Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-06-14
COPYRIGHT 1907 BY
,S7ORNPREJS CORPORATION

cnned TO KNOCK MIN down, but think
too much of him for that, so / merely
said
mo, Mac, don't be a fool, but try
to listen to reason, If you CAM"
Impossible when you're talking"
he observed softly.
| ignored this and continued: MY
only interest In Miss Carney Is that Of
lawyer to client and I'm not in love
with her or thinking Of marrying her.
In the first place, I've only seen her
once or twice In my life, and in the
next the difference in our financial po-
sitions, to speak Of nothing else, is
quite enough to put out of the ques-
ton any such idea on my part"
"Cat-look-king," said MacArdel, be-
tween puffs.
Il suppose you mean by that to In.
fer that a dog may look at a queen!"
l replied testify, "but l tell you, man.
it's all nonsense-utter nonsense"
Looks bad, thought" said MacAr
del, specially when a fellow com.
pares himself to dog, and the lady
to a queen" and he touched the bell
on the little table between us"
Whats that for?" l asked. 1--WE
got plenty Of cigars here in my
pocket"
yellow chatreuse," he replied. u
think you need it."
Now, seriously, Mac!" l resumed.
What do you think of this man Car.
ney's virtual denial of any excesses?"
Lie" said MacArdel.
We'll" l went on, what do you
think of the servants behavior in
practically admitting the whole bust.
ness and then turning about as he did
at the last moment?"
Mother lie," he replied.
Then you think they are pair Of
prescious scoundrels?" | asked.
mo; damned scoundrels," he said
slowly. 81 think they are unless the
matter can be explained in another
way. But I'm not at all sure OF it.
That's merely the way things look
now"
Mac" said, you don't know as
much as do"
That" he replied, is the most I'M
kind thing you ever said to me. |
know things, my boy, that your philos-
ophy never dreamed of. | have been
trying to think, while you have been
talking, and, in spite of you, | have
thought 10 some purpose.
In the first place, as l said a min.
ute ago, ! think the man is an ordi-
nary drunkard and that this servant
Of his is in league with him to keep
the facts from you and his family.
Now, only think this because it is
the most plausible explanation that OF.
fers; am not sure of it oy any
means, and want that distinctly I'm.
derStood.
In the second place, you don't know
anything about it at all, ana yet, in
your monumental assurance, you have
settled the whole thing with the ex.
ception of one detail, and you have
come to me, as a physician, to supply
you with that necessary link in your
chain Of evidence. You think he is
the victim of some drug habit and you
want me to tell you, from his symp.
toms, what drug he is using. Isn't
that so?" and he blew out another Of
those insulting streamers of smoke.
was forced to admit sheepishly that
ne was right, and my good opinion of
myself faded away like the smoke Of
our cigars.
Well" he continued, "the symp-
toms he presents could not be caused
by opium, nor by cocaine, nor by hash
eesh. Whisky is the mostly likely
thing OF all, and you have nothing but
couple Of vague expressions of aston.
ishment from him and his servant tn
make you search for any other solu-
ton of the problem.
There is, however, one other thing
that might be at the bottom of it all,
but he could not get it here, and it
would be pretty hard for him to get it
anywhere, Moreover, am not at all
sure myself about it, and would have
to look it up before l would ven.
ture to say anything definite on the
subject"
What is it?" I asked impatiently.
Never mind what it is, for the pres.
emf" ne replied. IF l am wrong in
my surmise you can safely put 1t
down to whisky, and if l am right,
you are no better of, though perhaps
no worse. Now, l am not going to
say anything more about it tonight"
But in the meantime what am to
do with him." l persisted. 81 may see
him again or be asked for advice
concerning him at any time, you
know"
! Leave him to Bobbs, Ware; leave
him entirely to Bobbs and let him go
his own way as he will" said Mac
Ardel earnestly. IF it's whisky, the
sooner he drinks himself to death the
better, and if it's the only other thing
1t can be, Bobbs is a veritable Cod
send to him and to all of you, too.
Whatever you do, leave him alone
yourself, for you can't do him any
good and you may get into a lot Of
trouble if you bother with him. Let's
90 down and n1av oonoa ~ h;I,