Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-04-22
CHAPTER x-Continued.

Why-in a way, yes"
The doctor achieved perfect cir
clet and beamed at it.
Something elseT
"a good deal else" said Hilliard, alb
stracted. But that's no reason for
me to bother you with it. l didn't know
1t was so apparent"
Silence.
its not my habit" said the doctor
presently, ito offer any advice unless
I'm asked for 1t. Gratuitous advice
never did anybody any good. And no.
body takes it unless 1t costs some
thing-and not often then. And I'm
neither your regular physician nor
your confessor. But II 1 had made
diagnosis at this present minute I'd
say that you need preacher a great
deal more than you do q doctor"
II do" said billiard, look
ing up sharply. only it's out
of the question. Just personal things,
doctor-nothing l can very well talk
about"
"Your trouble" said Doctor Durant,
"isn't physical as much as it is splr-
itual It's nothing but taut nerves. It's
nothing but your struggle against the
restraints you put upon yourself. How
do know? You've told me so I.
every time I've seen you. It's in your
fpce, my boy. It's in your eyes. Con-
1tantly. And 1t looks as though the
aapfnrnDPn c about 0Var hp-
cause If that isn't Carol coming up the
steps, my ears aren't half as good as
they used to be-"
Both men were on their feet as she
came in, swirling.
"Ohw she cried to Hilliard. II
didn't know you were coming up to-
night! Suppose I'd missed you"
He merely smiled, and made no an
swer; nor did he speak to her until
after the doctor, protesting sudden
desire for solitude, had waved them
Hospitality out of the study into the
living room. Carol was in the old ia
niliar corner of the sofa Hilliard was
standing by the fireplace, peering
down into the empty CRATE. He coughed
harshly, and an expression Of utter
hopelessness crept into his eyes. He
turned abruptly.
"Well," he said, "just how much
would you have cared if you had?"
There was a stately old lamp stand
ing at height behind the sofa; its
shadows were gracious and its light
as 1t crept through shade of painted
vellum, touched Carol softly, in a
delicacy of radiance which was infin-
itely caressing. Her hands were lying
idle in her lap; she bent her head, and
viewed them studiously.
"Why, should have cared a great
deal" she said. "Im always disap-
pointed when / miss seeing q friend of
mine. What makes you so pessimistic,
all of sudden?"
Hilliard REDEEMED, and his eyes grew
brighter.
"Friendshipw he said tardily.
"What an accordionlike sort Of thing
that isw
"Why, Mr.. Hilliard" Her tone was
at the same time interrogatory and re-
proachful.
"Oh, I'm not speaking Of YOU" he
said. "Only of the thing itself. .
It's big or little, close or distant .
and it hasn't anything to say about It
=. You'll have to excuse mel
was thinking out loud :"
"Please DOR she said "You were
on the way to be interesting. Think
out loud some more"
billiard glanced sharply at her.
Don't laugh at me" he said, almost
roughly. For heavens sake, don't
you know that the one time you
shouldn't laugh at a man is when he
deserves it?"
Carols attitude was vaguely less
suggestive of ease.
81 wasn't laughing at you" she said,
truly. But what you said was SO
=. so queer"
"Oh, yes" billiards. accent was
very fiat. II suppose it was. It must
have been. always seem to be
to see you, don't I? The last time we
talked about friendship"
"Rdt that was at least month ago,
she said hastily, land in the mean
time, you've been just as nice and
cheerful as anybody. I thought you
were all over your troubles"
"Cheerfulness wasn't what YOU
asked for" billiard swallowed hard
Il =. l came up here, Miss Du
rant, to have really serious talk witt
you really serious. It's beer
delayed too long already. 1t took m,
two solid days to get my courage W
to 1t. And and now I'm here
don't even know how to begin"
He scowled heavily into the vacan
fireplace, and held out his palms will
mechanic gesture as though to warn
them at an imaginary blaze "Yo,
know" he said absen:ly "your fathe
is very extraordinary man-very."
The compliment to the doctor hat
its inariable effect upon her; sh,
n