Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-05-14
CHAPTER v.-continued.


g.
It was perhaps five minutes before
that door was reopened, and during
the interval, billiard had an soppor-
tunfty 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 billiard that
both Carol and her father were con-
ceivably harassed by contrition, but
as he estimated the extent to which
their sorrow might go judging
by Carols distress of last night, and
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 adj
ditional proof? Had the doctor cared
so deeply that in order to hold con-
verse with Dick Morgan's sole execu-
tor, he would interrupt the sacred
routine of his practice? Too lateI 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 a gems
7leman 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,
Sarge of feature. and large of instinct;
his forehead was that of an intel
lectualist; his eyes were those of a
dreamer; his chin denoted rugged
capabilities, and the stubbornness Of
answering ethics.
'Mr. Hilliard?' His voice was
pitched low, but its resonance was
striking. Thirty years ago the doctor
had been a famous baritone; and there
was still one church in town which
dated it's musical supremacy from the
choir he had organized and directed.
Doctor nurant!' The two men
sclasped hands firmly. Hilliard, ex-
periencing the dreaded sinking sensa-
ton 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
momentarily 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.
e"No, doctor-it would only have
been blamable if 1 hadn't"
ST insist that it's good of you.
You knew Dick intimately, I under
stand"
Hilliard nodded.
Every intimately, sir, considering
the length of time" He perceived that
Carol was holding the letter lightly
folded in her hands; she intercepted
his glance, and colored proudly.
cit it did belong to me-
she said, subdued. "And / can
never thank you enough ). never
I"
"My daughter" said the doctor,
presently, ''has told me the one great
fact" He paused. then went on
graveIy. ST accept it, and it needs
very little comment. What most con-
Germs me now is to know the lesser
facts. l have some hope, Mr.. Hilliard,
that you can make the lesser seem the
greater; and the greater, the less. /
want you to clear up the one cloud
that still dims our knowledge. / hope
you can tell US something about Dicks
reasons for doing this thing-for GO
ing abroad at all, and for enlisting,
and for"
billiard WINGED; the doctors autop-
sy on his character was considerably
more disconcerting that Mr.. Cullen's
had been.
Doctor Durant, / can't think it's
fair to put Dicks motives under the
microscope like that! Why not for
get everything but the attending cir
cumstances to the one great fact.
He
'Pm not unfair" said the doctor
slowly. tive never been unfair If /
could help it, and certainly not to this
man, above all others. Here is a case
in which a man who left us most uD-
heroically comes back to us, in spirit
at least, as a hero. The particular
thing he did is fact. I'm proud Of
him for it-and so far, for that, and
for that only. But it isn't true that
by itself alone it made him a hero.
And when 1 said that I'm interested in
the lesser facts, mean that Dicks
reasons for going into the war at all
may be the proof that he was hero
and that any physical bravery he may
have shown has nothing whatsoever
to do with it. Please don't misjudge
us. We're not trying to belittle any,
thing Dick did; it's neither fitting nor
possible. But what we want to know
e. where the credit lies-with Dick. n