The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-12-26

body takes IL In q different way" ne
answered. Eyes, / reckon It was NOR
phine right enough. They wouldn't
put the wrong label on the bottles.
Won certainly did set tAings humming,
Miss Wentworth he added, laughing
and raising his hat.
"Wait a moment, Doctor Jenkins"
persisted Joan. Il am so anxious
about the doctor. He ought not to
have gone: he was In no condition to
60, and yet . mans life IN at stake"
The doctors face became at once
impenetrable. He seemed to be on his
guard against her. He seemed to know.
more than she. Doctor Lancaster's
flancee, knew; Il was humifiating and
ironical. but Joan saw that to ques-
Ition him. even II she had been SO
minded. was useless.
She was not minded. That would
be a disloyal act toward her lover.
Soon she would know; and meanwhile
she kept down her fears She watched
Jenkins drive away with sinking
heart. And somehow the morning
passed.
The hours. of afternoon were leaden
ones. !. Five O'Clock came at last. with
no cessation Of the downpour. and
Joan went out and paced the rain
soaked veranda endlessly, looking
anxiously In the direction of the STA
ton. though she knew that II must be
at least two hours before she could
hope to see Jenkins buggy again on
its way up the hill.
Through the lowering western
clouds the sum. emerging for mo-
ment. streaked the west with angry
crimson splashes Lancaster must be
nearly home. But it was no use wait
ing there, where her fears grew from
moment to moment. She went into
Ne building, and saw the matron
Standing within her door. Suddenly
she sensed the reflection of her own
fears in Mrs. Fraser's heart; she knew
the woman was doing nothing as she
stood there. was waiting, like herself,
and, in the same manner. hoping
against hope for the doctors safe re-
turn. Impulsively Joan entered the
room. She could keep silence no
longer. She broke down. sobbing dis
tractedly.
II am afraid something has hap
pened to the doctor" she wept.
"Now you sit down in that chair.
Miss Wentworth" said Mrs. Fraser
kindly. Its been a trying day. But
Doctor Lancaster will be home In an
hour. and there's no use becoming
anxious about him. Heavens, If we
got anxious before we had cause, what
should we do?"
Il know" sobbed the girl. "But I
can't bear waiting. I know something
has happened to him."
.s'Now, my dear. you are all worked
up about him." she said. HE won't
come to any harm. He can't come to
harm when he went straight to his
own hospital" she added.
But she spoke without conviction.
Joan's hysterical mood was injecting
her, increasing her own fears and
forebodings.
Il reckoR~ YOU know, Miss Went
worth. how much doctor Jenkins and
feel we owe to you for taking care
Of ting doctor" she said, seating her
self at the girls side. "And for get
ting that man out Of the place. my
dear. Man? He's a devil-he's the
doctors devil, Miss Wentworth. And
no harm can como to the doctor with
you watching for him and praying for
him."
Joan looked nm ut her with troubled
face. "Mrs. Fraser, am so much at
loss" she said Doctor jenkins
and You have kndwn Doctor Lancas-
ter SO long. and am stranger here.
| am like q child In comparison with
you. so far as knowledge of Doctor
Lancaster is concelned. have been
fighting his physical troubles, and | do
not know his mental ones. That Is
what puts me at al loss. How can
know that Doctor AI.ancaster's enc
mics are not waiting FOR him, or have
not hurt him."
The matron placed hek hand on the
girls knee. why. my dear. Doctor
Lancaster has no enemies" she said.
"How could such splendid man have
enemies? OF course thele are trou-
bles; who hasn't them? And 1t may
be there's things that Docfor jenkins
and don't know-rve Thought there
might be. But we've only been here
three years, and that was slong after
the doctors troubles began. And of
course we never listened to the vii
lage gossip. But oh, Miss Wentworth.
you can't imagine the sorrow in our
hearts when we saw that splendid
man giving way to his habit. and let
ting It creep over him little by little
and gain the mastery.