The Doctor [89]
took out his pocketbook and selected a letter. "I didn't think I would ever use this. I didn't want to use it. But you can look at it."
Mr. Fahey took the letter, glanced through it hurriedly, then read it again with more care.
"You know Sir William?"
"Very slightly. Met him once or twice in London."
"This is a most unusual letter for him to write. You must have stood very high in the profession in London."
"I had a fairly good position," said Dr. Bailey.
"May I ask why you left?"
Dr. Bailey hesitated. "I grew tired of the life--and, besides-- well--I wanted to get away from things and people."
"Pardon my asking," said Fahey hastily. "It was none of my business. But, Doctor--" here he glanced at the letter again, "Bailey, you say your name is?"
"They called me Bailey when I came in and I let it go."
"Very well, sir," replied Fahey quickly, "Bailey let it be. My offer holds, only I'll make it four thousand. We can't expect a man of your standing for less."
"Mr. Fahey, I came here to work on the construction. I wanted to forget. When I saw how things were going at the east end I couldn't help jumping it. I never thought I should have enjoyed my professional work so much. It has kept me busy. I will accept your offer at three thousand, but on the distinct understanding that I am to have my way in everything."
"By gad! you'll take it, anyway, I imagine," said Fahey, with a laugh, "so we may as well put it in the contract. In your department you are supreme. If you see anything you want, take it. If you don't see it, we will get it for you."
On their return to the office they found Dr. Haines in Craigin's room with Maclennan. As they entered they heard Haines' voice saying, "I believe it was a put-up job with Tommy."
"It's a blank lie!" roared Craigin. "I have it from Tommy that it was his own notion to fire that shoe, and a blank good thing for me it was. Otherwise I should have killed the best man that ever walked into this camp. Here, keep your hands off! You paw around my head like a blanked bull in a sand heap. Where's the doctor? Why ain't he here attending to his business?"
"Craigin," he said quietly, "let me look at that. Ah, it's got a twist, that's all. There, that's better."
Like a child Craigin submitted to his quick, light touch and sank back in his pillow with a groan of content. Dr. Bailey gave him his medicine and induced him, much against his will, to take some nourishment.
"There now, that's all right. To-morrow you'll be sitting up. Now you must be kept quiet." As he said this he motioned them out of the room. As he was leaving, Craigin called him back.
"I want to see Maclennan," he said gruffly.
"Wait till to-morrow, Mr. Craigin," replied the doctor, in soothing tones.
"I want to see him now."
The doctor called Mr. Maclennan back.
"Maclennan, I want to say there's the whitest man in these mountains. I was a blank, blank fool. But for him I might have been a murderer two or three times over, and, God help me! but for that lucky shoe of Tommy's I'd have murdered him. I want to say this to you, and I want the doctor here not to lay it up against me."
"All right, Craigin," said Maclennan, "I'm glad to hear you say so. And I guess the doctor here won't cherish any grudge."
Without a word the doctor closed the door upon Maclennan, then went to the bedside. "Craigin, you are a man. I'd be glad to call you my friend."
That was all. The two men shook hands and the doctor passed out, leaving Craigin more at peace with himself and with the world than he had been for some days.
XIX
THE LADY OF KUSKINOOK
Soon after Dick's departure for the West, Ben Fallows took up his abode at the Old Stone Mill and very soon found himself firmly established as a member of the family there; and so it came that he was present on the occasion of Margaret's visit, when the offer of the Kuskinook Hospital was under consideration. The offer came through the Superintendent, but it was due chiefly to the influence on
Mr. Fahey took the letter, glanced through it hurriedly, then read it again with more care.
"You know Sir William?"
"Very slightly. Met him once or twice in London."
"This is a most unusual letter for him to write. You must have stood very high in the profession in London."
"I had a fairly good position," said Dr. Bailey.
"May I ask why you left?"
Dr. Bailey hesitated. "I grew tired of the life--and, besides-- well--I wanted to get away from things and people."
"Pardon my asking," said Fahey hastily. "It was none of my business. But, Doctor--" here he glanced at the letter again, "Bailey, you say your name is?"
"They called me Bailey when I came in and I let it go."
"Very well, sir," replied Fahey quickly, "Bailey let it be. My offer holds, only I'll make it four thousand. We can't expect a man of your standing for less."
"Mr. Fahey, I came here to work on the construction. I wanted to forget. When I saw how things were going at the east end I couldn't help jumping it. I never thought I should have enjoyed my professional work so much. It has kept me busy. I will accept your offer at three thousand, but on the distinct understanding that I am to have my way in everything."
"By gad! you'll take it, anyway, I imagine," said Fahey, with a laugh, "so we may as well put it in the contract. In your department you are supreme. If you see anything you want, take it. If you don't see it, we will get it for you."
On their return to the office they found Dr. Haines in Craigin's room with Maclennan. As they entered they heard Haines' voice saying, "I believe it was a put-up job with Tommy."
"It's a blank lie!" roared Craigin. "I have it from Tommy that it was his own notion to fire that shoe, and a blank good thing for me it was. Otherwise I should have killed the best man that ever walked into this camp. Here, keep your hands off! You paw around my head like a blanked bull in a sand heap. Where's the doctor? Why ain't he here attending to his business?"
"Craigin," he said quietly, "let me look at that. Ah, it's got a twist, that's all. There, that's better."
Like a child Craigin submitted to his quick, light touch and sank back in his pillow with a groan of content. Dr. Bailey gave him his medicine and induced him, much against his will, to take some nourishment.
"There now, that's all right. To-morrow you'll be sitting up. Now you must be kept quiet." As he said this he motioned them out of the room. As he was leaving, Craigin called him back.
"I want to see Maclennan," he said gruffly.
"Wait till to-morrow, Mr. Craigin," replied the doctor, in soothing tones.
"I want to see him now."
The doctor called Mr. Maclennan back.
"Maclennan, I want to say there's the whitest man in these mountains. I was a blank, blank fool. But for him I might have been a murderer two or three times over, and, God help me! but for that lucky shoe of Tommy's I'd have murdered him. I want to say this to you, and I want the doctor here not to lay it up against me."
"All right, Craigin," said Maclennan, "I'm glad to hear you say so. And I guess the doctor here won't cherish any grudge."
Without a word the doctor closed the door upon Maclennan, then went to the bedside. "Craigin, you are a man. I'd be glad to call you my friend."
That was all. The two men shook hands and the doctor passed out, leaving Craigin more at peace with himself and with the world than he had been for some days.
XIX
THE LADY OF KUSKINOOK
Soon after Dick's departure for the West, Ben Fallows took up his abode at the Old Stone Mill and very soon found himself firmly established as a member of the family there; and so it came that he was present on the occasion of Margaret's visit, when the offer of the Kuskinook Hospital was under consideration. The offer came through the Superintendent, but it was due chiefly to the influence on