Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-12-26

II Struggled against the cleaning rail.
In less than forty-cight hours that
stone, tossed by baby hand, had
thrown Wall street aud the money
market OF the country into a panic.
The single track OF the little western
road afforded rough travelling. Not
many of the travellers aboard that par
ticular train even noticed the somewhat
harder JOLT when the ear wheel struck
the stone
But Gilbert Farbain. smoking a
good night" cigar as lie leaned alone
against the railing Of the observation
cars platform. felt the jar and then
felt nothing more.
And 1t was two weeks before Wall
street learned that Falrbain the one
man who could have stopped the panic.
had been found beside the tracks and
removed to a farmhouse on the quarter
section nearest the road.
For ten days he had been uncon-
scious. and for two days or more he
had been in no condition To be- left
alone There was but one inmate Of
that farmhouse besides himself and
she had been too busy nursing him 10
make the trip TO the nearest town TO
report that he had been found.
As soon as his whereabouts had been
discovered the lonesome little town was
overrun with people Grave and learn
ed physicians from the east were hur
rled westward on special trains aud Il
- laI
Fairbain waved them all away.
81 don't need you" he said irritably
"Little Mrs Bodlngton pulled me
through without lot Of paluyer or
thousand dollar doctors to help her.
Leave couple of nurses 10 walt on
her. and the rest OF you 20 away !"
There is an excellent hospital rot
fifty miles from here" suggested the
family physician II can look after
you with better assurance OF success
full treatment"
"sugden. you're an ass" declared
Fairban lrritably This little woman
nursed me single handed through an
attack OF brain fever. guess She can
attend to- the convalesceucc"
II VIII not undertake q he respon-
sIble for the consequences said Sug
den. with ponderous emphasis.
'You don't have 70 be" was the acrid
response. you nre going 10 be packed
out of here. the whole lot Of You I've
spent most of my life with a doctor on
one side Of me and lawyer on the
other I'm sick Of Il all and I'm en-.
titled to rest"
He looked contcntedly about h. tiny
room. The outlook from the narrow
paned windows was drcary, and the
room itself was walled with rough
plaster and decorated with cheap prints
In homemade frames
The bed on which he rested sas a
wooden affair with n cotton mattress
and coarse cotton sheets. hut the
sheets were Immediately clean. and
there was an air ~ nominees about
the place that Falrbaln had not known
IN years
He closed his eyes coutcntedly and
dozed Off Sugden. mindful ~ his fat
fees. waited In defercntia silence dur
Ing the half hour the nap lasted
Fairbanks glance fell first ON him as
his eyes opened again.
You stil here" he cried "Sugden.
II you don't take the first train back
to New York III make you sue for
whatever owe you and IN take II on
appeal and appeal until you spend
every cent you ever made OF - me
Now get out OF here
IA
that his patient was insane. but Fair
balm only smiled contcntedly and
turned to the sweet faced woman who
sat beside the bed
"That's the way 10 talk To those
sharks" he declared. Il have Il head
ache. and Sugden gives me something
10 make It worse. Then he doctors me
for the new disease and sends IN
bill a yard long This IS the time
fooled him
~ am glad that you were not
moved" said the woman softly. -
think that the excitement would have
been bad for you"
at is not the trip was dreading.
admitted FaIrbain frankly. Il like 1t
mere. anu i Will ~ SAde Il ilAAlf - INV
My secretary will stay over ia town
and bring my important mail every
day. aud the two nurses will relieve
you of the watchful nights
IF you want anything else, buy II
or hire II or something. Wilson will
give you what money ! need Wilson
Is fine fellow" he added He came
into my office this fall as clerk. ana
l took a fancy TO him and made him
my confidential man. lie took to the
Job as though he had known me and
my affairs since he was born
1T must be very nice to have some
one to do your work the way you want
II done" she said softly Il am glad
that you are so pleased with him"
I'm pleased with him" said Fair
balm meaningly. $50 long as you are
not too well pleased with him You
won't be pleased with him." he plead
ed.
s'No more than am now she prom