Evening star., 1936-08-30

Whatever you say, mister" told hun.
"Relatives1"
l thought of sister in Wichita as said,
None"
Again he smiled, and smiled back at him.
l liked that man. God knows I've had
pretty hard time the past eighteen months,
and was glad to find someone who had
some use for me. waited hopefully.
He got up and went over to little black
bag in one corner of the room and took out
one of those things doctors use to listen to a
patients heart He made me open my shirt
and coat so he could place it against my bare
skin. He listened a minute and said, Good"
Then he put the instrument back in the bag
and stood looking out the window.
Suddenly he turned. "John," he said, this
job pays twenty-five thousand dollars" I
know went pale, for he smiled that crooked
smile again as he waited for me to come up
for air.
II don't know yet whether you'll do or not.
There's a hundred in it, anyway" he
paused minute as his eyes swept my clothes
-'and expenses" he finished. He took
billfold from his pocket and took five tens
and folded them lengthwise before he handed
them to me- Meet me down in the lobby in
one hour. Get yourself an outfit and some
thing to eat. Never mind the haircut; few
days more or less won't matter about hair"
I still had twenty bucks left when walked
back to the Emerson an hour later. My boss
came out of the elevator just as entered the
lobby. He nodded to me, paid his bill at the
desk, and I followed him to the street.
We'll take cab. he said.
We drove to the Midtown Garage in the
cab; then the boss got his car out. Even in
pre-depression days never had chance to
ride in bus like that. We drove two hundred
miles that afternoon, and never even knew
he had motor under the hood.
It's strange what difference square meal
and suit of clothes will make in man.
felt better than ever remembered before. We
talked in snatches. Sometimes there would be
long spells of silence, and would try and
think what would do when got the twenty
five grand. About five O'Clock he turned off the
main road to side road and from this to a
drive. didn't know where I was and I
didn't care.
1t was almost dark, and could see a
large house about a quarter of mile away
outlined in the gloom. There were no lights in
the house. My boss stopped the car. He said,
II want you to run from here to the house.
I'll wait for you there"
Whatever you say" told him, getting
out and running after the car.
When got to the house he was waiting for
me with the Instruments for testing ones
heart in his hand. He took my pulse, listened
to my heart again, pulled up my eyelids and
looked at my eyes, He seemed satisfied.
You'll do" he said. well get bite of
supper; then we'll talk"
had never been in such house before.
Idon't know yet how many rooms there were,
but he showed me bedroom with bath next
to it. washed up, and when came down
half hour later negro was putting supper on
the table.
The first thing my boss said was, I'm a
doctor, SO you might as well call me that. The
rest of the name doesn't matter"
said, "O.K" He asked me what had
done before the depression. When told him.
he smiled again, that crooked smile, and I
liked him more than ever.
After supper he said, II want you to see
some of my friends" He led me to wing of
the house. and laughed when l saw the
friends. There we're dogs and cats and a
monkey. In some cages he had guinea pigs