Show BEN BENU U AMES WILLIAMS Continued t rom Jt-rom LaIn H He added Sn in an Incredulous rec recollection I 1 didn t mean to tried not to I 1 cnn can t understand It ev even en now It was exactly as DS If some someone's someone's ones one's hand on mine swung the pis pistol tol toward Dan Dan- Dan It It had been empty you could have done no harm Doctor Greed mg insisted Professor Carlisle looked keenly at the Doctor No one Is-blam Is is able blam-able j able for an accident he This of course was an Let it rest s so And he repeated his question of a moment before You think he will lecover Yes Why the older man inquired On what signs do you rely Doctor hesitated shook his head bead smiled I don t know he said Instinct A guess per perhaps haps He Or Or it may maybe maybe be that I m relying on my luck I Iwas Iwas was born under a caul Professor The old women say that's a sign of I luck you know and I ve always been lucky certainly Professor Carlisle sat down al almost most suddenly as though he were tired His eyes still sUll on Doctor s face he filled his pipe and lighted it So presently he spoke Born Born under a caul were you Doctor he repeated thoughtfully And he said I remember you once told me some strange experiences of a friend of yours who was also born under a caul Doctor felt his cheek flame then the blood drained away and he be cursed his folly tolly his own loose tongue There was no accusation tion In the Professors Professor's tone yet Doctor felt himself ac accused Yes Yes so I did he be confessed lam ly Professor Carlisle puffed at pipe bis old eyes stern stem and stilL I Strange things do happen he be said I gravely some some things too dark for the human mind to contemplate forI He I He met Doctor s I I perceive he said that that Dan Danard Danard ard Nancy Nancy- Nancy Yes Yes I am much pleased Doc Doctor tor said hurriedly You do object not not object the Pro Professor fessor asked No th 3 other man assured him No No And he said Enid Strange things yes Dan s recovery recovery-I recovery think he will recover recover-IS recover is almot like a n miracle for tor Instance Some Something Something thing like an appeal for tor mercy was in his bis tone TIe The old man said inflexibly Yes If he does recover And at that ab Doctor turned away and went o 0 It through the billiard room to Dan lay He questioned Mary Ann with a glance He s fine she said Not Not much pain and no temperature Doctor you doubt t-doubt t doubt He 11 get bet better better ter She smiled He He s bound to This is one of your mir miracles acles you know It s already twenty four hours he he reflect d Wound draining Perfectly Ill I'll stay with him for a while he suggested It If you want to- to to rest And be did in fact stay close to Dans Dan's side during the days tha that t fol followed lowed This was not all for Dan It was in part defensive so long as he be stayed near who Dan who wa was i conscious and ra ration rational tion- tion al now now-he now he ne need d not be alone with Carlisle There was in Doctor deeding 1 a I passionate desire to avoid that wise bold man whose shrewd eye cye saw so much who might be keen enough to suspect and even to credit the He perceived that ques ques- questions questions multiplied in the others other's mind but so long as he be himself stayed near Dan who must overhear any catechism tea tha might be attempted Professor Carlisle could not inter inter- interrogate roga rogate te him Doctor And And Doctor had no an ewers an-ewers ready tor the old mans man's un- un unasked un unasked asked questions so be clung to Dan Danas Danas as a buckler and a shield He and Mary Ann and Nancy shared that vigil but he bore the greater burden It was Voas as he poured his own life We and strength into the hurt man He seemed in fact to tall tail while Dan grew stronger For Dans Dan's strength did begin to return his color to im improve prove and his spirits were brave and Doctor by contrast be began gan to look like an ill man Nancy paid him a heavenly ss And Mary Ann entered with her in into to ta this conspiracy of gentleness to- to toward to toward ward the man who so visibly grew weary and drawn before their She Jd to him once onre at dawn I You t t wear yourself out i iI I Doctor And she added under under i Father told me you blame yours yourself lf for Dans Dan's being hurt I But that's wrong You mustn't wor worry ry Grief Griel and worry can make you ill and Dan doesn t blame you None of us do He sold said I wonder it 11 that's why Dans Dan's getting better Dec Because use hes he's not blaming me not hating not hating me Hate and anger are poisonous things Mary Ann They can de destroy stroy a mon man it If he harbor them She protested smilingly Nobody bates anybody herel He said gently You Vou re a n very fine woman Mary Ann There was a n question in his mind but he did not ask it There was no need To any discerning eye it was clear enough that between Mary Ann and Jerrell there was a bond grew stronger in these days under I the same root roof together Jerrell I seemed younger each day and Mary Ann wore radiance like n garment and a happy certainty I and pride The second day after Dans Dan's hurt there was a change in the I It grew warmer and o a hot haze ob obscured the sky diffusing the of the sun Dan suffered from the heat as they all did yet the day passed somehow After dinner Nan Nancy cy and Doctor went out outon on the open terrace in front of thel house where a faint breeze I The stars were obscured by thel haze across the sky and Nancy said I We We need a shower Father to clear the Ule air He nodded Tomorrow probably probably ably he said Its It's never uncomfortably hot here for tor very long They stood side by side her arm through his Dut But I don t think I Ishall Ishall shall ever like it here again she confessed He was shaken No Why Nan Nancy cy I I think partly because Dan was i hurt hurt here she decided And And it can t ever be the same Without Mother When Dan can be moved I II I I II II II I I II I II I I Its Us the Way of the World Though Isn't It Father lets let's go back to Cambridge Fa- Fa Father Fa Father ther Sell the island 1 I wish you d stay here with me he suggested For For a while for this last time I She said with the bUnd blind cruelty of youth I hate leaving you ther Fa-ther ther I Dut-I But I want to be with Dan always Lifes Life's so short I know that now Weve We've so little time I Idon Idon don t want to miss a single day I I might have with himi himl I I shall be lonely without Nancy he confessed I know she nodded And IM I'M sorry Its It's the way the world is though isn't it Father No mat matter ter how much I love you I must go to Dan He assented gravely Yes Ves And AndI I shant try to koep k ep you from him She laughed clinging to his arm i er voice deep and warm You couldn't ever she whispered ar ardently dently No lio matter how you OU Nothing ever can He nodded humbly accepting this and a little later they returned indoors Doctor that was unable to sleep but lay with hi open staring at the ceiling Dawn found him with burning eyes He went to swim and found I in the water peace and conent consent ment ment for tor a white while But Dut later rhe att-rhe he had dressed again th- th S heat settled down once erine and him He relieved DanI I M Mary r Anns Ann's vigil by Dan j and saw that Dan was better In I j must almost certainly have set in before now if it were to havel be at all aU and Mary Ann pointed point ed this outI out outi i Ris temperatures temperature's normal sh I whispered Dan was still asleep I I I think the danger is past Doctor nodded I I think so he agreed It s only a mat matter ter of nursing now of ot voiding Ill Ill I'll see to that she promised I and left him He recognized the fact that his task tas was done that Dan would live I But with this miracle accomplished his life was left complete completely I ly empty now and at the thought great weariness oppressed him He who nil night had been unable to toI sleep suddenly surrendered to dee p slumber He lIe went to the couch inthe in inS I S the billiard room and lay down and andI when presently Nancy came and I found him there she covered him lover tenderly He H slept t n almost while the others moved quit quitt-ly quitt t ly so that he might not be dis disturbed I And he woke to peace a content and ordered m To be continued |