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Miss Roberta was iu the hotel parlor. She had some
bright nottiug in her hands, and was quiotly absorbed
in that
Hull walked straight up to her.
" I hare come for good-bye; I am called away on im
portant and immediate business."
A little circle gathered about him. There was much
shaking ot hands and many exclamations of regret He
touched Irene's hand the last of all, but he did not
speak.
There was a buzz aftor he had gone.
"Who was the young man ?" some one axled.
" Mrs. Hall's brothor," Miss Roberts answored, un
concernedly.' " Is Dr. Hall married ?" in chorus.
"Oh, yes;" with a quiet smile.
The train slowed down at the Clairview station. Dr.
Hall roused himself and gathered up his belongings.
All through the ride he had sat spoeohlosa, leaning
against the window with closed eyos. Braineid tried to
talk at first, being one of those peoplo whose sieoch
must babble on incessantly. He got the shortest an
swore, or none at all, and gave it up finally.
The dull, chilly twilight was settling down. The
station lamps were lighted. As thoy stopiod down on
the platform a woman soizotl Hall, and whispered his
torically, with a semi-rogard for appoarauoos
" She has gone."
"Gone!"
" Oh, not so loud. Come over hero aud lot me toll
you."
She drew him away into the obscurity ot the farther
end of the platform.
"She drovo away this afternoon, she and Stacy.
She said she was going to visit Grace, in Upland, you
know; but Frank says he mot hor on the Rushville
road."
"I understand," standing quiotly a minute.
Then he turnod toward the train that had given iU
warning whistle and was just then moving again.
" Whore are you going ?"
"After them."
He stepped on the already moving car; there was no
time for further word Mrs. Brainnrd turned slowly
away, with tears, toward the doctor's deserted home.
Seven years ago, the winter that George Hall was
twenty years old, and a raw, green country boy, he was
teaching school and boarding with a sistor of Mrs.
Brainord. Alice Brainerd, three years younger, pretty,
silly and vain, had been getting horself talked alxmt by
accepting and reciprocating the attentions of a wild
young agent ot a city firm. George Hall was the oldest
son ot a rich farmer, who opposed the boy's fancy of
studying medicine, aftor the good old pig-headed ooun
try fashion; and, to furthor the chances ot renunciation
of his purpose, had cut off supplies. But Mrs. Eddy,
and Mrs. Brainerd with her, remembered Ui paternal
riches, and it Goorgo did cling to his craxy fancy for
medicine, he would bo tho it Hull who had departed
from the traditions ot the fathers. George was easily
caught by a pretty face; ho was too young to see through
the wilos ot the two artful women; he saw Alice only
under judicious circumstances, aud the end ot it was
that the next news the Hull family received was that
George had added to his enormities by marrying Alice.
Brainord, nominally without the knowledge ot hor fain
ily. It was rathor a dangerous experiment George
worked and saved, and borrowed money and wont away
to his studies. The Brainords acknowledged that they
had made a mistake. A oountry doctor was not suon a '
brilliant prosit Ho was starving and pinching him
self through a thorough oourso of training, instead of
going back to the plentiful pork and oablmgo of the pa
rental roof, for the same grain ot determination to carry
his point existed in sou as well as father.
Alice stayed at nomo; tho Halls would never rooog.
nixo hor. Goorgo spent his short aud infrequent vaca
tions with her, at every visit growing more and more
" city-fled." At the end ot three years he came back for
good -a resolute, keen-witted, widi'ly.dovolod man.
Tho end of his first yoar of practice proved that ho hail
entered the high road to suooos.
Moautimo, Alioo had retrograded as much as ho hail
advanced. She had grown peevish and ill-tempered;
she had never been a brilliaut girl Intellectually; aha
showod positive feebleness of judgment in some diroo
tions. Dr. Hall fouud, aftor awhile, that there was
something loader than whisors against her propriety
ot conduit Hor mother caiuo to him and Iwggoil him
to make a home, if it was ever so humble, whero ha
could have her under his direct care aud Influence.
With such a weight as that, George Hall began his ca
reer. What tho last three years had been to him nobody
but himself know. Blie was not only weak and silly,
but she hail fits of rage that seemed little lew than In
sanity. The last recollection ot her that he hail carrl.nl
awav with him. as he wout away to the South, was that
she lay screaming on the floor of her mother's house,
because ha Insisted on leaving her there instead of tak
ing her back to town. Ho simply dsred not do It, for
her own sake. But alio had gono afterward, In spite of
everything; and her mother, unable to amlrol her, had
followed her, hoping to keep up at lat a show of the
propriotii.
And this was his home-coming.
He had thought rapidly aftor Mrs. Brainsrd's story.
A branch road oonneotod Rushvillo with the city, from
whence several main lines ran to the grat towns of tho
country. It they rally contemplated flight, they would
bo slmistt oortain to start from this place, having thrown
off suspicion by going to Rushville.
The event proved him right Almost tho first faos
he saw was Stacy's ovil, handsome oouutenauoo In ths
a
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