Show III MR R. R D DIGGLES B y MARY t WHITEFORD ON D DUTY MR R. R DIGGLES kept his head down as though he were studying studying study study- ing the prescription scarcely hearing hearing hear hear- ing Mrs Tompkins Tompkins' voice through the noise of blood thudding in his temples When he tried to speak his lips were dry and his tongue moved nerVously over them I beg your p par pardon a r d don o a Mrs Tompkins what was that you said I said if you haven't a delivery boy Ill I'll wait walt for the three o'clock bus but Im I'm anxious to get back backas as soon as I can He lie looked again at Dr Prices Price's cramped handwriting Oh Ill I'll deliver deliver deliver de de- de- de liver it Mr Mrs Tompkins Tompkin Im I'm sorry t to learn Mr Tompkins Tompkins' isn't well weli I T I told him its it's Just his bad disposition disposition disposition dis dis- position coming out I 1 told Dr Price I 1 certainly I hated to drag him Minute out ut in weather wea her like 3 3 this just Jus t f for r a aC F FI C t on stomach a ache c h e. e 1 Doctor says hell he'll be all right in a day or two Mr Diggles took the handkerchief handkerchief chief from the pocket of his grey alpaca coat and wiped his forehead The moment he used to dream of years years ago was here at last This would cost Dr Price his practice The pity was was Dr Price would never know he be could have saved himself if ff he hadn't made it so BO BOclear clear that a man who mixed prescriptions pre pro wasn't supposed to know about diagnosis Dr Price would never know what hed he'd done to himself him bim- self when he told Mrs White she might as as a. well give the twins a chocolate soda as Diggles' Diggles Own Whooping Cough Mixture Because of ut Dr Prices Price's new ways of doing things no one bought Diggles' Diggles Ready Rheumatism Reliever now Shots It was th the doctor was giving ing for everything Not lions Manslaughter the they called It U. He lie wet his lips Well Veil no one could expect Mr Ir niggles Diggles to Interfere Interfere Interfere In In- with Dr Prices Price's proscriptions prescriptions pro pro- again N Not t a second time Though It was so many years ago he be cow l I feel eel the flush of ot anger that flooded his face taco remembering the day hed he'd called Dr Price up and suggested that maybe the heart medicine he bo ordered for tor Mr Ven yen abler ables was wa too strong trong I 1 know what Im I'm doing Just mind your own business Diggles and I can mind mine He looked again at the prescription tion There was Will no mistaking the symbol and hed he'd fill till it as it stood tood He tie reached for tor the bottle and removed removed removed re re- moved the cork Carefully he hune meas measured out the prescribed dose done MR DIGGLES straightened suddenly cud sud 11 denly staring tarin at it the partly tilled filled mortar A feeling of at nausea naulea wept swept through him bim a as aa he snatched It U up and flung Clung the contents into the sink Ink Hi His Ut hand replacing the tho bottie botU bot bot- U tie on OD the tho shelf helf trembled Outside the wind howled and flakes Oakes of ice made a cold noise beating the window pane Slowly he be walked toward the telephone After Mier all all Just as many people swore by Dr Price as trusted Diggles As he be waited listening to Dr Prices Price's telephone bell ringing the shop door opened Mr Diggles put putdown putdown putdown down the receiver and went to the front Dr Price was on the mat stamping the snow from his feet Diggles will you let me see the prescription Mrs Tompkins Just brought in hi I was just trying to call you i about it Dr Price I felt there was some little Inaccuracy Dr Price nodded Something told me But I wasn't really wor wor- ried tied I knew you'd catch a mistake if there was one Its It's a great comfort comfort comfort com com- fort to me to know that a substantial substantial substantial man like you is H checking up on me Diggles I have to do what I 1 can A man has to do his dut duty He lie smiled and stood up right doctor I 1 guess duty becomes a habit if U you do it long Jong enough The wind screamed into the shop as Dr Price opened the door and went out It was a bleak bitter day but In Mr Diggles Dig Dig- glee heart beart it was suddenly sum sum- mer |