Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-07-30

/
love, are among the many ele
ments of a plot which is de
petoped with Mr.. Tracy's vel
known skill.
CHAPTER 1.
"E S there no hope, doctor"
| absolutely uole-now."
| "If she had gone to the-tht
4 workhouse infirmary-would sh'
have lived?"
The doctor paused. The gulp befor'
that hateful word was not lost Oh him
He tried professional severity and be
slowed some care on the buttoning oi
| glove.
81 am surprised" he said, "that al
excellent woman like your mother
should encourage your feelings of-er-
repugnance toward-er- COnfound 1t
boy, have you no relatives or friends ?
mo, sir. we are alone In the world
"And hard up, ehT'
The boy dug q hand into a pocket
with the stolid indifference Of despair
He produced shillings and some pen
MES. He picked out the silver, and the
man reddened in protest.
"DOn't be stupid, Philip. That IL
your name. is 1t not? When want my
fee I will ask for 1t. Your mother
needs nurse. wine, chicken broth
You are old enough to realize that 6
doctor practicing in DeighborhooC
like this might want suclr things him
self and whistle for them. But In the
-er-iniirmary they are provided by
the state"
Would my mother have lived had
she consented to be taken there q
month ago?"
Again the man wondered at the stony
persistence of the questioner, a fear
less looking, active boy Of fifteen. at
tired in worn clothes too small for him
and wearing an old pair Of boots sever
al sizes too large. The strong, young
face, pinched with vigils and prlvations
the large. earnest eyes, heavy with un
shed tears; the lips, Quivering in theii
resolute compression over q chin thai
indicated great strength Of character
appealed far more to the doctor than
the whimpering terror with which the
children of the poor usually meet the
grim vision Of death.
The wrestle with the glove ceased
and kindly hand rested on Philips
shoulder.
NO" came the quiet answer. MAY
God help yoJ, she would not have
lived"
"God does not help anybody" was
the amazing retort.
The doctor was shocked, visibly so.
"That is foolish and wicked state
ment," he said sternly. "Do not LET
your mother hear such awful words
She has lived and will die a true Chris,
tlan. have never met a woman of
greater natural charm and real piety
She has suffered SO much that she
merits the life eternal. 1t Is a reward
not q punishment. Cast away these
terrible thoughts. Go. rather, and knee)
by her side In prayer.
For an instant the great brown eyes
blazeI fiercely at him.
cam to pray that my mother shall
he taken from Ee:"
Ever that If il be Gods will"
The gleam OF passion yielded to utter
he!p!cssncss. The boy again brought
forth his tiny store OF money.
"Surc!y." he said. 81 can buy socAa
small amornt OF wine. In the shops
they soil things In tins that make chick
ell broth don't they? | have a fire ana
kettle. Would you mind telling me-
"The.e. there! You go to your moth
er ami endeavor to cheer her up. l
will see y~.rt T can do. What! Would
YOU argue with me? Go ut once. In
slst. Listen. She Is calling for you."
In that poor tenement there We're no
secrets. A rlckety staircase, crudely
built against the retaining wall Of the
only living room on the ground floor,
led steeply to an apartment above and
culmInat ted In an opening that suggest
ed a trapdoor. The walls. roughly
paneled. were we'll provided with
shelves and pegs. The back door was
fastened with latch. contrivance
rarely seen in the London Of today.
The front window looked out into a
badly paved court glrt by tumbledown
stables. A smaller window at the back
revealed a dismal yard darkened by
lofty walls Although little more than
a stones throw removed from the busy
Mile End rend. the place was singular
ly quiet. 1t was already dead and
only waited the coming Of men with
pickayes and crowbars to sweep away
the ruins.
The boy heard his name whispered
rather than spoken. The sound gal
vanized him into consciousness.
Doctor" he said earnestly, you will
come backT'
Eyes, yes: within half an hour. Tell
your mother to expect me-"
Philip ran up the stairs. Long prac-
tice had enabled him to move with
minimum Of noise. 1t was pltlful to
see the manner in which he emerged.
with stealthy activity, into the creak-
Ing loft above. Here at first glance
there was an astonishing degree of
comfort. Odd pieces Of worn carpet
neatly joined covered the floor. The
two windows. facing only to the front
OF the dwelling. were curtained. The
whitewashed walls were almost hid
den by cuttings from the colored peri,
odicals published during the previous
Christmas season. A screen divided
the room into two compartments, each
containing TINY bed. On'one of these,
propped up with pillows, lay the vast
ed figure Of woman, over whose face
the shadows were falling fast. The ex
trame thinness. the waxeD nnllor the