The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-10-20


US. and I had 10 rest content with muir
murs through the wall until the doctor
returned to summon me
Il have persuaded my patient TO
see you,' he whispered, but l confess
I am not sanguine of the result. He
is very difficult TO please You must
prepare yourself for a querulous in
valid and for no sinecure If you get
the billet"
May l ask what's the matter with
him?"
by all means-when you've got the
billet"
DR.. TheObald then led the way, his
professional dignity so thoroughly IN
tact that 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
reeked Of drugs and twinkled with
medicine bottles and in the middle of
which a gaunt figure lay abed in the
half light.
Take him to the window, take him
to the window" a thin voice snapped.
"snd let's have a look at him. Open
the blind bit Not as much as that.
dash you, not as much as that"
The doctor took the oath rs though
it had been a fee. l no longer pitied
him. 1t was now very clear To me that
he had one patient who was a little
practice in himself. I determined there
and then that he should prove q 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
out through the dusk as though the
withered lips no longer met about
them. nor did they except in speech.
and anything ghastlier than the per-
petual grin of his repose defy you to
Imagine. 1t was with this grin that he
lay regarding me while the doctor held
the blind.
80 you think you could look aftet
me- do youf'
I'm certain l could, sir"
Single handed, mind, l don't keep
another soul. You would have TO cook
your own grub and my Stops. Do you
think you could do all that?'
Yes, sir; l think So
why do you? Have you any ex-
perience of the kind?'
NO, sir, none"
Then why do you pretend you
have:"
81 only meant that I would do my
best"
Only meant, only meant! Have you
done your best at everything else,
them?
I hung my head. This was a facer.
And there was something in my invalid
which thrust the unspoken lie down
my throat.
NO. sir. have not" I told him
plainly.
'He, he he" the old wretch Uttered
"And you do well to own it; 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 public school boy. and very
good school yours is, but you weren't
at either university. Is that correct?"
Absolutely"
what did you do when you left
SCHOOL,"
81 came in for money"
"And then?'
Il spent my money"
"And since then:7
l stood like a mule.
And since then, l say"
"a relative of mine will tell you IL
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 l suppose a pub
lie schooled boy would apply for
berth like this if something or Other
hadn't happened: What | want is a
gentleman of sorts. and l don't much
care what sort. but you've got to tell
me what did happen if You don't tell
anybody else. DR. ThcoDald, s.T you
can 90 to the devil if you won't
take a hint. This man may do or he
may not. You have no more to say to
1t till l send him down to tell you one
thing or the other Clear out, sir, clear
out. and if you think you've any.
thing to complain of you stick it down.
in the bill"
In the mild excitement Of our inter-
view the thin voice had gathered
CIR 4 I,N Ire -IYsn
screamed after the devoted medico as
he retired in such order that I felt
certain he was going to take this try
ing patient at his word The bedroom
door closed. then the outer one, and
the doctors heels went drumming
down the common stair. | was alone
In the fiat with this highly singular
and rather terrible old man.
"And dashed good riddancew
croaked the invalid, raising himself on
one elbow without delay. Il may not
have much body left to boast about,
but at least I've got a lost old soul
to call my own. That's why l want
gentleman of sorts about me- I've
been too dependent on that chap. He
won't even let me smoke, and he's
been in the fiat all day to see l didn't.
You'll find the cigarettes behind the
Madonna of the Chair"
1t was steel engraving Of the great
Raphael, and the frame was tilted
from the wall. At a touch a packet
of cigarettes tumbled down from be-
hind.
Thanks. And now a light"
struck the match and held it, while