Smyrna times., 1909-01-13
bunting a
Bor11emaRer.
By LULU JOHNSON
Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

hand was a stone. Aiming blindly, he |
tossed the stone upon the track, and |
it snuggled 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 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 whereabouts 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 4
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 a lot of pllaver or
| thousand dollar doctors to help her.
Leave 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. Il can look after
you with better assurance of success
full treatment"
"Sugden. 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."
81 will not undertake to be respon
sible for the consequences, said Sug
den. with ponderous emphasis.
"YCu 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 a doctor OF
one side of me and a lawyer on th'
other. I'm sick of it all, and I'm en-
titled to a rest"
He looked contentedly about the tiny
room The outlook from the narrow
paned windows was dreary, and thu
room itself was walled with rougl
plaster and decorated with cheap print
in homemade frames.
The bed on which he rested was
wooden affair with a cotton mattres
and coarse cotton sheets, but tn
sheets were Immediately clean, ant
there was an air of nominees abOu
the place that Fairbain had not know
in years.
He closed his eyes cOntentedly an
dozed off Sugden, mindful of his IA
fees. waited in deferential silence dul
ing the half hour the nap LASTED
Fairbanks glance fell first on him a
his eyes opened again.
You still here!' he cried. "Sugdei
If you don't take the first train bac
to New York I'll make you sue fC
whatever owe you and I'll take it o
> appeal and appeal until you spen
every cent you ever made of Of m
Now get out Of here"
Sugden took his departure, vOwin
: that his patient was insane, but Fai
, balm only smiled cOntentedly an
turned to the sweet faced woman WI
sat beside the bed.
y That's the way to talk to tho'
> sharks" he declared. 1T have a hea
ache, and Sugden gives me somethiI
to make 1t worse. Then he doctors n
for the new disease and sends in
II bill a yard long. This is the time
fooled him"
IL 81 am glad that you were n
r moved" said the woman softly.
think that the excitement would ha'
been bad for you"
| at is not the trip was dreading
I' admitted Fairbain frankly. 81 like
here. and want to stay little whi
A. My secretary will stay over in tOy
and bring my important mail eve
day. and the two nurses will relic
you of the watchful nights.
- ''If you want anything else, buy
or hire it or something. Wilson W
give you what money l need. Wills
is a fine fellow" he added. HE cal
nd into my office this fall as a clerk, a
nd took a fancy to him and made b
od my confidential man. He took to
@' os job as though he had known me a
my affairs since he was born"
at must be very nice to have so
:, one to do your work the way you WI
Ola it DONE" she said softly. Il am g
that you are so pleased with him."
I'm pleased with him." said Ff
balm meaningly, $50 long as you I
III