, 1906-11-30
The Price,.
BY CARR.

and sprightly manner They were at
marked variance with his appearance
He was a tall husk of a man, dried
n yellow; his dark eyes burning in
c%adaverous hollows, his gray beard
hanging untrimmed and stained with
tobacco juice. Also his clothes were
the last word OF shabbiness. His
linen was soiled and frayed; pins
we're substituted for buttons in many
places, and of his vest it was the town
jes. that he boiled it once a week to
make soup. Yet he wore, wltnal, an
air of dignity which made the tale
of blood convincing.
He paused at the broken-hinged gate
and glanced back. He did not look
upon a view of thrift. The house
stood weatherbeaten, lacking In many
window-panes and shingles; and the
gallery post that bore the sign DIR.
Henry La Tour" sagged perilously.
The line of neglected pines which led
from the gate made an avenue OF
gloom, and from fence to fence the
yard was a tangle of underground and
weed. Further, the walk itself was
an assembly of pitfalls. The doctors
disapproval was obvious.
Tut, tut" he told himself, this
will neve do. It certainly Is surpris'
in how one neglects things when
they're busy. All must look aftah
havin' repairs made at once"
The grounds must be cleared and
soroe roses planted. There had used
to be roses, red me and yellow, along
the south wall. Where had they gone,
and when? Sure it was that a doctor
was a slave to the people not even
to have them to notice that the rose
bushes had died. Still 1t was a grand
Professionalism more SO.
A wing on the east side for ante
room and office commended itself to
him. 1t would save so much passing
through the main portion of the house.
And then painting and papering would
have to be done. White with green
blinds was to his taste, but the new
houses seemed to argue this old-fash'
Toned. Yellow with brown trimmings,
or two shades of green, would, he sup
posed, be more up-to-date.
lcI, dllCl oil, Wouiu L hoI 10 SttSi
to take offices in some building down
town? That seemed the correct thing
nowadays, and one really should
move with the procession.
He began, straightway, the readjust.
ment of his plans and, though they
were absorbing, he greeted each fa
miliar face he met with urbane court,
esy, sweeping his old SLOUGH hat deep
ly, after the fashion of his youth,
when he saluted feminine outlines.
They were mighty nice people.
these I%leriaville. Beautiful women
and fine men, and he knew them all
Had ushered many of them into the
world and attended nearly all at some
time in their lives. And what a fine
thing that was! Nothing could be bet.
ter than the feeling of having helped
your fellow-men. Wealth and world.
fame were trivial beside it.
He came to a halt before a large
building in the course of construction
and made calculations. One of those
suites would probably be the most de-
sirable. Everything was to be thor
oughly modern, he understood-and he
could take his meals at the hotel. His
mind grasped the details at once 1t
was really much more convenient
when you came to think of it, and he
decided to see Will Bailey about re-
serving Offices for him that morning.
The doctor did not, however, go
directly to young Bailey's ofice@The
way led past Harper's drug store, and
Frank Harper, he was sure, would feel
sighted if he did not stop. And he
could not for a moment consider of.
Tending Frank. He felt the obligation
to look after the young man, for he
and the elder Harper had been close
friends for many years.
He greeted the men in the store
pleasantly.
Good mo'nin', gentlemen, good
Busy, as usual? That's right. It's the
age of hustle. Yu' grow mo- like yu'
fathah every day. Shake hands, nah
boy. Aim proud of yu."
Any lack of responsiveness from the
group failed to strike through the old
mans large geniality of mood.
When he finally left the interchange
of comment was not so much the ex-
preston of unkindness as of tolerant
contempt.
"Old man must have taken an extra
shot this mo'nin'."
Rent one of the new Templeton
suites. Wouldn't that jar yu'? When
how he lives is a mystery"
81 fail to understand how it is that
he is so tolerated" was the northern.
er's observation.
He was a capitalist and had dropped
hints about locating at I~leriaville.
They we're at once apologize and ell
planatory.
"Oh, well, you see, he used to be a
very capable physician, and it's hard
to turn him down. one volunteered.
Yes, and he's pulled most of us
through some sort of sick spell when
we were kids, and it's not easy to for.
get it," said young Hunter, thought.
fully. Still, as you say, he is a nuis-
ance, and the way he makes this his
headquarters is mighty annoying. l
hate to do it, but l reckon I'll have
to take a stand against it somehow"
Meanwhile the old doctor made his
way to the post office, where he asked
at the window for his mail-it had
been long since he had had his own