The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-01-26

|
exc,.se to finger. We turned and fol
lowed the maid.
Miss Holiday seems very ILL., said
Mr.. Royce in voice somewhat treInu'
| lous as she paused before US in the
! lower hall.
''Yes, sir; YER ill.'
Again the voice! l took advantage
of the chance to look at her intently.
Her hair was turning gray, certainly;
ner face was scanned with lines which
only care and poverty could have
craven there, and yet, beneath it all,
| fancie1 | could detect a faded but
| living likeness to Hiram Holidays
daughter. l looked again-it was faint,
lncertain-perhaps my nerves were
Jverwrought and were deceiving me.
| For how could such a likeness possibly
exist?
.'She has a physician, of course?'
asked my companion.
"Oh, yes, SIR
HE has advised rest and quietT
Eyes, sir"
when do you leave for the coun-
try?'
Tomorrow or the next day after
| that, l think. sir"
He turned to the door and then paus-
| ed, hesitating. He opened his lips to
say something more-his anxiety was
clamoring for utterance - then he
changed his mind and stepped outside
as she held the door open.
Good day." he said. with stern re-
preston. II wish her a pleasant jour-
ney'
The door closed after us, and we
went down the steps.
"Jenkinson's the family doctor" he
said Lets drive around there and
find out how i'll Miss Holiday really
is. I'm worried about her, Lester"
That's a good idea," agreed and
gave the driver the address, Jenkln-
son was in his Office and received us
at once.
"Dr. Jenkinson," began our junior
without preamble, Il am John Royce,
of Graham & Royce. You know, sup
pose, that we are the legal advisers Of
Miss Frances Holiday"
Eyes" answered Jenkinson. Glad to
meet you, Mr.. Royce"
"In consequence we're naturally in
terested in her welfare and all that
concerns her, and / called to ask you
for some definite details of her condi-
ton"
Her condition? 1 don't quite under
stand"
1--WE should like to know, doctor, just
how i'll she is"
I'LL" repeated Jenkinson, in evident
surprise. But is she ill.,"
She's your patient, isn't she? l
thought you were the family Doctor
80 / am assented the other. "But
l haven't seen Miss Holiday for ten
days or two weeks AT that time she
seemed quite well-a little nervous,
perhaps, and worried, but certainly
not requiring medical attention. She
has always been unusually robust
Mr.. Royce stopped, perplexed. AS for
me, my head was in a whirl again.
I'm tell you the story" he said ct
last. Il should like the benefit of your
advice" And he recounted rapidly the
facts of Miss Holidays illness, in so
far as he knew them, ending with an
account of our recent visit and the
statement of the maid that her mis-
tress was under doctors care. Jen-
kinson heard him to the end without
interrupting, but he was plainly puz-
zled and annoyed.
"And you say she looked very ill?"
he asked.
"Oh, very i'll, sir; alarmingly i'll, to
my Impractical eyes. She seemed thin
and worn. She could scarcely talk,
she had such a cough. | hardly knew
her."
Again the doctor paused to consider.
He was a very famous doctor, with
many very famous patients, and l
could see that this case piqued him
that another physician should have
been preferred
"Of course, Mr.. Royce" he said final
ly, Miss Holiday was perfectly free
to choose another physician if she
thought best
But would you have thought it prob
able?" queried our Junior.
Ten minutes ago 1 should have
thought it extremely improbable" an
swered the doctor emphatically. "Still,
women are sometimes erratic, as we
doctors know to our sorrow"
Mr.. Royce hestated and then took
the bull by the horns.
"Dr. Jenkinson," he began earnest
ly, don't you think it would be wise
to see Miss Holladay-y0u know how
her father trusted you and relied on
you-and assure yourself that she's In
good hands? l confess l don't know
what to think, but fear some danger
is hanging over her. Perhaps she may
even have fallen into the hands Of the
faith curists."
Jenkinson smiled.