Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-11-12
For Value Received
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By B. N. SMITH
Mcclure Syndicate-wNU Service.)

DR. LA MOTT looked at the
- small, exquisite woman in the
chair beside his desk. Vaguely he
sought to bridge the chasm of those
ten intervening years.
"You knew Harvey died, didn't
you, LOUISE"
"No, l didn't, Dolores. I'm sor-
ry." He stopped abruptly. He'd al
ways known that she was not for
him. And, of course, Dolores being
Dolores, it was no doubt best. Still,
if she had loved him, instead of
Harvey, perhaps
"Ten years is long time,
Dolores" he said slowly. "Ten me
about yourself. What have you
been doing?"
"I'm afraid / haven't been useful,
like you, Louis" Then her face
lighted; her eyes became eager, ami
mated. "But I've tried to make a
good job of raising Harvey Jr. I
wish you could see him." she added
softly.
Lets see How old is he now?"
Hes fourteen" She looked into
her handbag and took out a small
photo. Here's his latest"
He has his mothers eyes,"
"But not his mothers disposition.
I've trained him away from that"
she said modify. Then her eyes
were eager again. "He finishes high
school this month. From there he
goes to the university, then Har-
ward and Oxford. His teachers say
he has wonderful mind and will
go long way, if he has chance"
Her voice trailed off YEARLY.
81 don't doubt it," DR.. LaMott
said seriously, with such a mother.
But, you, Dolores, how have you
been. Any more trouble with that
lung?"
ooh, I've been up and down. II
you hadn't been so far away I'd
have had one of your famous dag
noses, Louis. I've never met any
one so unerring."
1.-The same old fatterer," he
laughed. But he was pleased.
Suppose we try one now"
He reached for the stethoscope
and adjusted it to her chest, spot
by spot.
Dolores, you must take a rest.
Take it here in my sanitarium?" he
pleaded
"Oh, that would be lovely!" she
said in pleased surprise. Then,
thoughtfully: 81 have some things
/ must attend to first"
81 don't want to brighten you, but
if you drive back to Yuma" His
voice was infinitely tender as he
bent over her. ''Let me take care
of you, Dolores" he begged. "Give
me that much" Her eyes opened
as though waking from a dream,
and, aghast, he saw a soul in tor
ment! The next instant the veil
was drawn.
81 really must go, Louis" she
said. "But I'll come back"
'Then you must 60 by train,
Dolores" he said decisively. She
looked and saw his eyes rest on the
expensive coupe at the curb. She
shook her head, started to speak,
then suddenly she was the radiant
Dolores of his dreams.
IF I please you to that extent,
you'll have to help me cash check
for expense. I didn't know I
was to travel in state
"That's easy. Come around here
and make it out; I'll endorse it
and have Miss Johnson bring you
the cash."
Again the shrill siren of the am
bulance sounded and, once more,
DR.. LaMott was called to the re-
ceiving room. The nurse pushed
back tangled hair from a white face
and he looked into Dolores eyes.
Her lips were moving, but no
sound came as he bent over her.
She realized it and laid her finger
on his lips, with weak, negative
movement of her head. He
watched her, puzzled. Then, sud-
denly, he recoiled.
She was sinking fast; the pulse
was weaker, every beat an effort.
Her eyes moved in last, desperate
plea. He leaned over her.
eyes, Dolores" he whispered.
Family her lips returned his kiss
as her heavy eyelids closed, shut
ting out the glad light.
"Of course, DR.. LaMott," said
the investigator from the insurance
company, ''we're not doubling your
report. Her death was, apparent
ly, accidental; all the eyewitnesses
agree on that point. Buff she
had been killed the day before, we
would have saved thirty thousand
dollars because the money to cover
her past due premium was wired
from this town about an hour before
she was struck. And here's an
other strange thing. The finance
companies had taken everything she
had. Cars, real estate, furniture