South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-30
TIL E.
w 7

CrTHEN went down to Merehurst few
M years ago to do locum work ior my old
friend. John Mott, We had only had
hour so in which to run over mis- list of
patients He never told me the hundredth part
Of what interesting about Chaldrake-but
there. of course he did not know the hundredth
part himself
-Ah, yes Chsldrake," he said when he came
to the name; not much trouble for YOU there,
Allsby. He wants bucking up more than any
thing-vhat pity he never married. He is
going on all right now, and there'n be no need
for you TO attend him at all unless he sends
for you" And he went on 10 speak of periodic
anad recurring fits of depression. and / lis
tened, interested in merely professional mat
ter that was not in the least out of the conf
mon. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. the veil was
drawn aside
John Mott left Merehurst the next morning
and had a month 10 spend in that exceedingly
pleasant village on the fringe OF Surrey and
Sussex while Mott attended a special course
OF lectures in Edinburgh. The prospect pleased
me more than little for Il was the middle
OF a particularly brilliant June. and already
London had become a WEAKNESS and infictiOn
TO one who had been born and bred in just such
another village Merehurst AS for work,
that promised TO be just heavy enough TO pre-
vent downright Stacking. and the first week
passed almost before ! realized that Il had
started And then on the Tuesday OF the sec.
ond week. the twenty-secOnd OF June IL was,
I had message from the Grange and ar
hour later had seen James Chaldrake for the
first time in my life.
Merehurst Grange was a house much older
and more impressive than had supposed.
Without misuse OF language it might have been
styled a mansion. and set liz that exquisite
frame of the Surrey hills it would have been
a deleCtable abode. but for the one thing.
That one thing the deplOrable neglect and
decay that one saw all around. from the wide,
unkept garden 10 the cracking paint the
heavy. studied front door And inside il
just the same, an untidy desolation every
where. The place was more like a musty old
ruin than a Inhabited house OF the twentieth
cent?.
X decrepit old butler received me and con
quoted me through a hall hung with tapestries
that. for al the lack of care. looked almost
priceless. he opened door on the left and l
neard him say:
Or. Allaby has arrived, sir"
] stepped into bOOGlined room which was
Just suhocatingiy hot for a huge fire was blaz-
ing away in the square. oldfashioned CRATE.
anC the incongruity Of il, on that flaming day
Of mid-June. was enhanced rs the shafts of bril-
liant sunshine that streamed IN through the
window. And then from a chair. planted square.
ly ( ufront OF the fire. James Chaldrake rose TO
receive me and forgot all about the appalling
temperature of the room in my interest IN It's
occupant A great gaunt man was peeTins
forward at me- and my first impression was
one OF surprise al his unusual stature. Ny sec
Ond was that was in the presence of a very
.ics man indeed ChaldTake's harshfeatured
face was flushed and then OF ivory pallor in
7t as he stood there. he
was supporting himself BY the chair from which
ne had Just risen Ms hair was quite white.
should have said. and yet in queer. indie
Unable way, he did not suggest a really ola
man mean ne did not look like a man who
had passed from youth 70 age in the ordinary
normal way And then I remembered-Mo;t
had mentioned that Chaldrake was forty-eight
was finding my new patient decidedly in
teresting.
His first remark was disconcerting enough.
Z am not i'll" he said. In a rough. grating
voice Il do not know why they sent for you
81 was my sister. She is unnecessarily solici
tous"
made some commonplace reply and asked
q few orthodox cIestioas. After little .acttul
cajOlery he allowed me 20 test his pulse and
heart, and both the one and the other told the
story Not ill., He was on the verge OF col
lapse II ever a man was. he vas acutely ano
er1tjcally fu