Show THE YOUNG YOM MEDICO by CLARENCE PUGH there goes doe doc rogers up to the wheeler place remarked ono one gossip of tarboro to another 1 I guess the doe doc will be glad to have his bill paid remarked the other that aliss lucys bucys always ailing aint she dr frank rogers the young medico ot of tarboro was in no very pleasant state of 0 mind as he dismounted from his vehicle in front of 0 tho the ornate lux lus uric as but rather mansion on the hill the wheelers were a wealthy new york family who inho made tarboro their summer residence they were the summer despots of the little town in which eld cid cyrus wheeler had large interests and the doctor knew that there was nothing the matter with miss lucy ile he was shown into tho the living room where a pretty dark haired girl lay on oil the lounge though she was such as to cause any ordinary observer to look twice at her the mouth drooped petulantly and there was a dissatisfied look on the features her mother a society woman of the common type welcomed the doctor with cold cordiality 1 I cant imagine what is the matter with luc lucy y she said she has been under the care of the best specialists for or years baat you tell me frankly doctor yes madam answered doctor rogers sharply and his tone was not the less sharp in that he had felt himself ahlm unusually interested in the girl 1 she needs to occupy her mind and body what do you mean questioned the elder woman sharply she is an imaginary invalid mrs wheeler replied the young man boldly 1 I should be false to my duty it if I 1 did not tell you so there is nothing at all the matter with her except boredom and distaste tor for mental and physical occupation why how how dare you stammered the girl sitting bolt upright upon the lounge 1 I seem to have dared successfully for already you are looking 7 better miss bliss wheeler answered doctor rogers you need stimulus plenty of 0 exercise less eating and something to occupy yourself with besides novels f 2 dah chyr how how dare youl such as that one ona you have just been reading and he pointed to a lurid society novel upon the lounge the mans a perfect boor declared the girl furiously 1 I tin am a physician and I 1 treat the sick eick not the well the boune nan man well I 1 guess you wont have many more people to treat sick or well answered mrs wheeler significantly my aly husband has a few friends in tarboro and he will see to that now you can take your tee fee and go eo there will bo be no fee because there were no services replied frank rogers bowing himself out ot of the room lucy wheeler had never been crossed in her life before what added to her anger was the tact fact that she believed the doctor had discovered her motive in sending tor for him for she lad had been distinctly impressed by his appearance and it was waa to while walla away an idle hour that she had summoned him to attend her tor for her imaginary complaint A woman scorned has been the same bamo since immemorial time all tha energies of 0 the wheeler family were devoted to making life jn in tarboro ira ini po ros for him cyrus wheeler hear a g gi va story to 10 the effect that era gera had insulted his daughter wed jived that he would drive the young r uan rian ian out ot of town tho the busy season was the summer during the winter tho the few cases requiring medical attention were handled by the older practitioners frank rogers hung on that winter hoping that his relentless enemies would havo forgotten their grudge when the next summer came but it was soon seen evident evi derit that they had returned bent upon giving him the coup de grace lucy wheeler cut him dead in the street her mother tittered when she passed him by july it clemed as though the young man would have to pull up stakes and get out but with july came the crash of a dozen banks in the east and cyrus wheelers capital was wiped out in a day worse than that he was ca caught aught short on the exchange ile he had just figured out that the sale of all hla his holdings and property including tho the big house would about liquidate his debts and leave him tree free to start life again rhen anen a fit of 0 apoplexy seized him frank rogers was passing at the toot foot ol of the hill when tile terrified mother ft i ho had been unable to locate any ot of the other physicians on the telephone came rushing out and summoned him A brief examination was sufficient to show that wheeler had no chance of recovery frank stayed with him ill all that night until tho the next morning when he died then he remained to care for the prostrated mother and tor for days thereafter he ha attended her at the big house from which the servants had all fled when they realized that there was no money to pay them frank rogers was the only friend the wheelers had in those dark days for malice breeds malice and the sentiment of the town which had been maliciously set against the young doctor now automatically swung round against tile the wheelers in their poverty 1 I dont know how to thank you tor for your conduct doctor faltered lucy one ona day slie she was looking very different now from in the old days there were no novels and hard work about at out the tha house bad brought the color into her cheeks checks you know we way may not be able to pay you for a little while she continued we dont know where we are going to get any money the house has to be sold next week mother is ia going to live with her sister but I 1 I 1 suppose I 1 shall have to try to find some employment F rank frank felt that ho he was more than repaid by the privilege of seeing lucy every day two tivo or three times a day for he was indefatigable in his attendance people in tarboro began to speak of it in their gossiping way and then a second catastrophe occurred lor for one morning mrs wheler called her daughter and when the girl arrived tried to speak could not speak and died she had been unable to survive the shock of her husbands death and bankruptcy A week later lucy rogers stood in her traveling dress upon the steps of 0 the house that she was never to enter again at her teet feet was a suitcase 1 I have waited for you to say goodby she said when the doctor called yes I 1 am going away you have suffered a good deal from us wheelers but we are going out of your memory with my departure and wont you forgive me and try to think better ot of me but I 1 dont want you to go stammered the young man you have come to fill my life so much wont you think about remaining permanently in it he continued then each of them understood that it had not been really hatred and though she went away she returned two months later as frank rogers wire wife it was a very happy homecoming in spite of the shadows that lay behind them copyright 1914 by W G chapman |