The Marshall republican., 1913-12-26
WHAT THE "wHY' WAS
BY r. 3. SHELTON.

wal plainly worried. AS they reached
the big limousine and the surgeon
was about to step In, McPhee laid a
hand on his arm.
You're not satisfied with the way
he's coming on, are your" he said
boldly. with a backward NOD OF his
head towards the rough little shack
on the hillside.
The surgeon looked at him narrow
ly. mo, I'm not" he said simply.
McPhee scowled. "What1l w do?"
The surgeon shrugged his shout
ders. Then he got into the car.
"T1l be over again this afternoon"
he said.
He nodded 20 his chauffeur. The
car went spinning towards Renford In
a great cloud Of dust.
Across the hills came the whirr Of
pneumatic drills and the squeal OF
cranes and the putting Of donkey en-
gines. Mcphee knew he should be
over Mt the tunnel. Every minute Of
his time was precious, but instead of
going over to the works. he trailed up
the hills to tho little cluster OF COM
Portable looking camps. On the porch
Of one sat q sallow young man
wrapped in blankets. Beside him was
the orderly the surgeon had brought
out from the hospital
"oh you Billy Cralll" called Nc.
Phee, trudglng up the rough path,
you're looking n pile better this
morning. I'm coming TO call"
IT'S a pity / ever got out alive
he grunted.
"you don't mean you're a quitter?'
said McPheo with lifted brows.
mot generally" said Billy. "Just
now--weil. maybe I am"
"why?" said McPhee.
Billy was silent.
"Ho never asks how things are get.
ting on" thought McPheo. "Ho
doesn't care about anything. This
isn't like him. There's a why to It
somewhere. wonder what the why
is."
Aloud he said. ns n car puned up 20
the foot OF the hill: Hello, hero's
the doctor back. Or. no II Isn't either.
He's In n limousine. Who's getting
out? By George, n womanl"
Someone was running up tho hill. n
/, girl, young. 1.-the. eager. Her long
veil streamcd out behind her; nho
was stripping or her gloves az sho
can't.
There was. n cry from Billy Grail,
!. n queer. childish. broken cry. He half
| rose from his chair. the chair he had
not left without help for weeks and
weeks.
The girl gained tho porch. She
/: seemed not TO SEQ either McPhce OF
!, the orderly there. Her eyes were for
I: the stricken a
"Bnly!" she cried. "oh. Billy
Bnly!"
Then she sank down her head on hi
, knees.
"i'vo come. I ran away. We tunI
! got hack on the Polinip.l didn'
! know about the accident until then
And / didn't know what-wbnt We
= meant 20 each other until ! heard YOU
: might die. oh, pilly!" 'l Cd"
nnly GRATIS voice came. very un
a steadily. "Was no with you?"
. "Tho marquis7 Yes. | ran away
from him. too"
a 1T said In q pnper-a paper ] saw
@ last week that you were to be married
, today"
a 81 am"
h "You are?"
A surely. To you, Billy"
d you nre going straight bacl
there" said Billy Grail family, bu
n with an evident attempt nj firmness.
"of course | am. And you're 90
" ing with me. Wen go straight bacl
e 10 get their forgiveness"
McPhee suddenly camo to hi
senses. He tiptoed backward, on tn
porch and down the hill. But ho ha'
d not gone q hundred yards when Bill!
x Crail's voice hailed him. He lookel
10 back. There-miracle of Miracles
was Billy Grail standing erect on tn
ID porch edge. He was making
n. trumpet OF his hands.
"oh, McPhee." he yelled. 'Brin'
rs my buds over from your camp. NJ,
& decent things are all in the trun'
n there, Bring them %a-running, wi
% your"
III asAt five the Limousine OF tho emlnen
surgeon stopped at the fp0ti of Oh
hilht MePhee met himb, AqPhee wa
"a all oagrin. The eminent ,surgeo
liked that. McPhee had not CRIME
~ that way since the accident to Bill
IL Grail.
'How's the patient9" said the SUI
geon. Better. l take 1t from you
rs looks"
or He turned and looked at the porcl
10 II was quite empty.
a. Good Lord. McPhee. where's tn
PATIENT" he gasped,
~ McPhee took him by the arm.
Get dn." he said. pointing TO th
p limousine. ID. n,y', fa d
Is - Mystined the surgeon entered. Nj
q Phee followed, He leaned forward I
whisper grinningly to the chaufrer
d. before he closed the door.
sh They sped away, across the ba,