Gilpin observer., 1915-02-25
THE MOVING FINGER
BY HAROLD CARTER.

eyes, nor won't have you round here
neither" snarled Pop" Hendop 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, five years before, Hendon had
been a 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 a ma
licious pleasure in taunting him about
It,
The young fellow was not yet in a
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 a last inter
view with his sweetheart that after
noon.
Dearest, l will wait for you as long
as is necessary" she said. But sc
long as my father lives we must be
just good friends and nothing more II
he were not blind / 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 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 forefnger. He seemed
conscious OF the doctors presence, and
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 a 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 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 useful
for all purposes except one; never
again would he be able sufficiently to
fex the forefinger so as to feel the
tissue underneath the first joint.
When the news was broken to him
the old mans agony was painful to
witness. He lay still without speaking
for days together, interspersing these
| periods of moroseness, however, with
outbreaks of maniacal fury At such
times only Gray could restrain him
from flinging himself out of the win
dow. Somehow the young doctor
| seemed to have acquired a certain in
| fiuence over the morose old man.
| 1t was after one OF these maniacal
spells that Gray addressed Hendon
who was lying exhausted upon his
| bed.
Mr.. Hendon." he said, Il may as
just now to examine your eyes,"
Hendon lay on the bed in dogged
silence.
Il believe your trouble is nothing
but cataract" he continued 81 have
been to the doctors who examined yol
before and seen their re cJrds. Whai
they told you was that your case was
incurable at present. but might be al
leviated later"
Yes, trying to fool me into spend
ing more money on en- snarle(
Pop" Hendon.
mo. SIR" answered Doctor Gray de
cisively. "A cataract cannot be op
Grated upon until it has reached Ger
tain stage of hardness. about yea
after 1t begins. You were the victim
of your own suspicious. You coult
have been cured years ago. You car
be cured now"
"Will you do it. Doc?" gasped ole
Hendon. turning his face upon Gray''
with look of wistful hope in hil
eyes.
Two weeks later Pop" Hendon
seated in the dining room. waited fo
| the handnpa IN ha liffed Tho rporna.