The Washington herald., 1920-10-16
tCo.ti,ues from yesterday,

the only exciting recreation We
have here is watching steamers
when they arrive; and a passenger
on one Of them generally causes the
whole town to turn out. II you are
going to remain in Coralio a while,
Mr.. Smith, III be glad to take you
around to meet some people. There
are four or five American chaps
that are good to know, besides the
native high-fiers."
Thanks" said the yachtsman.
''but 1 wouldn't put you to the
! trouble. I'd like to meet the guys
| you speak of. but I won't be here
long enough to do much knocking
around. That cool gent on the
beach spoke OF a doctor; can you
tell me where could fnd him2 The
Rambler amt quite as steady on
her feet as a Broadway hotel; and a
fellow gets a touch of seasickness
now and then. Thought I'd strike
the croaker for a handful of the
little sugar pills, in case ! need
| 'em."
You will be apt to find DR.. Gregg
at the hotel" said the consul. You
can see 1t from the door-it's that
| two-story building with the bal
cony where the orange trees are"
Mr.. Gregg. the quarantine ply
sicisn, was man of so or, so,
with a fiorid face and the longest
beard between Topeka and TERRA
del Fuego. He held his posi-
ton by virtue Of an appointment
by the board OF health of a seaport
city in one of the Southern States.
That city feared the ancient enemy
of every Southern seaport-the yell
low fever-and II was the duty OF
DR.. Gregg to examine crew and
passengers of every vessel leaving
Coralio for preliminary symptoms.
The duties were light, and the SAL
airy. for one who lived in Coralio.
ample. Surplus time there was in
plenty and the good doctor added
to his gains by a large private prac-
tice among the residents Of the
coast. The fact that he did not
know ten words OF Spanish was no
obstacle; a pulse could be felt and
fee collected without one being .
| linguist. Add to the description the
facts that the doctor had a story to
tell concerning the operation of tre-
panning which no listener had ever
allowed him to conclude, and that
he believed in brandy as a prophy-
Tactic, and the special points of in
terest possessed by DR.. Gregg will
have become exhausted.
The doctor had dragged a chair
to the sidewalk. He was coatless
and he leaned back against the wall
and smoked. while he .stroked his
beard. Surprise came into his pale
blue eyes when he caught sight OF
Smith in his unusual and prismatic
clothes.
You're DR.. Gregg-is that right?"
said Smith. feeling the dog's-head
pin in his tie. The constable-I
mean the consul, told me you hung
out at this caravansary. My names
Smith; and I came in yacht TAX
ing a cruise around. looking at the
monkeys and pineapple trees. Come
inside and have a drink. Doc. This
cafe looks on the blink, but l guess
it can set out something wet"
Il will join you, sir, in just a
taste of brandy" said DIR. Gregg, ris-
ing quickly. 81 fnd that as a prephy-
Tactic a little brandy is almost a
necessity in this climate"
AS they turned to enter the pull
peria a native man, barefoot, glided
noiselessly UP and addressed the
doctor in Spanish. He was yellowish-
brown, like an over-ripe lemon; he
wore a cotton shirt and ragged linen
trousers girded by leather belt.
His face was like an animals, live
and wary, but without promise OF
much intelligence. This man tab-
bered with animation and so much
seriousness that ii seemed pity
that his words were to be wasted.
! DR.. Gregg felt his pulse.
You sick?" he inquired.
! mi muier esta enferma en- la
casa" said the man, thus endeavor-
ing to convey the news, in the only
language open to him, that his wife
lay i'll in her palm-thatched hut.
The doctor drew a handful Of cap
sules filled with white powder
from his trousers pocket. He counted
out ten OF them into the natives
hand, and held up his forefnger i'm
pressively.
Take one," said the doctor, every
two hours" He then held up two
fingers, shaking them emphatically
before the natives face. Next he
pulled out his watch and ran his
! finger round its dial twice. Again the
+ two fingers confronted the patient S
nose. 'Two-two-two hours" re-
peated the doctor.
| "Si. Senor," said the native, sadly.
| He pulled a cheap silver watch
from his own pocket and laid 1t in
the doctors hand. Me bring" said
he, struggling painfully with his
scant English, other watchy tomor-
row." Then he departed down
| heartedly with his capsules.
"A very ignorant race of people.
sir" said the doctor. as he slipped
the watch into his pocket. He
seems to have mistaken my direc-
tions for taking the physic for the
fee. However. it is all right. He
owes me an account. anyway. The
chances are that he won't bring the
other watch. You can't depend on
anything they promise you. About
that drink, now? How did you come
to Coralio, Mr.. Smith? was not
aware that any boats except the
Karlsefin had arrived for some
days"
The two leaned against the desert
ed bar; and Madama set out a bottle
without waiting for the doctors or
der. There was no dust on it,
After they had drank twice Smith
said:
You say there were no passen-
gers on the Karlsefin, Doc? Are you
| sure about that? 1t seems to me /
heard somebody down on the beach
| say that there was one or two
| aboard"
They were mistaken, sir. my
self went out and put all hands
through a medical examination, as
usual. The Karlsefin sails as soon
as she gets her bananas loaded,
which will be about daylight in the