Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-03-22

no sign: there was no excuse to nnger.
We turned and followed the maid.
Miss Holiday seemG very ILL., a IL
Mr.. Royce in q voice somewhat
Gus, as she paused before us In the
lower hall.
Yes, sir: YER i'll
Again the voice! I took advantage
Of the chance TO look at her ntently
Her hair was turning gray, certainly;
her face was scanned with lines which
only care and poverty could have grav-
en- there: and yet, beneath 1t all, i fam
cied / could detect a faded but living
likeness TO Hiram Holidays daughter.
/ looked again-it was faint, uncertain
perhaps my nerves were o~verwrought
and were deceiving me. For how could
such a likeness possibly exist?
"She has a physician, Of courses?
asked my companion.
'Oh, yes, sir"
"He has advised rest and quiet?"
Yes, sir"
When do you leave for the cour
try?"
Tomorrow or the next day afte
that, / think, sir"
He turned to the door and then
paused hesitating. He opened his lips
to say something more-his anxiety was
clamoring for utterance-then he
changed his mind n stepped outside
as she held the door open.
Good day." he said, with stern re-
preston, II wish her a pleasant jour
ney."
The oor closed after us and we went
down the steps.
"Jenkinson's the family DOCTOR" he
said. Let's drive around there, and
find out how really Ill Miss Holiday is.
I'm worried about her, Lester"
That's a good idea" 1 agreed, and
gave h driver the address. Jenkinson
was in his office and received us at
once.
Doctor Jenkinson," began our junior,
without preamble, II am John Royce,
of Graham & Royce. You know, l sup
pose, that we are the legal advisers OF
Miss Frances Holiday"
Yes" answered Jenkinson. Glad to
meet you Mr.. Royce"
I'm consequence, were naturally in
terested in her welfare, and all hat
concerns her, and I called to ask you
for some definite details Of her condi-
ton"
Her condition? I don't quite under
stand"
I'VE should like to know, doctor, just
how i'll she is"
ZIP" repeated Jenkinson, in evident
surprise. But is she HIP
She's your patient, isn't she? 7
thought you were the family doctor"
S l am" assented the other. But
| haven't seen Miss Holiday for ten
days or two weeks. At that time she
seemed quite well-a little nervous per-
haps, and worried, but certainly not re-
curing medical attention. She has al
ways been unusually robust"
Mr.. Royce stopped perplexed: as for
me, my head was in a whirl again.
IN tell you the story" he said at
last. II should like the benefit of your
advice" And he recounted rapidly the
facts Of Miss Holidays illness, insofar
as he knew them, ending with an ac-
count of u recent visit, and the state
ment of the maid that her mistress
was under a Doctors care. Jenkinson
heard him to the end without interrupt
ing, but he was plainly puzzled and an
noyed.
And you say she looked very ill?"
he asked.
"Oh, very i'll. sir: alarmingly Ill. 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 consid-
er. He was a very famous doctor, with
many very famous patients, and I could
see that this case piqued him-that an
other physician should have been pre-
ferred.
"Of course, Mr.. Royce" he said
finally, 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 / should have
thought 1t extremely improbable" an
swered the doctor emphatically. Still,
women are sometimes e~rratic, as we
doctors know to our sorrow"
Mr.. Royce hesitated. and then took
the bull by the horns.
DIR. J~enkinson," he began earnestly,
don't you think it would be wise to
see Miss Holladay-you know how her
father trusted you, and relied on you
and assure yourself that she's in good
hands? 1 confess I don't know what
to think, but l fear some danger is
hanging over her. Perhaps she may
have even fallen into the hands of the
faith-curists."
JenkinSon smiled.
THE advice to seek rest and quiet
seems sane enough" he said, ''and ut
terly unlike any that a faith-curist
would rive"
But still, if you could see for your
SELF persisted Mr.. Royce.
The doctor heSitated, drumming with
his fingers upon the arm of his chair.
Such a course would be somewhat
unprofessional," he said at last. still,
1 might call in a merely social way.
My interest in the family would, I
think, excuse me-"
Mr.. Royce's face frightened, and he
caught the doctors hand.
Thank you. sir" he said warmly.
1T will lift q great anxiety from the
firm, and / may add, from me, person-
ally"
The doctor laughed good-naturedly.
Conttrued Next week