The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-09-04

| ing at his bedside.
Before he could frame any Of the
] queries which came thronging to the
| door OF the returned consciousness,
she smiled and shook her head and
| forbade him.
Later in the day the doctor came;
and when the professional require
ments were satisfied, Griswold learned
the bare facts of his succoring. it
| was characteristic of the Griswold of
| other days that the immense obliga-
ton under which the Griersons had
placed him made him gasp and per-
spire afresh.
Griswold looked long and earnestly
at the face of his professional adviser.
1t was good face, clearly lined, be-
nevolent, and, above all, trustworthy.
Tell me one thing more, doctor. if
you can. What was the motive? Was
it just heavenly good-heartedness?-
Or
The doctors smile was the least
possible shade wintry.
When you have lived a few years
longer in this world of ours, you will
not probe too deeply into motives;
you will take the deed as the suffi-
cient exponent of the prompting be-
hind it. If 1 say so much, you will
understand that I am not impugning
Miss Grierson's motives. There are
times when she is the good angel of
everybody in sight, Mr."
The pause after the courtesy title
was significant, and Griswold filled it
promptly. Griswold-Kenneth Girls
void. Do you mean to say that you
haven't known my name, doctor?''
1--WE have not. We took the Good
Samaritan's privilege and ransacked
your belongings-Mfss Margery and
thinking there might be relatives
or friends who should be notified"
"And you found nothing?" queried
the sick man, a cold fear gripping at
his heart.
Nothing but clothing and your tot
let tools, pistol, and a typewriter
book manuscript bearing no sigma
ture"
Griswold turned his face away and
shut his eyes. Once more his stake
in the game of life was gone.
There was another package of-of
papers in one of the grips" he said,
family; quite large package
wrapped in brown paper"
I'VE found nothing but the manu-
script. Could anyone else make use
Of the papers you speak OPP
Griswold was too feeble to preyart-
cate successfully.
There was money in the package"
he said, leaving the physician to infer
what he pleased.
"Ah; then you were robbed. It's a
pity we didn't know it at the time. 1t
is pretty late to begin looking for
the thief now, I'm afraid"
Quite too late.' said Griswold mo-
notonously.
1t was not until after the doctor had
gone that Griswold was able to face
the new misfortune with anything
like sober measure of equanimity.
With or without money, he must re-
lieve the Griersons of their self
assumed burden at the earliest pos
sible moment.
This was the thought with which he
sank into the first natural sleep OF
convalescence. But during the days
which followed, Margery was able to
modify it without dulling the keen
edge Of his obligation. What perfect
hospitality could do was done, with
out ostentation, with the exact de-
gree of spontaneity which made it ap-
pear as a service rendered to a kins-
man. It was one of the gifts of the
daughter of men to be able to ignore
all the middle distances between an
introduction and a friendship; and by
the time Griswold was strong enough
to let the big, gentle Swede plant him
in Morris chair in the sun-warmed
bay window, the friendship was a fact
accomplished
DO you know, you're the most won
derful person 1 have ever known?" he
said to Margery. on the first of the
summing days when she had come to
perch in the window seat opposite his
chair. do you believe in destiny?"
She nodded brightly. Sometimes l.
do; when it brings things out the way
L want them to come out"
I've often wondered" he went on
musingly. "Think of tt-somewhere
N~N-> 40 TIC past gOu LUX the HTSL
step in the path which was to lead
you to that late supper in the Chou
teau- Somewhere in my past 1 took
the first step in the crooked trail that
was to lead me there"
"Well?" she encouraged.
The paths crossed-and 1 am your
poor debtor" he finished. ST can
never hope to repay Won and vo,,r
father for what you have done"
"Oh, yes you can," she asserted
lightly. You can pass 1t along to the
man farther down. Forget it, and tell
me what you want to know about Wa.
haska-''
First. I'd like to know my Doctors
name"
The ideal" she exclaimed Hasn't
there been anybody to introduce YOU?
as good as We are, this world vouldn,.
De SO bad" Yes, you'll hear 4h5s -