The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-06-28
CHAPTER xI-Continued

John stood looking al pOSI-CaIu
from DR.. Sergeant. A crescent
moon reflected itself in dark blue
water. A round white tower, light
house, perhaps, rose against star
strewn sky. A slim red boat with
half-furled sail lay at anchor
against strip of land where dark
trees grew. Constantinople -Phen-
er Bagtche. The lettering conveyed
nothing to his mind, but the boat
reminded him of the red canoe at
the lake. He stood thinking of the
cabin, of Cay
A voice addressed him. He turned
to see Abbie descending the stairs,
walking heavily, her hand sliding
along the rail, her white apron
cracking with starch, her round
high-colored face wreathed in an
amiable smile.
Hello, Abbie," John said. Abbie
had lived with the Sargeants for
years. She was more a member OF
the family than servant, as Hull
dab was in his mothers home.
"You in for good?" she asked,
hating at the newell post.
81 hope So"
''I'l have supper on in half an
hour. You sure your ears aren't
frost-bitten?" she asked with kindly
concern.
cts just coming in where it's
warm that makes them red"
''I'd advise you to rub snow on
'em," Abbie said. cts heathen-
ish life a doctors called on to live.
1 don't know why, at your age,
you're so set on it. Give me the
word if you're called out, SOS ! can
set something in the oven"
The Office was shadowy with dusk.
John switched on light and dropped
into the chair at the Doctors desk.
DR.. Sergeant would have known
how to handle that whining creature
he'd called on this afternoon, he
thought, lighting a cigarette. He,
himself, had been unable to sympa-
thize with the woman who had
poured into his. somewhat enbar-
raised ears a stream of sef-pity
and imagined symptoms. His ex-
animation had checked with notes
on the case he had found in the
Doctors files. Physically, she was
as sound as a nut. His sympathy
had been all for her husband, poor
wretch.
No, definitely, he hadn't bed
side manner. John pulled the desk
memorandum toward him. There
were fewer notations than usual
written in the clear handwriting of
Miss Sprague, DR.. Sargeant's secre-
tary and Office nurse. One nota-
ton was made in writing quite diff
ferent from Miss Sprague's. 1t asked
him to call the Congress Square Ho-
tel, Room 201. No name was ap-
pended. A guest, perhaps, who re-
quired the services of doctor. He
should make the call. In a few
minutes when he'd gotten warm and
had finished his cigarette
He would be glad when this pc
Rod of marking time had passed
and he could 60 on with the work
he enjoyed. John tilted back in his
chair and propped his feet on the
desk. He would never be happy in
a practice. He liked the stark facts
of science, unconfused by human
contacts, the crystal hardness of
truth that could be checked and
proved. He had thought that he
might experiment a little on the
side. Perhaps he could when he had
become more accustomed to the
routine of Office hours and calls.
For the present he was too tired
when his long day had ended to do
anything more exacting than read
for little or talk to Mary Adams
before he went early to bed.
The crescent moon and the red
boat on the postcard the Doctor had
sent recalled the cabin again. He
should have had a letter from Gay.
She had been in Florida when last
he had heard from her. It was
impossible for him to imagine the
life she lived there. AS always.
when his mind dwelled upon the dis
similarity of their separate environ
menus, chill OF apprehension SET
tied about his heart. He comforted
himself by recalling the night she
had seen him off at the station in
New York. But great many We'd
nesdays had passed since then and
she had not come.
The memories of her which he
liked best to recall went back to the
time they had spent at the cabin.
He found himself skipping over the
visit to New York. There was. he
thought, deliberation beneath that
apparently subconscious evasion.
When he recalled the visit to New
York, incidents presented them
selves which demanded clear and
logical thought. It was more pleas
ant to feel about Gay than to think.
Now, while she was SO far away
from him, when anything might be
happening, it was disturbing to
think.
He should begin again the expert
ment he had abandoned at the cab
in. # he could become interested
~ something Of the sort, he would