The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-01-24

waiting worse here every day ",
got to get back to my doctors in Ne"
York"
I'm sorry, Cal" he answered quick
". but must leave at once.
| Nan allowed him to go without ar
effort to change his decision. A strange
!, calm had come over her. She drove
to the station with him in silence. He
I beg;Fn TO wonder what it meant.
i AS he stepped from the machine she
extended her hand. with a tender
smile. and said in low tones:
Until we meet again"
He pressed it gently and was gone.
He reached New York thoroughly
exhausted and blue. but the sight OF
Harriet seated on the stoop OF the old
home by the square watching crowd
of children play brought smile back
to his haggard face.
They've cOme to honor me with
their good wishes on my voyage" she
said.
what voyageY' he asked in sur
prise.
ooh, you didn't know. I've an en-
gagement to sing on the continent
this summer The news came the
day you left. Isn't that fine? l sail
next week"
A sudden idea struck him.
LET me go with you. grille"
"Oh, Jim. if you only would, I'd be
in heavenw
It willn' he said with decision.
you've booked your passage"
Yes, but I'll change it to suit you
He found business which required a
week and booked his passage with
Harriet on q Cunarder which sailed
in ten days. A week later Nan and
Bivens returned to their New York
house The papers were full of stories
of his failing health
Two days after her arrival Nan tele-
phoned to Stuart.
"You must come up to see Cal to-
night" she said earnestly. "He is ask
ing for you"
SIS he really dangerously ill?" Stuart
interrupted.
IL Lax IIORc SCAlCuo Ihe'A ChS PNENAS
suspect. You'll Gomez"
Eyes, early tomorrow morning. I've
an important engagement tonight that
will keep me until II o'clock. I'm sail
ing for Europe day after tomorrow"
A sudden click at the other end and
he was cut off His experienced ear
told him it was not an accident.
1t was just dawn when Stuart's tele-
phone rang and he leaped from bed.
startled at the unusual call.
well, WE'LL ne cried in quick, i'm
patient tones, "who is it? What is the
matter?"
For heavens sake come at once
Cal was taken dangerously i'll at
o'clock The doctors have been will
him every moment. He doesn't get any
better. He keeps calling for you"
'I'I be there in half an hour-three
quarters at the most"
"Thank you" shet gasped, and hung
up her receiver.
Stuart's cab whired uptown throug!
the rivers of humanity pouring down tt
begin again the round of another day
In all the hurrying thousands not one
| knew Or cared straw whether the
| man of millions in his silent palace or
the drive lived or died.
The house was evidently in hopeless
confusion. Servants wandered in ev
cry direction without order, Doctor aft
err doctor passed in and out, and the
sickening odor OF medicines filled The
air. A group of newspaper reporter;
stood at the foot of the grand stairway
Nan stood shiveEing at the head O
the stairs. pale, disheveled, her darl
eyes wide and staring with new ex
preston of terror in their depths.
"How is he, Nan?'
Worse" she stammered through
chatterinS teeth. 1.-The doctors say h
can't possibly live. He has been call
ing for me for the last hour. Lean
-go!'
"Why?"
I'm afraidv'
He took her ha@d. 1t was cold an
he felt tremor run through her bod
at his touch.
Come, come. Nan, you're not Sih
child, Pm ashamed Of you. If Cal i
, calling. sc to hiW at ence. You mus
see him"
Shivering in Silence she led Stuar
to the door Of BiyeRs' room and tle
to her own.
On a magnificent bed of gleamin
ebony inlaid with rows of opals, thor
sands of opalS. Stuart found the littl
. shriveled form. The swarthy face wa
white and drawn, the hard thin lip
: fallen back from two rows OF smoot
> teeth in pitiful, fexered weakness. tn
shifting eyes caught sight of Stuart.
. Its awfHlly good of you to com
5 up here so ssc1," he began feebl!
. I've some plaas l want yoH 30 carr
: out for me right away. You see
, | never thought before of the world q
place where there were so man
! men and women sick and suffering
, thousands and tens and hundreds o
thousands. These doctors say tha
every night In New York alone Their
are half a nAhioa people sick or bend
| ing over the beds Of loved ones VIII