The Press., 1909-03-10
Bunting a Dornen1aRor. By LULU JOHNSON. Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
 Literary Press.
By LULU JOHNSON.

tossed the stone upon the Crack, anu 1t snuggled against the gleaming 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 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 car wheel struck the stone.
 But Gilbert Fairbain, smoking a good night cigar as he 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 Fairbain, 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 to make the trip to the nearest town to report that he had been found.
 As soon as his Wherea bouts had been discovered the lonesome little town was overrun with people. Grave and learn ed physicians from the east were hur- ried westward on special trains and a regiment of nurses attended them, but Fairbain waved them all away.
 "I don't need you," he said irritably. "Little Mrs. Bodington pulled me through without a lot of palaver or thousand dollar doctors to help her. Leave a couple of nurses to wait on her, and the rest of you go away"
 "There Is an excellent hospital not fifty miles from here," suggested the family physician. "I can look after you with better assurance of success full treatment"
 "Sugdep, you're an ass," declared Fairbain irritably. "This little woman nursed me single handed through an attack of brain fever. guess she can attend to the convalescence."
 ''I will not undertake to be respon- sible for the consequences" said Sug- den, with ponderous emphasis.
 "You don't have to be-" was the acrid response. "You are going to be packed out of here. the whole lot of you. I've spent most of my life with doctor on one side of me and g lawyer on the other. I'm sick of 1t all. and I'm en- titled to 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 a 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 contentedly and dozed off Sugden mindful of his fat fees. waited in deferential silence dur ing the half hour the nap lasted, Fairbanks glance fell first on him as his eyes opened again.
 You still herer' he cried "Sugden, If you don't take the first train back to New York I'll make you sue for whatever 1 owe you and I'll take 1t on appeal and appeal until you spend every cent you ever made off of me Now get out of here"
 Sugden took his departure, vowing that his patient was insane, but Fair bain on'y smiled contentedly and turned to the sweet faced woman who sat beside the bed
 That's the way to talk to those he declared. "I have a head ache. and Sugden gives me something to make it worse Then he doctors me for the new disease and sends in bill a yard long This Is the time fooled him.
 "l am glad that you were not moved" said the woman softly. q think that the excitement would have been bad for you.'
 Tt is not the trip was dreading," admitted Fairbain frankly. "I like 1t here. and want to stay 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 watchful nights.
 If you want anything else. buy it or hire 1t or something. Wilson will give you what money need. Wilson Is a fine fellow" he added. He came Into my office this fall as clerk, and 1 took a fancy to him and made him my confidential man. He took to the job as though he had known me and my affairs since he was born.''
 Ut must be very nice to have some one to do your work the way you want It done." she said softly "I am glad that you are so pleased with him."
 I'm pleased with him." said Fair Dain meaningly. 'so long as you are not too well pleased with him. You won't he pleased with E;E?" he plead ad.
 No more than l am now," she prom sed. and with that Fairbain was con- ent. He was convinced that money vas OmnipOtent and that even here on he prairie it could purchase the love Of the little woman who had made him 70 comfortable
 Fairbain was in love with his newly ound home comforts rather than with he woman herself. but this he did not Inow. although. when there was no longer any pretext for prolonging the stay, he spoke bravely enough
 "l need you very much." he said ear- nestly Il have house that covers half square in the most expensive district in New York. have three yachts. something like a 1ozen automobiles and all that sort of thing, but 1 have no home Not since was boy have l realized what home was like. My wife was no home maker, and when she died l never Jared repeat the experiment with the women in the set lived in. You are different. For years l have been hun sry. Don't you think that you can come and make it for me?'
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