The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1915-10-07

room, out Of the house, and home, to
find that Leonard was better.
By nightfall he was out of danger.
At the same hour Frank Hicks lay
dead in his fathers house.
There was no other doctor in the
village. Doctor Hicks continued to
attend the Soutar boy until he was
convalescent. Then he ceased to
come. He sent his bill in the regular
way, but he was never seen at the
Soutar home again. The gossips said,
however, that there had been pain
full scene before he left for the last
time, and that Hicks had refused the
women's pitiful plea for forgiveness
He could forgive the loss of his son
better than that of his case" said
the villagers.
For two years Hicks and the wom-
en- only bowed when they passed.
Then Mrs Soutar fell ill of the incur
able disease that was to result in her
death. Hicks again became a con-
slant visitor at the home, but strictly
in his professional capacity. The Sou
teli . WOlO LAO AcSb Vi LAC Olu ldulllC6
Of the town; their lives were exceed
ingly lonely and exceedingly quiet. All
their old associates were dead, except
the doctor, who had come to the place
in youth, thirty years before. and even
then the old traditions had largely
ceased, and the stories of the lives of
the first settlers had been forgotten.
His friendship with the sSoutars had
come about through a sister of Mrs.
Soutar, a maiden lady, who had been
a constant visitor at his home when
his wife lived. But she had died al
most at the same time as Mrs. Hicks,
and no link remained between the
families.
A few nights before her death the
old woman called the doctor to her
bedside. Brokenly she told him that
she had no one else in whom to con-
fide. Then she told him her story.
It concerned her dead sister. Years
before, in girlhood, she had suffered
| a great wrong. She had gone away;
her child, boy, had been born in a
remote place and left in the founding
hospital there. Afterward she had
him removed to a town nearer
where, in the guise Of an interested
visitor, she could see him occasional
ly. But the boy had been adopted,
and, in accordance with the rules OF
the institution, she was refused all
information as to his whereabouts
II want you to find my sisters boy
and care for him, DOCTOR" she said.
There is a little money-a private
hoard, devoted to this purpose. And
nobody must know. Even in death |
shrink from the shame that would
follow her."
Hicks promised, and the dying wom~
an closed her eyes in peace. She
passed away few days later, happy
in Hicks assurance that he had al
ready traced the child
| It was the day after the funeral
that Louise sent for the doctor and
told him the identical story.
81 never knew" she said, until the
night before my mothers death. She
was rambling, then, but picked tip
ChOuSh VI LhC oCO1J W OAuCA oIeAhN,
and to realize your chivalrous nature
in accepting the quest. But, when the
child is found, it must be my task to
| provide for him. He may have grown
| up an uncouth, illiterate man. That
task must be mine"
The doctor laid his hand on her
shoulder.
Il want to tell you first" he said,
that l have not faltered in my faith
to you. l love you, as have always
loved you Will you be my wife, Lou
ise?"
She looked at him earnestly. Il
love you,' she said. But the shadow
of your boys death must ever lie be-
tween us. I cannot marry you"
IF should show you that this lies
| at nobody's door but mine" he
asked.
| you cannot. If it had not been for
us, Frank would have lived"
The doctor placed his hands upon
her arms and held her firmly.
Listen, Louise" he said. Frank
was that boy-adopted by my wife
and me to shield the dead woman
from discovery, and to enable her to
meet him. l never had child"