The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-04
The Mov|As FINGER
BY HAROLD CARTER.

neither" snarled Pop" Hendon to |
young Doctor Gray.
The young physician had only spent |
three months in Greenville, but that
was quite long enough to convince him
that Pop" Hendon was, as the neigh
bors said, the crankiest old man in
Breton county.
Doctor Gray did not mind the old
fellows moods. Before he had gone
blind, 1--WE years before, Hendon had
been q good neighbor and citizen.
Since his blindness he had become
morose and suspicious. The worst
feature Of the situation, so far as the
doctor was concerned, was that Pop"
suspected the young mans love for
his only child, Alice, and took ma
licious pleasure in haunting him about
1t.
The young fellow was not yet in
position to marry. Alice would have
waited for him; but she could not
leave her father. She was all he had.
The young doctor had last inter-
view with his sweetheart that after
noon.
Dearest, will wait for you as long
as is necessary" she said. But so
long as my father lives we must be
just good friends and nothing more. II
he were not blind l would leave all
and come to you"
Gray understood. He kissed her
fondly and went back to his Office, re-
solved to throw himself with all his
energy into his work and try to forget,
until the time came to claim her.
And so q year passed by. Rarely,
when Gray had occasion to pass the
house, he would see the old man, i'm.
placable as ever, seated upon his
porch, spelling out the Braille words
with his right forefinger. He seemed
conscious Of the doctors presence, and
would look up and scowl heavily when
Gray went by.
One day Gray had an urgent call on
the telephone. 1t was from Alice.
Wont you come up at once?" she
begged. Doctor Clifden is away and
father has had bad accident"
A medical man knows no enmities
where his profession is concerned.
Half an hour later Gray was at the
house and being shown into the old
mans sick ROOM
Hendon had been knocked down by
an automobile while trying to cross
the street. He had taken malicious
delight in running away from his
daughter, and had been struck fairly
by the machine. He was badly bruised;
but, what was worse, the tendons Of
his right hand had been crushed.
Gray saw at a glance that. while the
hand could be made serviceable, Hen.
don would never again be able to
straighten the fingers completely
You're the young fellow who used
to be sweet on Alice. amt you?" he
snarled. Il thought you'd drop her as
soon as you learned there wasn't any
money coming with her."
LET me see that hand, please" an
swered Gray.
A week later Pop" Hendon learned
the truth. His hand would be usefu
for all purposes except one; nevel
again would he be able sufficiently t.
fiex the forefinger SO as to feel thu
raised type with the delicate nerv,
tissue underneath the first Joint.
When the news was broken to hin
the old mans agony was painful Il
witness. He lay still without speaking
for days together, interspersing thes,
, periods of moroseness, however, will
outbreaks Of maniacal fury. At sucl
,, times only Gray could restrain hin
: from fiinging himself out Of the win
a dow. Somehow the young docto
seemed to have acquired a certain In
{ huence over the morose old man.
It was after one Of these maniacs
v spells that Gray addressed Hendor
: who was lying exhausted upon hi
= bed.
.. "Mr. Hendon." he said, II may q
o well tell you that took the occasio
just now to examine your eyes,"
Hendon lay on the bed in dogge
silence.
- II believe your trouble is nothin
but cataract" he continued. 81 hay
d been to the doctors who examined yo
e before and seen their records. VIII,
they told you was that your case WI
q incurable at present. but might be 9
leviated later"
Yes, trying to fool me into spen
to ing more money on EN-" snarlt
A. Pop" Hendon.
e mo. sir" answered Doctor Gray d
"a cisively. "A cataract cannot be o
Grated upon until it has reached q &C
tain stage of hardness. about q We
= after it begins. You were the victi
7. Of your own suspicious. You cou
re have been cured years ago. You C,
81 be cured now"
viii you do il, Doc?" gasped O
Hendon, turning his face upon Gray
Tx with q look of wistful hope in b
on eyes.
re Two weeks later Pop" Hendc
Us seated in the dining room. waited
vn the bandage to be lifted. The moro
- old man had been strangely silent d,
.. ing the period OF waiting.
' Doctor Gray took OF the bandag
"Well, sir?" he demanded.
- Pop" Hendon leaped out Of
I'D chair.
Ia Il can see!" he screamed, claspi
Gray violently by the hands. Lord
- can see again. Dec. hcw good I
o9 world isl"