Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-18
CHAPTER VIII.

fronted by man who lived half way De-
tween Alton and the next village on the
north. He had walked some three miles to
get some medicine for his wife. who was
suffering from rheumatism. He was pa
theticaly insistent upon the fact that his
wife did not require a call from the doctor.
only some medicine. Now. see here, Joe,
said Gordon eff l really thought your wife
needed call would go. and it should not
cost you cent more than the medicine,
but l am dog tired, and not feeling any too
we'll myself. and If her symptoms are just
as you say, | think l can send her some
thing which will fix her up all right
She is just the way she last year.
said the man. He did not look unlike Cor
don, although he was poorly clad. and was
q genuine son of the New Jersey soil. His
poor clothes even his skin. had clayey
hue as If he had been really cast from the
mother earth. 1t was frozen outside. but
Z q reddish crust from the last thaw was on
his hulking boots He spoke with a drawl,
! which was nasal and yet had something
sweet in ii. Il would have came this after
noon. but l was afraid you might have
went out" he remarked.
Yes. l was out" replied Gordon. who
was filing out prescription. The man
stopped and patted the bull terrier, which
had not evinced the slightest emotion al his
Mighty fine dog said the man.
Yes he is pretty good Sort replied
Gordon.
up to your house an no one round, and he
had took dislike to me-
Il should not myself" said Gordon. But
he does not dislike you
Dogs know me pooty WELL" said the man.
They amt no particler likin' for me. Don't
want to run and jump an wag. but they
know I mean well, and they mostly let me
alone"
Yes. 1 guess that's So said Gordon.
"Jack would have barked If he had not
known you were all right. Joe"
Queer how much they know" said the
man refiectively. and a dazed look over
spread his dingy face. with its cloud of
beard. If once he became launched upon a
current of reflection, he lost his mental
bearings instantly and drifted.
We'll. they do know said Gordon.
Now listen. Joe! You see this bottle. You
give your wife a spoonful of the medicine
in glass of water every three hours.
Mind. you make it a whole tumbler full of
water"
Yes SIR" replied the man.
"Of course. you need not wake her up IL
she gets to Sleep, said the doctor, but
every three hours when she Is awake
Yes, sir The man began funbling IN
his pocket. but Gordon stopped him. NO.
he said. put up your pocketbook. joe
don't want any money. l get this medi-
cine at wholesale, and II don't cost much
II come prepared to pay" said the man.
He Strengthened his shoulders and flushed.
"Oh, WELL" said Doctor Gordon, wait
II YOU need more medicine. or 1t seems
necessary that l SnOulu QTlNe over " Sec
your wife, you can do little work on my
garden in the spring, or you can let me nave
q bushel of your new potatoes when they
are grown next summer, or some appfes,
and well call 1t square Walt: l don't want
any money for that bottle OF medicine to-
night anyhow. Did you walk over, joe?
Joe said that he had walked over. Aaron
might Just as we'll drive you home as not,
said Gordon. The sooner your wl1e mas
that medicine the better. How is the baby
getting along?"
"First-rate I'd just as soon walk. doc
tor"
For answer Gordon opened the door and
called Aaron, and told him to hitch up ana
take the man home.
Doctor Elliot has gone with the bay.
said Aaron The teams are about played
out, and there's nothin' except the gray.
Take her then" .
''She looked when 1 fed her just now as II
she was half mind to balk at takin her
feed" Aaron remarked doubtfully
Nonsense! Give her loose rein and
She'll be all right.
Aaron went out grumbiing.
Gordon offered the man cigar, which NJ,
accented as IL 1t had been diamond.
save it up for next SUNDAY: wmen aiS Se sof
a little time to sense IL, he saiu'
know what your cigars De-
Gordon forced another upon him, and the
man looked as pleased as child:
Presently shout was hearu, anu Horooh
opened the office door .
.Here's Aaron with the buggy. he SAID.
He stood In the doorway watching, put
the gray instead OF baking. went out OF
the yard with an angry plunge. NoiuoH
shook his head.
"Confound him. he's pulling too hard on
tho lines"'he muttered. Then he closed
and locked the office door, and went INTO
the living room to find it deserted. Cor
don called up the stairs. Have You gone
TO bed Clara?' His voice was at once
tenderly solicitous and angry.
Mrs. Ewing answered him from apoVe'
in bar was something DrODtlatlnR.
Eyes, Tom, dear" she called.
Gordon hesitated moment. HIS face
took its expression of utmost misery
sIs-the pain very bad?' he called then,
and called as If he were in actual fear.
No dear" the womans patient. be
seeching voice answered, mot very bad
NO, only I felt a little twinge. and
thought 1 had better go to bed. am
quite comfortable now. 1 think l shall go
TO sleep. am sorry. to leave you alone
all the evening, Tom"
That's right called Gordon. His voice
rang harsh. in spite of his effort to control
It. He threw his arm over his eyes, ana
fairly CROPPED his way back to his office,
office he flung himself into chair. and
bent his head over his hands on the table,
and his whole frame shook on, my
Godr he muttered. "Oh. my God! He
did not weep but he gasped like child
whom his mother has commanded not to
weep. Terrible emotion fairly convulsed
him. He struggled with 1t as with visi-
BILE foe. At last he sat up and filled his
pipe The dog had crept close to him, and
was nesting against him and whimpering.
Gordon patted his head. The dog licked his
hand.
The simple ignorant sympathy Of this
poor speechless thing nearly unnerved the
man again, but he continued to smoke. He
looked at the dog, whose honest brown
eyes were fixed upon him with an almost
uncanny understanding, and reflected how
the woman upstairs. who was passing out
OF his life, had become In few days so
associated with the animal that after she
was gone he could never see him without
pang. He looked about the office, with
whose belongings she was less associated
than with anything In the house. and 1t
seemed to him that everything even there
would have for him. after she had pass
ed. terrible sting Of "reminiscences. 1t
seemed to him, he looked about, as n
nhe were already gone. He was. in fact.
suffering as keenly in anticipation as he
would in reality. The horror. the worst
Of ~ ali laff aliv xyft tbo