The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-08
dential" But MT. Nunsby proved un-

dential" But MT. Nunsby proved un- expectedly genial.
 Come away in, MT. Philip" he cried at sight of him in the doorway. Your fla ther has been my doctor for 30 years, and a rare good one he is Never a better any where, except Dr. Webb down at Weald Warden, when was born"
 And without ever word about the re- lationship in which Phil found himself to the Underground engineer, Thurman Nunsby began to tell of famous cures wrought by the Weald Marsden doctor. That practitioners methods were cer- tainly Spartan. For his treatment of all diseases appeared to consist in bidding his patients run three times up the Han- ger in summer and fin winter time to break the ice on Wealden pond and stay in five minutes by the watch, suspended with their chins to the broken edges of the ice
 An! there were none that slammed sick in all Weald Marsden in old Dr.. Webb's time. Your father is a good 'un as good as any they have in this coun- try. But 1 will say he is soft with his patients.'
 But you know father" his daughter interrupted, "the last time you called him in you would not take the medicine which pr. Calmont prescribed. You said that 1t was not fit for pigs, and poured it away into the drain with your own handl'
 Hush. missie!' said her father. Have you done your Latin version? And prac- ticed your hour at the piano? And copied for me the notes on the later life of All- rabeau?'
 His daughter nodded. She had still work to do for the eX-national school master, as when she was a little girl.
 Then put down your knitting and get out the backgammon board"
 It was that night that Phil. for the first time, acquired the mysteries of that trick some game, in which he acquitted him. self with such remarkable lack of suc- cess that the old man was delighted Backgammon and draughts were with Mir. Nunsby quite infallible tests of intel ligence. He judged that of Vic Morris new assistant as of a negroid, or perhaps even gorilloid in type. It was only when his daughter had beaten him twice in succession that MT Nunsby began to suffer from "cold feet" Then he ordered her to get him The Educational News, and the last four numbers of The Palla- dium, the organ of vested rights, and the defence of the classes against the masses.
 And I hope, Mir Calmont, that you have not imbibed your chiefs foolish and erroneous doctrines on that head" said MT. Nunsby, shaking out his favorite journal.
 MT Morris never speaks to me of any thing but business" said Phil ''it takes me all my time to keep up with the daily routine of the office york;
 'I suppose 1t is necessary that the en- gineer should have an assistant, said MT. Nunsby; 'but if you are to succeed in life you must get MT. Kahn to put you fin the general office. That is where you will get on--there and only there!'
 ,ts. |. .n I Phil Loyalty, land certainly 1 have not yet begun to understand one-half of what is necessary if l am to be a real help to him. He is very patient with me-
 The eyebrows of MT. Thurman Nunsby arched in surprise.
 Why we all thought that he would have cursed you up hill and down dale. 1t seems we have been throwing away our sympathes. What can you have done to Vic Morris? He is not so accommodate ing, as q rulei'
 Come, father' said Rose, who had been standing, waiting mpatiently enough, "here are your papers and your glasses"
 She placed footstool under his slip pered feet, arranging him in the best light, so that he could read at his ease, put a steaming tnmbler at his elbow, in which a spoon stood upright in a gauzy mist of melting sugar.
 Then Rose drew her chair opposite Phil. They moved the pieces on the chequer- board without much thought, Rose glanc- ing every few moments at her father. She had a little pile of spectacles close at hand. MT. Thurman Nunsby, late na- tional sehoolmaster, slipped, read, and nodded-nodded and read. Each time that he nodded he pushed his spectacles up on the crown of his bald head Each time he felt the paper slipping he reached out for another pair of spectacles which his daughter had placed conveniently to his hand. These adjusted, and in five min- utes they, too, were on the top of his head. Great care was needed lest the pile should fall. But after a quarter of an hour the schoolmaster slept, and his daughter disembarrassed his crown of its pile of spectacles, drew the "Palladium" gently from his hand, cast light plaid over his knees, and finally lowered the light
 'Now he is safe for couple of hours," she whispered softly in Phil's ear. And hahd in hand with backward glances, they withdrew to the kitchen, where they set fresh kindling wood and coal upon the ashes. For in that country of forest and coalpit none need go either lightless or cold To go hungry was at times quite another thing, as the workers at the h. cubus pits had occasion to find out.
 And now, Phil, what is it? I see you have something on your mind. Has the engineer fellow been beating you with Vida, or have things not been going smooth at the office?''
 It was the little music teacher who spoke. sitting in her low wicker chair. with her own face in the deep dusk and her eyes on those of her friend.
 For all his calmness Phil had way of blurting out things to his only confidant, quite unlike his reputation as known to the world, which was that of a shy, silent lad.
 ''vida thinks I have behaved badly to you" he said. And the little girl sudden ly shooting up her higher shoulder as if in pain, went all pale. Her lips quiv- cred and she trembled violently in the dark where none could see her. But she commanded herself, and answered, "Non- sense, Phil. you misunderstood Vida. You