hear,
for it was a very small fat indeed.
But now two doors We're shut between
Us, and had TO rest content with muir
murs through the wall until the doctor
returned to summon me.
II have persuaded my patient TO
see YOU he whispered, but | confess
l am not sanguina of the result He
gT.t ~.
prepare yourself for a queruIous in
valid and for no sinecure if YOU get
the billet
MAY l ask what's the matter with
himE*
.,SRya al means-when you've got the
billet .idaI..
DR. Theobald then lei tho way, his
professional dignity so thoroughly in
tact hat 1 could not but smile as
followed his swinging coat tails to the
sickrOom. l carried no smile across the
threshold of a darkened chamber which
reekel of drugs and twinkled with
medicine bottles and in the middle Of
which Il gaunt figure lay abed in the
half light.
Take him to the window, take him
TO the window" a thin voice snapped,
land let's have Il look at him. Open
the blind Il bit. Not as much as that,
dash you, not as much as that
The doctor took the oath as though
it had been Il fee. 1 no longer pitieL
him. II was now very clear TO me that
be had one patient who was a little
practice in himself. l determined there
and then that he should prove Il little
profession to me if we could but keep
him alive between us. Mr.. Maturin.
however, had the whitest face that
have ever seen, and his teeth cleaned
ont through the dusk as though the
withcrcd lips no longer met about
them, nor did they except in speech.
and anything ghastlier than the per
petual grin of his rep0se 1 defy you 10
Imagine. 1t was with this grin that he
lay regarding me while the doctor held
the blind.
$50 you think you could look after
me. do yOu?"
I'm certain / could, sir"
Single handed. mind, / don't keep
another soul, You would have to cook
your own grub and my Stops Do you
think You could do all that?'
''Ics, sir; / think So
'Why do you? Have you any ex-
perience of the kind?"
NO. sir, none"
Then why do you pretend you
have:"
Il only meant that would do my
best
only meant, only meant. Have you |
done your best at everything else. |
them"
hung my head. This was facer |
And there was something in my invalid |
which thrust the unspoken lie down |
my throat.
NO. sir, 1 have not I told him
plainly.
HE, he he"' the old wretch Uttered. |
"And you do we'll to own il; YOU do !
well. sir, very we'll indeed. If you
hadn't owned up out You would have |
gone out neck and crop! You've saved |
your bacon. You may do more. So |
you are Il public school boy. and ii very
good school yours is, but YOU weren't |
at either university. Is that cOrrect?"
Absolutely"
What did you do when you left |
SCHOOL,
Il came in for money"
"And them
Il spent my money"
And since them"
/ stood like IL mule
And since then, sayr
"a relative Of mine will tell You If
you ask him. He is an eminent man
and he has promised to speak for me.
| would rather say no more myself"
But you shall. sir. but you shall,
DO YOU suppose that / suppose pub
lie schOoled boy would apply for a
berth like this if something or other
hadn't happened: What | want is a
gentleman of sorts, and / don't much
care what sort. but you've got to tell
me what did happen if YOU don't tell /
anybody else. DIR. TheObald. sir. you
can 80 10 the devil il you won't
take a hint. This man may do or ne