The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-04-02

OF crisis coming Wnlch 1 doh uhuST-
stand"
There's a crisis right here, Steve.
which | understand" snapped DR.
Grisby. Face 1t like man! Face
It IKE man. You're sick-to your
bones, boy-sick, sick! Fight the fight,
Steve! Fight a good fight! There's a
Hghting chance! On my soul OF honor
there is, Steve, a fighting CHARGE for
youl Now. now, boy! Buckle up
tight! Tuck up your sword sleeve! At
'em, Steve! oh, my boy, my boy.
know; | known The little mans
voice broke, but he st2adied It instant
" with a snap of his nutcracker jaws
and scowleu on his patient and shook
his little Yithered fist at hIn-
his patient lay very still In the
shadow.
'I want you to go" said the doctor
harshIy, before your self control goes.
Do you understand I want you to go
before your decision is undermined;
before you begin to do devious things.
sly things. cheating things. sinking
things anything and everything to get
at the thing you crave. I've given you
something to fight with, and you won't
take It faithfully. I've given you free
rein In tobacco and tea and coffee.
I've helped you as much as / dare to
weather the nights. Now, you help
me, do you hearY'
Eyes, | Will" r.
you say so: now do 1t. Do some
thing for yourself. Do anything. If
you're sick of reading-and ! don't
blame you, considering the stuff 20"
Yead-get people down here to see you;
get lots of people Telephone EN-
You've a telephone there, haven't you?
There it is by your elbow. Use Il
Call up people. Talk all the time"
Eyes | will
"Good! Now, Steve, we know what's
ne matter physically, don't we? Of
course we do. Now, then, what's the
matter mentallyr
Mentally" repeated Siward under
his breath.
Eyes. men ally. What's the trouble?
Stocks? Bonds? Lawsuits? Love-
The slightest pause and narrowin@
Of the gimlet eyes be lind the lenses.
Lover he repeated harshly. (which
is it, boy? They're all good to let
alone"
Business" said Siward. But, be
ing a Siward, he was obliged to add
''partly."
Business partly" repeated the doc,
tor. whats the matter with business
-partly2'
"I don't know. There are rumors
Harrington is pounding me-apparent-
". That Intercounty crowd is acting
ominously too. There's something IN
derhand somewhere" BE bent his
head and fell to plucking at the fade.
brocade on the arm of his chair, ma
tering to himself: "Somewh some
how, something underhand. / don't
know what. | really don't"
"All right: all right" said the doctor
testify. LET it go at that Business
symptoms admitted, what about the
'partly.' stephen? What about it, eh
what abou' ttT'
But StWar1fell silent again.
"Eh? Did you say something? Mo-
oh, very well, very well, sir! Perfect,
" correct. Stephen You have not
earned the right to admit further
symptoms. No, SIR, you have not earn
cd the right to admit them to any
body, not even to yourself, nor to
herr
"She has refused me-" Siward said
simply.
The little doctor. after an incredulous
stare, began chattering with wrath
REFUSED you! Pah! Pooh! That's
nothing. That signifies absolutely
nothing. It's meaningless. It's de
tail. You get well, do you hear? You
TO and get we'll; then try 1t again
Then you'll see. And IL she is al
idiot-in the event of her irrationa
persistence in an Incredible and utter
" indefensible attitude"-he chokec
up, then fairly barked at Siward-
stake her anyway, sir! Run on VIII
her! Dominate circumstances, sir
Take charge of events! But you can
do 1t till you've clapped yourself int
prison for life! And God help you !
you let yourself escaped"
Siwayd smiled again, a worn, pallit
smile
"I can stand 1t while you are here
doctor but when I'm alone It's hard
One Of those crises is jse row. w
q bad night ahead-a baG outlook
Couldn't YOU
Nor
"Just enough to-
mo, Stephen"
Enough to dull It just a nttleY
don't ask for enough to make me sieer
not even to make me doze. You hav
your needle, haven't you, doctor2"
"I dare not help you any more tina
way"
mot this oncer'
mot this once"
There was a dead silence, broken u
last by the doctor with violent &c.
ture toward the telephone. Talk I
the girl why don't you talk to th