Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-05
Continued from page 4

yersel'."
am going tonight!' Still the strange
glow lighted Gordon face.
For one silent moment .Jim's blue eyes
were fixed upon him searchingly. "Weel,
it's nae fur me tae dispute wi We. I'd better
was gone.
TUESDAY came, and the board met but
Richard Gordon was not there. Far
away in little white cottage nestled among
the Virginia pines he sat in the Pickering
freight with his arm about the woman he
loved
Il can't realize yet whispered the girl,
shat she's herself again; but this morning
she opened her eyes and knew me- And then
you came! Oh, the joy of it is almost too big
to bear! Tell me, Dick, now that she's
asleep, tell me what it all means
at means just this: Your country doctor
didn't know. She'd grown SO weak from the
feed her brain. It's been delirium all the
time. Her minds as sound as yours. And
it's just chance that / knew. had case
that cried out to me and made me think and
learn. | used to watch with my hands
clenched and hate my own youth and lgnor-
ance. When you wrote me all the things
| asked the thought possessed me that there
was some mistake But l didn't dare tell
you. 1t seemed such chance! The thought
never left me moment day or night, and |
had a CHASTITY fear that if | failed my own
mind would 60 and you would have no one.
Promise me, and suddenly he took her face
between his hands, @you must promise me
that as soon as can find way YOU let me
%o1-a /,
always where | can keep you strong and
well!'
There was a radiant light in the girls soft
eyes. Her arms slipped gently about his
neck. ave tried to make you think me
brave" she faltered; "but I'm not. I'm
tired, Dick. | need you-and just want
to GOMEZ
For the first time since he left Gordon re-
membered. 1t was Tuesday night. Even
now they were branding him coward, even
now choosing someone for his place. Per-
haps in this very moment he had not even
a little cabin roof to call his own. Almost
roughly he caught her in his arms:
aAnd you shall come! Tomorrow I'm
going back and make a way. In spite of
everything, l II make a way! Till then-can
you trust me?" His breath came fast.
She raised her head and looked full into
his eyes. "If everybody in the world were
against you-why, Boy, even if they were
to call you coward, I'd trust you!'
He opened his lips; but no sound came.
He could only draw her close and bend his
head in the freight.
TT was pitch dark when the doctor slipped
down from No. 3 and CROPPED his way
through the snow The wind cut his face,
and he shuddered at the thought of his de-
serted hearth, when his eye caught tiny
ray Of light twinkling from his own window.
Had the new doctor already been installed?
Perhaps he had been wrong to leave no ex-
PLANTATION; but the joy of his triumph had
blotted out all else. He tapped at his door.
"Come in, Pete. My word!' exclaimed
Jim as the door opened. He was ensconced
in the chair, his feet propped on pile of
medical books, his little odd pipe tucked in
the corner of his mouth. Il thocht ye'd
come. My word!' He got up and took his
seat upon the pile of books. @Set doom,
Mon
@Whos the new Doco" asked Gordon,
smiling, queer little wave of regret creep
ing over him.
"Hae We nae heard? My word!' His blue
eyes sparkled. "Mon, but it wis grant,
Then he stared into the fire.
1t was only by slow degrees and tedious
probing questions that Gordon cleaned the
truth Tim had reasoned it out If the doc