Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-07-04
3 w 2|s sII Z|I2 n sII Rl2 Ss
DR.. Bobby and Nurse Irene
By BRYANT C. ROGERS


you don't know what rapaciouS
fellow ami" cried Bobby, gone quite.
daft for minute. III ] dared, Pd
charge you the amount OF my first
fee."
WAS It very much?" asked Irene.
her hand on cooks door.
IF you paid IT," said Bobby softly
I'D be rich for life." and he followed
her into the house.
Cook was very Ill, as he saw at a
glance. There was a hard nights
work, he judged, before them both.
And SO 1t proved. At midnight the
old woman began to rally a very little.
At 3 o'clock she fell asleep. And IL
was Just daybreak when Bobby
dropped into chair at last to rest.
Irene sat opposite him in cooks lit
tie parlor with the box stove. There
was window open. Morning fog
drifted in and they could hear the troll
ley cars begin to move.
Obi" she cried, Il thing you're a
wonderful doctor. You-you ought to
have great big fee for such nights
work" She laid her tired head back
against the chair, and in the faint
light Bobby saw the shine OF her eyes
and the white CLEAN Of her neck. II
wonder" she went on, IF 1t would be
impertinent to ask what you-usually
charge. You spoke of getting one big
fee right at first What did you mean
by big fee?"
We'll" said Bobby, my first fee
was a heart full of love-" And then
he stopped. really frightened at him>
SELF
Tell me about said Irene. And
with humping heart he gave her
the story. You must forgive me-" he
added, 'for an impertinent thing
said to you yesterday afternoon"
Still resting her head she looked
Into his eyes. you don't need forgive
ness. Robert" she said. at last.
/ And Bobby stumbled out into the
street. He knew he had behaved bad
ly. II was all because he didn't know
how to make her understand that he
was not only wretchedly poor, but had
no hope of ever getting on his feet.
He stuffed his hands into his pockets
and walked-he didn't know where
till he fairly bumped into his room
mate, Billy Calkins.
Hello, Doc" said Billy; thought
you'd eloped."
Il see myself eloping," groaned
Bobby.
"Oh, come, now. Don't make a poor
mouth at me. Don't see the patients
going to you by droves. And don't
you stay out all night tending to fat
case? And don't the thousand-dollar
checks come In every mail?" He
tossed Bobby two letters.
Bobby pushed the advertisement Of
surgical instruments into his pocket
and walked along, lingering blue en-
ve.ope addressed in strange hand.
"Of course" he thought, '1ll go to
Irene and tell her the whole story.
But CAD make her understand why
1t wasn't right for me to let her care
for ne?" He began to bite open the
b'ue envelope. Then he turned his
eyes on the letter. 1t was from law
firm he had never heard Of
Or. Robert Shattuck," he read.
you are named ia the will of our cli-
ent, Mr.. Michae' O'Connell, lately de-
CEASED. Mr.. O'Connell in his will ap-
propriates the sum of $4,000 in In
terest-bearing bonds to your use in
the gratuitous treatment of the poor"
Bobby looked up. Billy Calkins' face
was blur. He heard big brewery
wagon numbering up behind him and
Billy jerked him aside
MIR. O'Connell states" the lawyer
continued, that he was the recipient
of medical service from you for which
he never paid YOU
"My-my first patient!" gasped
Bobby.
"Wha about him?" asked Billy.
"He-he's dead"
"Umphl Lived quite while, didn't
he, doc?"
Bobby devoured the rest of his let
ter and tucked it into his pocket. so
| lOh6, HC SeiAu W We got I'D
call up a party over long-distance
| phone"
1t was ten o'clock when the law firm
answered him, and at 10:30 he was
leaving the trolley near Court place.
The fine houses were just waking up
and the lake had its morning simmer
of gray. Bobby's steps quickened till
ne fairly raced. Then he found him.
self at No. II. face to face with Irene.
did you forget something?" she
asked, and smiled quite coldly. But
Bobby saw her steady her hand on
the back of chair.
| Yes" he said, huskily.
Cooks medicine, | suppose. It's
good of you to come back"
NO, not that" said Bobby. 81 for
got to tell you | love you"
But Irene drew herself up. with a
shaky smile. "Oh, DOCTOR" she cried.
don't think you must say that be-
cause made silly speech to YOU"
"Oh. Irene!" Bobby folded her in his
arms and she hid her face on his
shoulder and began TO cry. Won't
you--won't you understand how aap
feels when he loves a girl and has
nothing?"
Il think" she murmured. Its just