Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 120, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1903 — A DOCTOR’S MISSION [ARTICLE]

A DOCTOR’S MISSION

BY EMILY THORNTON

Author of “Roy Russklw's Rule,” “Glknkoy,” “The Fashionable Mother,” Etc,

CHAPTER Xl.—(Continued.) my oear Miss Nevergail, the Fates hare befriended me this time! Tfln think that I should have met thus IMT beautiful self, just as you start on • suable, is too fortunate for belief! VIM direction shall we go, for 1 at ouce swtitste myself your devoted attend- “ Mt. Glendenning, you will excuse me V 1 Melina your services. I came out ito a quiet walk by myself, and therefore ahsß not certainly trespass upon your *T*rdon me, my angel, my time is of oanaequence at all. I must insist upon wnaspanying you, as I could never alitor mo lovely a lady to stroll around wtotomt a protector.” “Sir,” said Ethel, no# really losing'patitaace, “there is no danger certainly to UsMt in the short walk 1 intend to take to your uncle's grounds. But since you ■was otherwise, 1 shall instantly return." “Is* will do no such thing,” was the tooaltat reply, as Robert sprang to her seised her hand, and drawing it ln»l? under his arm, held it tight, and than drew her back to the walk. “When Xfloapoao walking with a charming girl, I tasoaOy do it.” “Sh; release my hand. I have no deOflto to go further. I shall merely add Zfltot your presence is disagreeable, and jur words of flattery almost insuHing.” “Kwtwith»tanding that, my dearest “1 am neither your ‘dearest girl,’ nor Soar ‘angel,’ and you have no right to aßtoaas me in that style. I am your totolFa secretary and amanuensis, and mmm tore merely to carry out his wishes, ami work, not to be attended by you in mmff way whatever,” returned the indigwaad Ethel, disengaging her hand, and reVnag towards the house. Ttito Nevergail, go, since you are aa determined, but remember, although 9M decline my friendship, nothing yon Stoqr fle- will provoke my enmity, and be Maw many days you will spend hours in any company, voluntarily.” Ethel made no answer, and the next awnot, re-entered the hall, leaving the otoacrined youth to his bitter 'reflections. In an* of Dr. Elfenstein's visits he had Men presented with a quantity of exceed-, tfevty choice flowers by a grateful patient, wadwwdßenly remembering the dismal life Etta) Nevergail was leading, lie rcsolv«d to divide them with her. Driving, then, first to his own home Man seeking the hall, he selected the aaast beautiful, and forming them into a (graceful bouquet, drove into the Fauflric w&fe them in his hand. _ Belle was in the drawing room'and ■ww kirn leap from the gig. with his Meal prize, so stepped quickly from the window Jhat reached to the tioor, in order to attract his attention, supposing, to fee extreme vanity, that he would Bntnntiy present them to herself. Bat te her deep chagrin, he merely tonic a few passing observations, and nwßiif 00. carrying the coveted flowers wttb him. Biting her lips in keen vex.■tisn, she muttered as she retreated to \ dto zoom she had left: **l will stay here and watch for his toil*. Something seems to tell me that atoaaa flowers are for that odious Ethel Ssscigail. * If they are ” She did not finish her sentence nutl>Vr.kot the ominous look in her eyes fold bitter feelings that would seek some igrtty revenge. Btbel was passing through the upper toril to her room when I)r. Elfenstein *n lightly up, aud as he pronounced her town to detain her. she tarried until he mill her side. “Miss Nevergail. I do not know wheAnr you are as fond of flowers as I am, tod 1 have brought you a few, hoping tfcn cheer you iu your louely duaw **Ot thank you, doctor! They will, in Med, aa I love them dearly. These are jgnfcct beauties and I shall prize them “That rose, I think, will adorn your Mir to perfection. Allow me to fasten a that*. May I?” With a pleased blush the young girl j took her head, and with skillful fingers ' toil* placed it just above her small. «**» ear where it nestled lovingly, addtog ■ *ew charm to her bright yonng Just as he was finishing a step nptooorhed, and Belle, who could tyof redtoia her curiosity another moment, as ato beard him pause on the floor above, ■ad then make some remark in a low toae. came upon the scene. Just in time to see his hand leave the am aafl to see Ethel turn toward her •am room, and disappear with the bouUgsfl Id her hand and a gratified smile tosaoriag around her lips. Waiting until she had seen -the doctor Mm the premises, aud Ethel again repair to Sir Reginald's side, the malicious •SB proceeded directly to that room, uAto* she found the flowers carefully be atomA an a fancy vase upon the dressDSflriag them without a moment's hesi «M ahe turned directly to the barowsfb room Ethel sat by the lied, and at 1M —inert waa striving to cool his heatwiMsw by gently moving a fa*. Raistoag bar eyes, to her astonishment, she toaagaized her flower*, but before ahe ataflA claim them. Belle's angry voice ar aabd ber attention. Reginald,’’ she exclaimed, “I think • tofl doty to inform yotr that Mias Nevtogpd seems to bare forgotten her poaiflhw as your assistant nurse, and paid MpauMat, and seizes every opportunity Mats Cora to carry on sly flirtations with •tofltoawra. I just surprised Dr. ElfenaMto pGsring that rose io her hair outside yymm door, while at the as me time he gpawber these flowers. Do you approve «f aato bsbavior?” “flipfr-iT No! Of coueae not!” he aatoaasfl, flying iota a pasaios at once, aa stow well luiaw he waa sure to de. “Mies MasetowH. what businees have you to •toMflt to tbat style? Did I bring you Mas to form intrigues with gentlemen T’

“You certainly did not,” wns the calm reply, “nor have I done so. Dr. Elfenstein is an old friend, and as such he presented me with the flowers Miss Glendenning has taken from my room. Being my own property now, I will thank her for their restoration.” So saying, she reached forth her hand for them. But Belle drew back, and scornfully replied: “You shall never have them again, I assure you, as I shall instantly see that •every stem, leaf and bud is destroyed. If you do not know your place better in this house than to put yourself on an equality with its visitors, you must be taught. Do you not think so, Sir Reginald?” slip added, appealing to him. “Certainly. Just take the trash away, and see that it is destroyed. I shall myself inform Dr. Elfenstein.” “You will not do that, surely, uncle. He would then be vexed with me,” Belle haaillyPxel#lnJM.“.lwllldCTtrqythem; since you wish it also, but not until you promise to say nothing to him about it.” “Well, have it your own way; but if I do not, perhaps Miss Nevergail will.” “She dare not! she knows It would seem unmaidenly to mourn over the loss of a few flowers that were Iris gift, in his presence. I am not at all afraid of her doing so.” So saying, regardless of Ethel’s beseeching words, and looks, the spiteful girl left the room with her ill-gotten treasures, and Ethel saw them no more. Sir Reginald remained excited, cross and nervous, for some time after this scene, and poor Ethel found it almost impossible to please him in anything she attempted. The sight of the flower she still wore seemed to aggravate him, although he made no further comments upon the subject, but Ethel felt" that without a direct command she was not required to remove it. Therefore it remained, and when Dr. Elfeurtein returned i» the afternoon for his usual second visit to the sick man, he amiled, as his eyes rested upon it, but never was told the fate of the rest of his offering, nor heard of the hard words she had endured on account of his friendly gift.

CHAPTER XII. After Robert Glendenning had been so justly repulsed by Ethgl in the grounds of the hall, he felt exceedingly ili used, and the more he pondered over the coldness of this beautiful girl towards himself, the more he felt inclined to punish her want of appreciation of his merits as a handsome, wealthy and popular young man. : Immediately after his last adventure with Ethel, while yet chafed and sore on account of it, his sister gave him a graphic account of the presentation of the flowers by Dr. Elfenstein, and her own bold destruction-of them, then concluded by saying: “She Is a proud, stuck-up thing, and I do delight in humiliating her lofty feelings. I intend to do all I can to bring her from the high pedestal on which she has perched, and if I can only incense Sir Reginald against her. so that he will send her away, I shall be delighted. Bob, I wish you would help me.” “I will do all I can to reduce her abominable pride, I assure you, though I do not care to hare her seut away. She shall, however, repent snubbing me as she did yesterday.” “Snubbing you! What do you mean? Did she really dare to do .that?" Robert then related his experience with the subject of their discussion. “The idiot! She does not deserve your further notice! However, if I see a chance to lower her in Sir Reginald’s esteem I shall do it. If needful, I shall also call on you for assistance.” That afternoon the wished for opportunity arrived. Belle happened to be in her uncle’s rdom a few moments, when she heard the following conversation fake place, which gave her a plan upon which to work. Sir Reginald had received a note from a neighbor in reference to some very important private business, which he found necessary to attend to immediately. Wishing some intelligent person to see and converse with Mr. Perkins in regard to the matter, he had explained his views to Ethel before Belle had entered, and was just saying: ‘‘Do you think you could find Perkins for me. and attend to this important work. Miss Nevergail?” , “I do. I understand your wishes perfectly now; so if you can direct me there, I will go at once.” "You had better not go arodnd the road, as the walk Would be full a tnile and a half, but go from the rear of the hall and take a short cut through the fields. There will onjy be a couple of bars to lower, and the path is direct and plain.” “Then I will start at once.” “It will only take you until five o’clock to go and return. Please be ns quick as possible in getting back, as I shall need you by that time. You understand, I wish you to hurry. I never like a person to loiter when I send them upon an errand.” Seeking Robert at once. Belle informed him of the errand Ethel had to transact for Sir Reginald, and his strict injunction that she should hasten back to his side. “He told her the whole work could he accomplished by five o’clock. Now, Robert, I think it would provoke him greatly if she were detained until seven. Caq you not intercept her on her return and manage to keep her away?” “Yes, indeed. It will be splendid £un. I will do it. If I cannot keep her in any other, way I will force her into * phaeton and taka her off upon a ride.” “Do; then I will inform his lordahip that ahe waa seen rifling with saaai at range young man.” “Ha, ha! gaofl; anfl If ahe aaya it waa this chap, I will flany U in fall.” “And I will coma In to prove an alibi. Where will yon meet her?”

“Jost ttie other aide of the Perkins wood. I will have A>horse and phaeton waiting «n thia tide. There is a woodman’s road there that leads to the main road; wa can take that, and have a jolly long ride. But I Khali have a fuss to get her into the vehicle, I expect; however, I shall manage it some,way, never fear.” Laughing, gayly over the fun in prospect the two separated to put in force the mischief they had brewed. Poor Ethel left the house without a suspicion of what awaited her; glad, in fact, that she could thus enjoy a stroll after the confinement of that close, hard day. * She found Mr. Perkins at home, and soon explained the cause of her visit, and transacted the business with which she had been intrusted. This completed, she turned her face homeward. All went well with her until_ she approached the woods. At their entrance she found, on consulting herwatch that it was quarter past four. “I shall reach the hall just about five.” she thought, “and so please Sir Reginald. I would not have liked being late, after what lie said.” a tv Suddenly she was startled by a sound at her side, then, to her surprise and chagrin, Robert Glendenning stepped directly in her path. “My dear Miss Nevergail, thia is a delightful meeting in a delightful place. Where may your curiosity have taken you?” - - “My curiosity, Mr. Glendenning, took me nowhere. I have merely been to transact a matter of business for Sir Reginald and am now on my way home. Being in a hurry, I would be glad to pass on.” “Not so fast, not so fast, my pretty girl* surely you w ill linger awhile in this romantic place, now that you'have some,, one to enjoy the beauties of the wood with^you?” “No,~Mr—Glendenning,” was the dignified reply; “I cannot linger a moment. Sir Reginald desired my immediate return, and I cannot keep him waiting.’ l^' “Nevertheless, my sweet creature, he, will wait; for you cannot return just now, as I intend for once to fully enjoy your society.” So saying, the bold young man attempted to take her hand, to draw it under his arm. Snatching it instantly away, Ethel fixed upon him a stern look and ordered him to stand aside. Not heeding her in the least, he impudently slipped his arm around her waist, exclaiming: « “Perhaps you would like this way of walking better. It makes no difference to, me.” Shaking off his arm, Ethel pushed him aside indignantly, then with- rapid steps pressed onward. Not a word more was spoken by either, although, to her dismay, Ethel found that he kept perseveringiy by her side. —- As they emerged from the Woods, Robert grasped her arm firmly with one hand, while with the other he produced from his pocket a pistol, which he instantly pointed at hyc. “Now, Miss Nevergail,” he said, “you stand still and hear what I have to say, or take the consequences. I do not intend to harm you, if you keep perfectly quiet; but I do intend to allow you that I am master of the situation at this time. You need not look round for assistance, for I assure you, no soul comes this way at"this hour.” “Robert Glendenning,” at last issued from the girl’s pale lips, “put up that pistol instantly and allow me to pursue my way unmolested. Sir Reginald requires my . presence immediately.” “So do I; wnd, what is more, I intend to have it, so he must wait. Do you see that horse and phaeton, behind those trees? They are there expressly to take you riding. I ask you therefore, politely, will you favor me with your company?” "No, sir!” “Yes, sir, you mean. If you do not mean it, rt makes no difference, as ride with me you will. Go forward now, at once, to that conveyance, and let me assist you in; I assure you I will bring you back to the Hall in good season. Go on! I am determined you shall obey me!” These words he enforced by planting the cold mouth of the weapon against her forehead. Now this pistol, though it looked formidable, was not loaded, and he knew it, but for the sake of carrying his point, he intended fully to frighten her into complying with his strange wish. But Ethel was a brave girl, and though pale, she never even shuddered. Fixing her eyes fearlessly on his, she in a firm, stem voice: “If you think it manly, or wise, to shoot, shoot away! But I will not stir one step towards that phaeton.” (To be continued.)