A Romance of Billy-Goat Hill

								

patients, were mere interruptions to her real vocation of converting
spools of linen thread into yards of linen lace.
“She states her intention of coming to see me,” the Doctor continued,
“but I cannot decipher her hieroglyphics sufficiently to find out the
time. Perhaps you can assist me.”
“Is this a D?” asked Miss Lady, looking over his shoulder.
“I judge so; an adaptation of the Greek character. Why the art of
handwriting should be considered obsolete, I am at a loss to--”
“Oh, she says she is coming to-day,” interrupted Miss Lady, “on the
eleven train. I must go down and tell Uncle Jimpson to be at the
station, and have Aunt Caroline put on another plate for dinner.”
“Then what are you going to do, my dear?”
“I was going to the cemetery.”
“You would better come up here instead. In your mental state a person is
very sensitive to environment. You should avoid everything that excites
the emotions. I think you can trust me to know what is best for you just
now?”
“Indeed I can,” Miss Lady said impulsively; “you have helped me more
than anybody. Daddy would be so grateful if he knew.”
“He does know,” announced the Doctor with the finality of one to whom
all things have been revealed. “But we must not discuss these things
now. Miss Wuster has just been reading me the account of young
Dillingham's trial. Perhaps you have been following it?”
“Yes,” said Miss Lady without looking up.
“It is a matter of especial interest to me,” continued the Doctor;
“especial regret I should say. Young Dillingham is engaged to be married
to the daughter of my cousin whom I expect to-day, and the other young
man involved, Donald Morley, is Mrs. Sequin's brother.”
“Well for the life of me,” said Miss Wuster, counting stitches between
her sentences, “I can't see how they got Mr. Dillingham off, unless it
was the way Mr. Gooch said.”
“Who is Mr. Gooch?” asked Miss Lady of the Doctor.
“The gentleman who came to see me yesterday. He is a lawyer and has
followed the case closely. He does not scruple to affirm that the trial
was a farce, one of those legal travesties that sometimes occur when a
scion of a rich and influential family happens to transgress the law. It
seems that the saloon-keeper, who was at first reasonably sure of what
happened, suffered a strange lapse of memory when on the stand. Gooch
thinks he was bought up, but Gooch is fallible where human motives are
involved. His misanthropy invariably colors his judgment.”
“Well, nothing on earth can keep me from thinking that Mr. Dillingham
did the shooting!” declared the nurse with violent partizanship. “Look
at the way he sneaked home, and left the other young man to get a doctor
and help move Sheeley to the hospital. Yes, sir, it's time for your
medicine, just wait 'till I finish this spool and I'll go down and heat