The Irish standard., 1920-05-01

loetor had pronounced his sentence.
and Carol. In terrible silence. had then
and there confirmed 1t. His imagina-
tien conjured up that scene again:
his blood chilled; he could fancy that
Carol and the doctor were actually be-
fore him. and that he was staring at
them In the flesh. and feeling the lash
of the doctors quiet peroration.
At the threshold there was faint
rustic Of fabric. and Hilliard turned
Carol! His hands went out mechan-
ically, and hers to him; and Hilliard
tasting the acid of his somber mood.
smiled benignly.
Il mustn't keep you waiting" he
said. dropping her hands. "rve brought
you the letter spoke about" He
gave it to her, and coushed his en-
oarfassment. "rm positive it's for
you. And I'm sure you don't want
anything to prevent you from read
ing 1t at once, so If you'd rather pre-
fer to have me come back later for
the talk you wanted"
He was already moving toward the
doorway: she restrained him gently.
although her eyes couldn't be dragged
from the folded paper he had given
her.
"No," she said. 'please don't 60.
particularly want you to meet my IA
ther, Mr.. Hilliard. He's anxious to
see you, too. Won't you wait while l
call him?"
He inclined his head: followed her
with his eyes to the hallway, strained
his hearing, and knew that she had
opened the letter as soon as she was
out Of his sight. His lips twitched
cynically-and then. as he remem-
bsred Angela's injunction, straight
ened. After all, this much was pure
charity. Down the hallway, there was
the reverberation of closing door.
and silence.
It was perhaps five minutes before
that door was reopened, and during
the interval. Hilliard had an oppor-
tunity to wonder If the doctor had re-
vised his Office hours; otherwise. he
should now be down In the Physicians
building. receiving patients. 1t oc-
Cured spontaneously to Hilliard that
both Carol and her father were con-
csivably harassed by contrition. but
as he estimated the extent to which
their sorrow might go Judging
by Carols distress of last night, and
f, the potential truancy of the doctor to-
day-he was possessed of gripping
emotions. Had they cared so deeply
; for him, then? Angela and Carol had
said so; but he had doubted what he
most wanted to believe. Was this ad-
ditional proof? Had the doctor cared
verse with Dick Morgan's sole execu-
tor, he would interrupt the sacred
routine of his practice2 Too late! Too
late to care. too late to sympathize,
only the winter garment of repent
ance was left for theml billiard
couldn't comprehend why, when he
had risen this morning so refreshed in
mind and body. he should now be SO
unutterably wearied in both.
| Carol returned, followed by gen.
tleinan of sixty; and as the doctor en-
tered, the room was suddenly per-
meated by an atmosphere Of calm, and
kindly peace. He was a large man,
large Of feature, and large of instinct;
his forehead was that Of an intel
lectualist; his eyes were those Of
dreamer; his chin denoted rugged
capabilities, and the stubbornness of
unswerving ethics.
"Mr. Hilliard?" Els voice was
pitched low, but its resonance was
striking. Thirty years ago the doctor
had been famous baritone; and there
was still one church in town which
dated its musical supremacy from the
choir he had organized and directed.
doctor Durant!" The two men
clasped hands firmly. billiard, ex-
periencing the dreaded sinking sensa-
tion which came upon him as often as
he exposed himself to yet another old
acquaintance, hardened as he per
ceived no recognition in the doctors
eyes. The inevitable reaction left him
momcntarily weak.
"It was good of you to take this
trouble. Mr.. Hilliard. appreciate It."
billiards denial was highly cour-
teous; It was harder to hate the doc
tor than he had planned.
"No. doctor-it would only have
been hlamable If hadn't"
II insist that it's good Of you. {.
You knew Dick intimately, under
stand"
Hiliiard nodded.
every intimately. sir, considering
the length Of time." He perceived that