Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-03-27
"THE DOCTOR"
By Mary Roberts Rhinehart
Continued from Page Al


Beverly? Most women rather like me!'
"Too many women ike you," she
would say. Il don't like competition"
He liked the fact that she was diff
ficult. It gave some excitement to
the pursuit and women had been easy
for him always, as she had SAID. New
ertheless she attracted him irresisti-
bly, her soft dark hair, her honest
eyes, even that determined small chin
of hers. She was a good playfellow,
too
Were made for each other, Bev.
Think of the fun we'd have"
is that your idea of marriage, it
isn't mine"
Sometimes he drank, and then he
would be difficult to manage. Once
she slapped him hard, and he sulked
for day or two. Then he was back,
devil-may-care as ever, and asking
her to kiss the spot.
Look" he said. Right there.
Mamma kiss, eh?"
ooh, don't be such an idiot" she
told him. Il loathe men who drink"
Upon which he had solemnly taken
out of his pocket small white ribbon
and pinned it to his lapel, and she had
had to laugh.
He was irresistible, in some ways,
this Jerry Ames, handsome, rich with
inherited money, humorous after his
own fashion, and not too scrupulous
about number of things. But it
was a bewildered Jerry who confront
ed her that Sunday night after she
had met Chris Arden.
Il don't understand you Bev. What's
all this talk about work? l work,
don't II"
IF that's what you call it. You
play at work, and you work at play"
where did you hear that?" he
asked suspiciously. "And anyhow,
what has that to do with you and
me? I can work if have to. l will if
you say the word But if you care
for me"
'I'm not sure that 1 do. Not in that
way. I've tried to, Jerry"
"Tried! Good God, if you have to
try"
He had gone then, with sort of
angry finality, getting into his car
- I,.:,v;,,o. f,,,,;o,,cIxy dovy,, tho hill
and past lighted window where, in
side, Chris Arden was bending over
Sophia Barker's injured finger, and
the small sterilizer Kissed and steam
ed beside the stationary washstand.
Feel better now"
so much better. I've given you a
lot of trouble, Doctor. And-how
much do 1 owe you?"
Nothing, of course. Aren't we
neighbors?"
But I must pay you, Doctor. l
must indeed"
In the end reluctantly he took a
dollar from her, which made two in
his pocket and gave forth pleasant
jingling sound which had been absent
for some time.
A careful survey of Chris finances
at the end of May showed his bank
account dwindled almost to nothing
and his expenses Carrying on.
What do we do with all this light
Mrs. Walters? Does Dick read al
night"
mot Dick" She was always on the
defensive about Dick. "I'll speak tt
Katie. She's got a lot of that cheap
paper-backed trash, and she'll ruin
her eyes"
'Well, ask her to do her reading
in daylight. I'm no Croseus!"
Lily, however, had never heard o
Croseus, and so Chris paid the bills
and had at the beginning of June som
forty dollars in the bank, two fur
rows between his eyes, and a con
slant feeling that his big body re
quired more nourishment than ne wa
giving it.
1t was at this time that he receive
a letter from old David Mortimer
written in his own grabbed handwrit
ing: