The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1908-12-09
bunting a
Dorr1ernaker.
By LULU JOHNSON.
Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

UIuh uDuNe TIE Fdiltottu ttich. III uis
hand was stone. Aiming blindly, he
tossed the stone upon the track. and
II Struggled against the cleaning rail.
In less than forty-eight hours that
stone, tossed by a baby hand. had
thrown Wall street and the money
market of the country into n 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 Fairbain, smoking II
good night cigar rs he leaned alone
against the railing of the observation
ears platform, felt the iar-and then
felt nothing more,
And 1t was two weeks before Wall
street learned that Fairbain, the one
man who could have stopped the panic
had been found beside the tracks and
removed to farmhouse on the quarter
section nearest the road.
For ten days he had been uncon.
seious, aud for two days or more he
had been in no condition to be left
alone There WAS but Que inmate of
that farmhouse besides himself and
She had been too busy nursing him to
make the trip to the nearest town tc
report that he had been found,
As soon as his whereabouts had been
discovered the lonesome little town was
overruu with people. Grave and learn
ed physicians from the east were hur
rled westward on special trains and II
regiment of nurses attended them, but
Fairbain waved them all away.
81 don't need YOU" he said irritably
little Mrs Bodington pulled me
through without lot of palaver OF
thousand dollar doctors TO help her
Leave Il couple of nurses to wait on
her. and the rest of you go away"
There Is an excellent hospital not
nifty miles from here suggested the
fnmily physician Il can look after
you with better assurance of success
ful treatment"
"Sugden, you're an ass" declared
Falrbaln irritably. This little woman
nursed me single handed through an
attack of brain fever. ! guess she can
attend 10 the convaleseenec,"
II viii net undertake to be respon
siblc for the consequences" said Sng
den. with ponderous emphasis.
"YCu don't have 10 be-" was the aerid
response. You are going TO be packed
oul Of hero, the whole lot of you. I'VE
spent most Of my life with doctor on
one side OF me and lawyer on the
other. I'm sick of 1t all, and I'm en-
/ titled 10 n rest"
He looked contentedly about the tiny
room The outlook from the narrow
paned windows was dreary, and the
room itself was walled with rough
| plaster and decorated with cheap prints
In homemade frames
The bed on which he rested was n
wooden affair with cotton mattress
and coarse cotton sheets. but the
sheets were Immediately clean, and
there was an air OF nominees about
the place that Fairbain had not known
In years.
He closed his eyes contcntcdly and
dozed of. Sugden mindful Of his fat
fees, waited IN deferential silence dur
ing the half hour the nap lasted
FAIRBANKS glance fell first on him rs
hls eyes opened again
You stIll 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 I'll take II on
appeal and appeal until you spend
every cent you ever made of OF me.
Now get out OF here"
Sugden took his departure, vowing
that his patient was insane, but Fair
balm only smiled contentedly and
turned TO the sweet faced woman who
sat beside the bed.
THAT'S the way to talk to those
sharks, he declared. II have a head
ache. and Sugden gives me something
TO mike It worse. Then he doctors me
for the new disease and sends I'm a
bin yard long. This is the time !
fooled him"
Il am GLAD that you were not
moved" said the woman softly. II
think that the excitement would have
been bad for you"
1T Is not the trip | was dreading."
admitted Falrbain frankly. II like 1t
here, and ! want to stay n little while.
My secretary will stay over In town
and bring my important mail every
day, and the two nurses will relieve
you of the watcbful nights.
IF you want anything else, buy 1t
or hire it or something. Wilson Will
give you what money need. Wilson
is fine fellow" he added. He came
into my office this fall MS Il clerk, and
| took fancy to him and made him
my confidential man. lie took to the
job MS though he had known me and
my affairs since he was born"
1T must he very nice to have some
one to do your work the way you want
1t done" she said softly. II 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
mo more than l am now" she prom
ised, and with that Fairbain was con-
tent He was convinced that money
was omnipotent and that even here on
the prairie 1t could purchase the love
Of the little woman who had made him
so comfortable
Fairbain was In love with his newly
found home comforts rather than with
the woman herself, but this he did not
know. although, when there was no
longer any pretext for prolonging the
gtay no smoke bra valv apnuUh
Il need you very much" he said ear
nesuy. Il have house that covers
half square In the most expensive
residential district In New. York. l
have three yachts, something like
dozen automobiles and all that sort Of
thing, but have no home. Not since
! was boy have ! realized what home
was like. My wife was no home
maker, and when she died I never
1S...o