The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-21
By ". B. MAXWELL,
Author of ssrhe Guarded Flame" |" The Ragged Messenger"
 "Yivan,N Etc.

Then Selby maundered on about his young wife and children. He had been a rich man when he married for the second time. But was fool enough to put my money back into bricks and mortar. had 1t out once. but I put 1t ba'ack. 'Tis cruel hard on me young wife. I ought to give her pleasures, and I can barely give her bread"
 At corner he pulled Crunden's sleeve and pointed down the side road that led to River View. the terrace of houses which he had built late iu life which from the first had been a dismal failure.
 sta'ands my folly and my punishment. had no fear. I hoped it'd be sec- ond Hill Rfse-flled up with the best gentry--and you know how it's turned out. That's a. rich mans ta'ask. I should never "a touched it.
 l Crunden, not really listening, think l ing of his sick girl at home. walked with the old man as far as the bridge. and then gave him a sovereign to be rid of him.
 | Thank ye--young Crunden. You were always a good 'la'ad. knew your fa'ather vell."s ?
 MT. Seiby had no pride left. He was still the ttular owner of his dis astrous River View. but he would bor- row five shillings from the humblest citizen. would accept half a crown as a present from the housemaid of one of his tenants. He clung desperately to his ruinous terrace; from years end | to years end he struggled to avoid I losing possession of it: the smallest assistance in his struggle was well come. You could not offend him so l long as you aided him. Some days Lizzie seemed more lam guid. some days less languid; some days she seemed almost herself again; I but every day-day after day withou ! fafl--Dr Blake came to see her. Then one day there was a sudden change 1 to cooler weather. and Lizzie seemed l very much better. Dr. Blake said she l had gained more ground in twenty-four hours than in the last fortnight.
 Wei, sir" said Mrs. Price to her master. -"I begin to think you'll, have | to give the doctor another hintA-and | that I was wrong to speak to you as done-and p'raps 1t was only the heat after all" Do you think" asked old crunden ] eagerly, she's really on the mend. 1 then?"
 T begin to think so. She says she's all right, and never was wrong. She l says it's him that worries her--conl- ing and asking so many questions cross-examining of her."
 But then almost immediately, Dr. Blake did something extraordinary and unexpected He dismissed himself. He i had been treated handsomely by MT :. crunden and perhaps he was anxious | to show that he, too. could act hand someiy. The patient, in this less op- pressive weather, now walked, drove and had insisted upon writing letters for her father. She was out for walk when Dr. Blake paid his last visit.
 Really said Dr. Blake. unless | - -t r.h aw. l Does that mean she Is all right?
 Well. my dear sir. if we have no 1 gained as much ground as I hoped
 we have certainly not lost ground. | wish could be of further service-Tbu I doubA # can - May I come into the garden with you? I shoult
 like few confidential words"
 Mrs Price. after admitting the doc
 tor, had not withdrawn. She was lis
 tening openly, watching the doctor 1 face. hanging on all his words.
 That good soul" said Dr. Blake il the garden, "is somewhat inquisitive.
 have once or twice had little dim
 culty in getting rid of her when
 wanted to hear the patient's own ac
 count os herself.
 Just so." said Crunden. She poke
 her nose in. But for whY3 Only fo
 this, sir; she's fond of my girl. She
 very fond of Liz.
 fl "I am not surprised at that, said pr
 Blake. And your Mrs. Price is an ex I ceIIent soul, I am sure. But wanted
 to speak quite freely. You know, in | sense, I have been baffied by you daughters case"
 "Bafled?" said MT. Crunden. witt
 considerable testiness. "If that's th'
 way of it, surely you could have sale
 that before now.
 My dear sir, you 'misinterpret my
 meaning" and Dr. Blake's smile wal
 blandly tolerant. "only quacks pretend
 to master every case they meet. Well
 this is a case which l have not com pleteIy mastered. Perhaps no doctor could have mastered it"
 We might have given another ooc' tor the chance. anyhow.