The Detroit times., 1912-04-18
S:5'T7OLEN y
SINGER m
A GREAT SERIAL STORY BY w.
MARTHA! + BE!LIlNG!lER. !! L! ~! l!:!!!. NJ

1hStlI OINHouOAs NOh hhONt NtAy
orthodox: and she has prejudice
against your profession-serving
Satan. she calls It. She thinks that's
what actresses and opera singers do,
though how she knows anything
about II. don't see" The grim smile
shone In the doctors eyes even while
he looked. half anXlously. TO see how
Agatha was taking his explanation
OF Mrs Stoddard's attitude. Agatha
meditated moment.
"If it's merely a prejudice in the
abstract against my being an opera
singer. | think she will overcome
that. Besides, Mr.. Hambleton Is
neither an actor nor an opera singer,
he isn't serving Satan.
We'll" the doctor hesitated, and
then went on hastily with a great
show OF irritation, "Susan's little set
I'm her views. She disapproves OF the
shouldn't have been out in boat
with two men, and that it's judg-
ment for sin. your being drowned.
or next door to IT, I'm only saying
this. my dear Miss Agatha, TO explain
to YOU why Susan"
But Agatha was enlightened at LAST,
red spots. brighter than they had ever
been in health TO burn on her cheeks.
She sat UP very straight, facing Doe
tor Thayer's worried gaze, and inter
rupted him in tones ringing with
anger.
do You mean TO tell me, Doctor
| Thayer. that your sister, the sister OF
+, my mothers lifelong friend, sits in
her house and imagines scandalous
stories about me, when she knows
nothing at all about the facts or about
me? That she thinks | was out In
boat alone with tive men? That she is
mean enough 10 condemn me without
knowing the first thing about this aw.
ful accident? Oh, | have no words"
And Agatha covered her burning face
with her hands unable. by mere
speech, TO express her outraged feel
4 igs. Doctor Thayer edged uneasily
about Agatha's couch, with manner
resembling that OF a whipped dog.
Why, my dear Miss Agatha, Susan
will come round in time, She's not
so bad, really She'll come round in
time. only just now We haven't any
time TO spare. Don't feel so badly;
Susan is too set in her views"
Set. cried Agatha. shes a
/ horrld unchristian woman"
oh, no" demonstrated the doctor.
"Susan's all right, when you once get
used TO her. She's a tritie old-fash-
ioned in her views"
! But Agatha was not listening to the
doctors feeble justification OF Susan.
She was thinking hard.
Doctor Thayer.' she urged. do
you want that woman TO come here
10 care of Mr.. lIambleton? Isn't
there any one else in this whole coun-
try.side who can nurse sick man?
Why. | can do IL myself; or Mr.. Van
Camp. his cousin. could do il. Why
should you want her, of all people.
when she feels so toward us?''
The moment his professional judg
ment came into question Doctor
Thayer slipped out from the cloud OF
embarrassment which had engulfed
him in his recent conversation, and
assumed the authoritative voice that
Agatha had first heard
MY dear Miss Agatha Redmond
that is foolish talk. You are half sick
even now; and IL requires a strong
person, with no nerves, 10 do what
desire done Mr.. Van Camp may be
his cousin, but the chances are that
he wouldn't know a bromide from a
blister; and good nurses don't grow
on bushes in Ilion, nor in Charles
port either. There isn't one to be
had so far as | know. and we can't
wait to send to Augusta or Portland.
The next few days. especially the
next twenty-four hours, are critical" :"
Agatha listened intently. and a
growing resolution shone in her eyes.
Would Mrs. Stoddard come, If IL
were not for what you said--about
me?" she asked.
The Lord only knows, but think
she would replied the poor, har.
assed doctor. She's always been a
regular Dorcas in this neighborhood Z"
"Dorcas." cried Agatha, her anger
again faring up. Il should say Sap
. phira."
"Oh. now, Susan isn't so bad when
, you once know her." urged the doctor.
(To BE ContInued.)