Evening star., 1922-05-14
ALWAYS sTRoLLING WITH A LADY,

conversation between. the young doc
tor and his friend Ronny at East
-.-e ~ + t.
WE saw quite a lot, of each other
at Harrogate," he went on. HE
was living In rooms and he knew
two or three quite good people-so-
ciety. people in London--to whom he
introduced us. Joan was quite taken
with him. He dances we'll, and she
loves dancing, as you know
: How long were you there to-
gether?" I asked.
.oh, about six weeks-till was
suddenly taken queer. I never
thought I'd pull through"
But you have"
"Yes. thank heaven! I'm much bet
ter" he said. though his shrunken
figure was proof how near he had
been to death. Joan has done all
she could for me, dear. girl"
But how did it all happen~ I
asked.
Happen? Well, it was quite sud-
den. One day Fisher came round and
asked me to dine at his rooms on
the following night. Twas quite well
then. We went, and he had a couple
Of friends. and we had a pleasant
bridge party afterward. Next day I
was quite all right, and the day after
/ had temperature, and Joan called
in the doctor"
DO you think you could have eaten
anything that disagreed with your
I queried.
Nothing to MY knowledge" he said,
looking away across the beautiful
park. I'VE had oysters. They may
not have been quite up to tho mark,
but, If so, why weren't Joan and the
others taken ill?"
Curious" said: very curious! But
it doesn't matter, so long; as you get
we'll again, my dear fellow" I
"Ah, 1t takes a long time. you
know very long time, tho doctor
tells me"
Two things struck me rs strange
first, that curious whisper between
the doctor and the stranger at East
bourne, and the sudden disappear-
ance of the latter frem the table.
Have you seen Vaughan Fisher
since?" asked.
..Only once.y On the day after we
dinad with him he was suddenly called
to. LondonA. OF course, I was taken
i'll, and Joan got me homo to Bedford
in the car. When -1-got we'll enough
to be removed I wentto Brighton, and
one day, as we were In the car, I
saw him walking along tho front
with a weli-dressed girl. told the
man to pull up and, recognising mo.
he came across. He-was,s-o course,
IN ignorance Of my serious illness,
and was naturally much surprised.
He told us how. on returning to Har-
rogate, he. called at the Majestic, only
70 be told that we had left somewhat
unexpectedly The hotel people said
nothing about my Illness
s"I4otels never do, y i laughed. They
always, suppress news of 1.-The. illness
.of any.yisitoirl-and very naturally.
for most people are. afraid Of infec-
,tionn.. :. You. haven't seen Vaughan
Fisher SINCE, eh 90 !
NO: not, since. .}.AtWSoeosSg..h NO SAuu
abbut. a month ago, but have had no
reply -whsn. we met af brighton he
told ME he was probably going to
Egypt for abit,s So. I Issuppose he's
gone. -, y ,,::; s5:i'zs,
r,ooR Richard i Eve. z. He certainly
looked extrensIya;t ::and pale.
A. Iesat there and we. cliatted on I
;coiirdfnot heIp. wondetinssifshis pretty
.;w,,fYe ayas really 80 devoted to- him as
she spl,reteudsds. Just =: faint sus-
picion arose IN my mind: Why, I can-
not expisin. Perhaps: it5=was owing to
the fact that the good-Ioolking doctor
Va. perfsct tyne OF ladies'. man
So i sat to work to try and discover
n the pair had been meeting in se-
.cret. II aso,tit was more than curious
nat, Mr.: Eve should have been taken
fIl-tire =oniy. one of the party, re-
m,ember-a1ter -dintag 1t thu Doctors
r,oe1sa,: ;RtcAard 1--we shadst6ld me that
ihissv4ee. hsd gbSsn. .mu6h tby fhe
,rood:ioellang syounssfeiiow. and that
tiisy Rad dsdanced q good deal together.
Il Il as .slassss 4. sSi,iSa:.ss solsed MI