Evening star., 1940-12-28

be comfortable, he said gently. "I'll
confess everything" He laughed,
trying to put her at ease. my job
as a doctor is to help people to keep
well, and If they get sick, to help
them to get better. incidentally, I
make my living by this work."
Eyes, Dr.. Barclay, but"
Don't interrupt" Gale said stern
ly. Listen closely:
Some times I get patient who
has lot of dough, and I charge
him according to what he can afford.
Some times I get people who are
moderately wealthy and I charge
them what they can afford. Then
some times I get a patient who's
temporarily down on his-or her
luck and I don't charge them any
thing.
Remember, my job is to keep my
patients healthy. If one of them
dies, my reputation suffers, people
think I'm fakir, a quack. So Il
don't like to nave my patients die.
It's kind of insurance policy for
me to keep them alive. So if they
need money in order to keep alive,
I pay the money to them just like
I'd pay an insurance premium
That's what I'm doing in your case.
Understand"
Young Mrs. Smith stared at Gale
for long time, her eyes wide and
wondering and full of an emotion
that Gale couldn't comprehend. And
then suddenly her lower lip was
trembling and tears welled up in
her eyes. "Oh, Doctor Barclay" she
sobbed, you're $3.50 good. I don't
know what to do. But I can't take
your money-really can't"
Disturbed by Charity.
She dabbed at her eyes with tight
little fists and then she covered her
face with her hands and gave her
self up to her tears. Gale was con-
fused, and embarrassed by the mist
that clouded his own vision. He got
up from his chair and went to her
and clumsily laid his big hand on
her shaking shoulder.
Now, now he said helplessly.
'You-you mustn't do this. child"
Il know" she sobbed. II know.
I should be thanking God for send
ing me to you But-but it seems
so terrible-taking charity"
Nonsense" Gale said tersely. 1T
isn't charity. It's just plain common
sense. If I didn't give you the money
Id be lousy kind of doctor. Come
on now, brace up"
Mrs Smith looked up at him
with the tears still cleaning in her
wide, blue eyes. bat now there was a
smile tugging at the corners of her
soft red lips. I'll brace up, Doctor"
she said TREMENDOUSLY. And some
day when I can control myself I'll
tell you how wonderful you are But
you mustn't send me any more
money, Doctor Barclay. Really,
you mustn't. I'm we'll enough to
work again, I know I am. I'll get
some easy JOB and I'll be all right"
Gale didn't say anything. He Just
went and got his hat from the top
OF the bookcase in the corner. Then
he returned to where the girl was
sitting and took her by the arm.
Come on" he said. I'll give you
a ride home"
Mrs. Smith got up, wiped her
red-rimmed eyes with a tiny hanky
and rubbed futilely at the swollen
marks under them. Then she threw
her head back and uttered a light.
easy laugh. II look a wreck" she
said. "And I can remember the days
when I would have cared"
Gale looked at her sharply and
saw that there wasn't anything de-
spondent in the remark. She lust
really didn't care; appearances had
assumed new and small proportion
IN her eyes. Her thoughts were
taken completely by the event that
was going to occur in another few
months.
At the outer door of the recep-
ton room, Gale stopped. He turned
to Mrs. Smith, laid his hand on her
arm. I'll say again as said before,
I'll send you from IS to $40 every
week until this is all over with.
Ia send you more if I could, but it's
impossible. Now come along, and
no more argument about it,
He pushed open the outer door
and there, on the top stair of the
long flight leading down to the
street, stood vi, his wife. She must
have been coming in when she'd
been stopped by the voices back of
the closed door. Her wide. dark
eyes were striken and her lips were
parted in an agony of shock and
disillusion as she looked from her
husband to the girl at his side.
Gale said. Hello, vi" in a fiat,
uncertain voice. He knew come
thing had happened but he couldn't
at the moment recall just what his
words to Mrs. Smith had been. He
knew that her eyes were still red
trimmed from her tears of moment
ago. He knew that she stood there
as much puzzled by Wis expression
as he himself.
And then Wis eyes fell and she
turned slowly and went down the
stairs.
tCopyrisht, 1910, Chicago Daily News Inc
Tomorrow vi makes a decision,