Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-12-26

pouring his drugs down those childrens
throats, IL tell you it's no use, my
dear, III take cup of tea, and then
get up and dress"
1t was in vain that Isabel pleaded; in
vain that she brought to her aid Mrs.
Jeffson, the vigorous and outspoken, who
declared that it would be nothing short
of self-murder if Mr.. Gilbert insisted on
going out that evening; equally in vain
the threat of summoning Mr.. Pawlkatt.
George was resolute; these quiet people
always are resolute, not to say obstinate.
He was wanted yonder among his pa
tients, and he must go. Isabel and Mrs.
Jeffson retired in melancholy resigna-
ton to prepare the tea, which was to
fortify the surgeon for his evenings
work. George came downstairs half an
hour afterward, looking, not i'll, or even
weak, but at once flushed and haggard.
There's nothing whatever the matter
with me, my dear Izzie,' he said, as his
wife followed him to the door; Il am
only done up with very hard work. l
feel tired and cramped in my limbs, as
if I'd caught cold somehow or other. l
was out all day in the wet last week,
you know; but there's nothing in that |
shall just look in at those people at
Briargate, and come back by the lanes;
and then an hour or so in the surgery
will finish my work, and | shall have
an assistant, my dear. The agricultural
population gets very thick about Gray
bridge, and unless some one takes pity
on the poor people, and brings about
some Improvement in the places they live
in, we may look for plenty of fever"
He went out at the little gate, and
Isabel watched him going along the lane.
He walked a little slower than usual,
and that was all. She watched him
with a quiet affection on her face. There
was no possible phase of circumstances
by which she could have been ever
brought to love him; but she knew that
he was good, she knew that there was
something praiseworthy in what he was
doing to-night-this resolute visiting of
wretched sick people.
1t was not the knightly sort of good
ness she had adored in the heroes of her
choice; but it was good, and she admired
her husband a little, in a calm, unenthu-
siastic manner-aS she might have ad-
mired a very estimable grandfather, had
she happened to possess such a relative
She was trying to be good, and all the
sentimental tenderness of her nature had
been aroused by Georges illness. He
was more agreeable person lying faint
and languid in shaded room, and re-
curing his head constantly bathed with
vinegar and water, than when in the full
vigor of health and clumsiness
She finally walked out into the lane.
watching for her husbands coming. Two
or three people went slowly by at con-
siderable intervals; and at last, when if
was growing quite dark, the figure of
slouching country-built lad, doomed out
of the obscurty.
''Be this Muster Gilberts the doc
tors" he asked or Isabel
"Yes; do you want him27
81 don't want him; but I've got let
ter for his wife from a man that's stay
ing up at our place. Be you she?'
Eyes; give me the letter." answered
Isabel, putting her hand over the gate.
She took the missive from the hand of
the boy, who resigned it in slow, un-
willing manner and then slouched away.
Mrs. Gilbert put the letter in her pocket,
and went into the house. The doctors
wife seated herself at the little table, and
took the letter from her pocket and tore
it open. 1t was very brief and uncere-
monious kind of epistle, containing only
these words:
I've found comfortable quarters. for
the nonce, in little crib down in Ness
brough Hollow. l suppose you know the
place; and | shall expect to see you in
the course of to morrow. Don't forget
the sinews of war; and be sure you ask
for Captain Morgan"
There was no signature. The letter
was written in a big, dashng hand.
which had sprawled recklessly over
sheet of old-fashioned letter paper: If
seemed a riotous, improvident kind of
writing, that glOried in the wasted space
and squandered ink.
How cruel of him to come here!'
muttered Isabel, as she tore the letter
into a little heap of fragments: show
cruel of him to come! as if | had NOT
suffered enough already; as if the misery
and disgrace had not been bitter enough
and hard enough to bear"
She rested her elbows on the table.
and sat quite still for some time. with
her face hidden in her hands. Her
thoughts were very painful; but, for
once in a way, they were not entirely
devoted to Roland Lansdell: and yet the
master of MOrdred Priory did figure in
that long reverie. George came in by
and by, and found her sitting in the atti-
tude into which she had fallen after de-
stroying the letter. She had been very
anxious about her husband some time
ago; but for the last half hour her
thoughts had been entirely removed from
him: and she looked up at him confused
ly. almost startled by his coming as if
he had been the last person IN the world
whom she expected to see Mr.. Gilbert
dropped heavily into the nearest chair,
like . man who feels himself powerless
to 90 one step further.
I'm very i'll, lizzie he said; tits no
use mncing the matter; l am i'll. l sup
pose Pawlkatt is right, after all, and
I've got a touch of the fever"
Shall l send for him?' asked Isa-
bel, starting up; "he said l was to send
for him if you grew worse"
Not on any account. l know what
to do as we'll as he does. If l should
happen to get delirious by and by, you
can send for him, because l dare say
you'd be frightened, poor girl. and would
feel more comfortable with a doctor
potteriug about me. And now listen
to me, my dear, while 1 give you a few
directions; for my head feels like a ton
weight. and l don't think l shall be able
TO sit upright much longer"
The doctor proceeded to give his wife
all necessary instructions for the pre-
vention of infection. She was to have
a separate room prepared for herself inn
mediately; she was TO fumigate the room
in which he was to lie, in such and such
a manner. As for any attendance upon
himself, that you'd be Mrs. Jeffson's |
task.
Mr.. Pawlkatt was summoned to his !
rivals bedside early on the following
morning. Georges case was quite out of
his own hands by this time; for he had
grown much worse in the night, and was
fain to submit to whatever people pleas
ed to do with him. He was very i'll.
Isabel sat in the half-darkened room. |
sometimes reading, sometimes working
in the dim light that crept through the
curtain. sometimes sitting very quietly