The Washington times., 1918-07-26
By Virginia Terhune Van
de Water.
CHAPTER XXI.

q o absorbed had Elizabeth
Wade been in the information
~ acquired through listening
at her window on the night Of the
automobile ride that It was not un-
til the next day that she appre-
ciated that she had been guilty Of
the dishonorable act of eavesdrop-
ping.
The appreciation of this came to
her as she debated with herself as
to whether or not she should write
to Douglas and tell him what she
had overheard
II she did this. she must confess
that she had deliberately listened
to q conversation not meant for
her ears.
Douglas would disapprove Of this,
Jet would not condemn her. He
was not the kind of brother to
ehide her for a thing she had done
unthinlzingly.
Even In her own mind she did
not feel that she had been dishon-
cradle. The significance of the in
formation acquired cast into
shadow the importance OF her
thoughtless eavesdropping.
When she reached this point in
her cogitations she took up her
pen to tell her brother what she
had learned.
Then abe hesitated. What could
he do? He had no money. Even
II he were aware of the extent to
which Amos Chapin's plans lad
gone. Douglas would be practically
powerless to check them. His an
ger and anxiety could take no
tangible form They would but in
terfere with his peace of mind, and.
perhaps, make It harder for him to
perform his ordinary duties.
No, one the whole, she would not
tell him all the facts. Instead, she
wrote 2 shorter letter than she had
expeeLed - write. saying that she
Jzas well that Butler continued to
Improve, and that she hoped prac-
1ce Ia Riverhin was growing.
The more ! see and hear" she
added u & postscript, the more
certain ar -gaat Amos wants to
bay TIE faEm mean to do all
/. that can to make it possible for
you 20 retain it"
A Poor Outlook
Douglas Wade wrote back
promptly. So in earnest was he
that he neglected his usual pre-
caution of enclosing his letter to
his sister in an outer envelope ad-
dressed to Amos ChGpin Or his
doubt of the farmers honor may
have made him hesitate to enclose
in an envelope to Chaplin a letter
of the nature OF that which Eliza
beth received.
For In this epistle Wade ac-
knowledged that he was near the
end OF his resources. There was
still in the bank enough money to
enable him and his sister to live
very plainly for several months to
come. But then-what?
aThis is a discouragingIy healthy
town." the writer complained. II
have enough patients to keep me
from starvation, but you must re-
member that at this rate several
years must elapse before I have a
paying practice. That, my dear, is
what 1 need to maintain an ap-
pearance of prosperity and to do
what want to do for you. 1 am
telling you all this because it is
your right to know it Yet am
not discouraged. I am living only
one day at a time now. Surely,
with so much at stake, with my
future happiness dependent upon
my success, something will mater
tAlize.
at keeps up my courage TO hear
that Buffers seemingly incurable
case is so plainly durable. / dare
not let him stop the outdoor life
and work yet He must stay on
the farm until he is perfectly well.
Were he to return here now he
might relapse into the same old
nervous condition from which we
have pulled him.
But remember one thing. II he
comes home completely cured, my
reputation is made. Think how
much depends upon the outcome of
my scheme-Rnd this depends upon
yoC! So keep up your courage"
Elizabeth Wade read this letter