The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-23

the little doc didn't call on her for
Q day or two, and next time he
dropped In Jim Moffat was there, hav-
ing apparently been restored to favor.
And though Miss Ida was friendly
enough with the little doc. anyone
could have seen that things weren't
quite the same.
For however small man may be, 1t
10 expected that he will do something
when he gets hit across the mouth,
instead Of picking himself up and smil-
ing, as the doc had done. And Miss
Ida was certainly placed in An un-
comfortable position, for NO girl likes
going with . coward.
Three days after the episode
Dutchy's friend Hinkman came run
ming into the docs ONCE.
"Dutchy's got the fever. doc" he
said. you won't remember what he
did to you, doc? He's scared out OF
his wits, doc, and thinks he's going
to die"
"All right" answered the doc. He
got up and went round to the shack,
in which Dutchy lay upon his bed,
tossing and muttering deliriously. 1t
was the last case in Sapphire, but 1t
was the worst. The doc had pulled
the rest through without . single dis
aster but this seemed hopeless from
the first.
During the next three weeks the
doc put in nearly oil his time with
Dutchy. He told Hinkman to call him
any hour of the night when Dutchy
seemed worse. He persuaded Miss
Ida to lend her aid and between
them at last they got Dutchy out OF
the valley of the shadow.
It was an awful time. said Hinkman.
Dutchy dimly recognised the doc and
thought he was trying to poison him
Sometimes he fought so hard that II
was all they could do to keep him
from jumping out of the window. The
little doc showed q good deal Of
strength, Hinkman reported. In such
encounters.
Finally Dutchy, out Of danger. ant
weighing about one-third as much Al
he had done, lay on the bed, conscious
and looking up at the doc with q sor
of dumb dog gratitude expression.
Doc" he had the grace to say, I'm
sorry"
That's all right. Dutchy," the littl'
doc answered, smiling.
hA
the doc had succeeded in squarin
himself with Miss Ida, for they sa
together on the stoop every Afternoon
now. And there was not man II
camp but vowed the doc was whit
man, and that he would give his lif
rather than let anyone say the OF
posite, or lay finger on the do
again.
Well, Dutchy went North to col
valesce, and at last the day cam
when he stood before the doc, VIII
was still sitting on Miss Lida's pore
they being now engaged-and spob
up much less sheepishly, but still So
| of ashamed.
! doc. I've come back and I wal
to thank you," he began.
"That's all right, Dutchy." answers
the doc. Are you ready now"
Ready? For what?" asked Dutch
"Why, for your thrashing," a
swered the doc, as II surprised, al
Z he went down. Put 'em up, Dutchy
he said. "You see, couldn't stri
} . sick man, and I knew by your lo'
a and your pulse that you were gettil
q ready for siege with typhoid. B
4 now I'm going to lick you"
q Which he certainly did. When
& was over Dutchy's face couldn't ha
. been recognized by his own moth
: But then we found out that the d
had been the featherweight champi
ct Princeton.
Now come along to the surge
and I'll sew up your wounds.
Il. charge" said the little doc.
a Dutchy was the sort that could
ad rest until he got even. He threw
in shoe after the wedding and struck
doc behind the ear. That settled
no scores.