The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-11-18

1t was cold, with driving mist,
when the doctor drove up to her gate
several evenings later.
"Poor Bess!" she said to the painting
horse. "Tired, aren't your
A small, tattered boy came down
the road, running wearily, as though
nearly spent.
"Oh, Miss Doctor" he shrilled,
"waitv'
His face shone pale through the dirt.
AS he came up she recognized the pit
boss boy.
ma sent me to tell you to do some
thin quick. Kate an Dilsey is out
with lot of wimin, an they are run
MIN wild. Mr.. Aldrich went down
with the new shift. Pa told him he
better watch things on top, but he
thought pa needed help. Now they are
goin' to git hold of the shaft house an
when Mr.. Aldrich comes up with the
new men either drop the cage or rock
EN-.
The doctors face had grown white
as the boy talked.
1.-THE shift will come up at 62' she
asked.
The boy nodded
"Come into the house. You must be
dried and fed. 1 will telephone the
police, but Bess and / will get there
half an hour ahead Of them. Heaven
knows what we will do, but we will
do something or dier' she half whis-
pered.
"Now. go, Bessy' she cried as she
sprang into the buggy.
AS she approached the little town
she could hear a swelling din Of dis
cordant voices. She dashed through
an alleysand came out in the street In
front Of the shaft house. The women
were sweeping around the corner just
below her, fifteen or twenty Of them.
Their tossing arms and distorted faces
held her a second fascinated. Then
her brown eyes frightened mischie-
vously, and she wheeled the horse and
cart directly in front of the howhng
crowd.
Kate MCGUIRE" she called, pointing
an accusing whip at her. Their mo-
mentum carried them nearly to the
cart. Then, as they could not conven-
iently climb it and the "darlin' doc
thor was a person to respect anyway,
they stopped.
"What do you mean," she demanded
sternly, yelling around in this cold
rain? What do you think it will do for
your neuralgia? You will be crazy
with 1t. Your cheek is all swelled up
now, and your eye looks as though
you had broken a blood vessel. I
knew a woman once"-her voice grew
deeply mpressive-"whose eye burst,
and she didn't expose herself the way
you are doing either. And you, too,
Dilsey, just nicely over the smallpox
do you know what you will have? You
will have a relapse!
She fairly hurled the word at her,
and Dilsey received 1t with a moan of
terror.
"HOly mother, docthorw she walled.
do it be fatal"
Kate had shut her mouth and was
whining softly, cuddling her face in
her damp shawl. She turned reproach-
fully to the women behind her.
"The docthors right. This do be q
sorry night for poor wimin cratures to
be out in, an ye ought to be ashamed.
me heads crazy already wild the pain
She came close to the buggy.
"Docthor, dear, do be givin' me some
thin" she entreated.
"How many Sf you have vaccina.
tions that you'll be taking cold INF
And you, Jerusha-I thought you told
me you couldn't speak loud wordr
."No more I can," croaked Jerusha
hoarsely.
go home, every one Of you" she
waved imperiously. "You ought to be
ashamed, running around like a lot OF
lunatics. I'll come around presently
and give you something for that neu-
ralgia, Kate, and you a dose, too, Dill.
sey."
Five minutes later there wasn't q
woman in sight save the doctor.
She drove the trembling horse into
one Of the sheds.
"Poor old grill" she said, loosening
up the harness. "I nearly killed you
didn't II"
There was a sound Of hurrying feet
and Mr.. Aldrich came in breathlessly.
"Are you safer? he cried.
She gave him one quick glance, her
white chin and red lips set with be.
coming gravity.
II think I am" she replied, with q
mild note Of inquiry. do you feel
dangerous"
He strobe up to her and looked down
into the provoking face.
"a man who faints when he is vacci
mated is fit subject to be saved from
a mob of women, isn't hep he Ques.
toned. "Don't think don't realize
how serious 1t was. I know you prob
ably saved me from a very unpleasant
death, but / wish you hadn't"
He searched her face an instant
then suddenly drew her to him and
kissed almost roughly the derisive dim
pie that was Haunting at him.
II have been tempted hundred
times" he said defiantly.
"And you were too-too stupid to-er
-fallw
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