'Doc.' Gordon

  CHAPTER XII

  Clemency was so worn out that Doctor Gordon insisted upon her going tobed directly after dinner, and he and James had a solitary evening inthe office, with the exception of Gordon's frequent absence in hiswife's room. Each time when he returned he looked more gloomy. "I haveincreased the morphine almost as much as I dare," he said, coming intothe office about ten. He sat down and lit his pipe. James laid down theevening paper which he had been reading. "Is she asleep now?" he asked.

  "Yes. By the way, Elliot, have you guessed who that woman was whokidnapped Clemency?"

  James hesitated. "I don't fairly know whether I am right, but I haveguessed," he replied.

  "Who?"

  "The nurse."

  "You are right. It was the nurse. That man had won her over, and set herup housekeeping in Westover. He had been staying at the hotel therebefore he came here. He was her lover, of course, although he was toocircumspect not to guard the secret. She has been living in that housefor the last three months under the name of Mrs. Wood, a widow. Theformer occupants went away last summer, Aaron has been telling me. Hesaid that once he himself saw the man enter the house, and he had seenthe woman on the street. She had made herself quite popular in Westover.It was no part of that man's policy to keep his vice behind lockeddoors. Locks themselves are the best witness against evil. She attendedthe Dutch Reformed Church regularly. She was present at all the churchsuppers, and everybody has called on her in Westover. Now I think shehas fled, half-crazed with grief over the death of her lover, and afraidof some sort of exposure. Unless I miss my guess, there will be a furoraround here shortly over her disappearance. She was not a bad woman as Iremember her, and she was attractive, with a kindly disposition. But hehad his way always with women, and I suppose she thought she was doinghim a service by kidnapping poor little Clemency. I am sorry for her. Ihope she did not go away penniless, but she has her nursing to fallback upon. She was a good nurse. That makes me think. I must see if Mrs.Blair cannot come here to-morrow. Clara must have somebody besideClemency and Emma. I should prefer a trained nurse, and this woman issimply the self-taught village sort, but Clara prefers her. She shrinksat the very mention of a trained nurse. Of course, it is unreasonable,but the poor soul has always had an awful dread of hospitals and apossible operation, and I believe that in some way she thinks a trainednurse one of a dreadful trinity. She must be humored, of course. Theresult cannot be changed."

  "You have no hope, then?" James said in a low voice.

  "I have had no more from the outset than if she had been already dead,"said Gordon.

  James said nothing. An enormous pity for the other man was within him.He thought of Clemency, and he seemed to undergo the same pangs. He feltsuch a terrible understanding of the other's suffering that it passedthe bounds of sympathy. It became almost experience. His young face tookon the same expression of dull misery as Gordon's. Presently Gordonglanced at him, and spoke with a ring of gratitude and affection in histired voice.

  "You are a good fellow, Elliot," he said, "and you are the one ray ofcomfort I have. I am glad that I have you to leave poor little Clemencywith."

  James looked at him with sudden alarm. "You are not ill?" he said.

  "No, but there is an end to everybody's rope, and sometimes I think I amabout at the end of mine. I don't know. Anyway, it is a comfort to me tothink that Clemency has you in case anything should happen to me."

  "She has me as long as I live," James said fervently. Red overspread hisyoung face, his eyes glistened. Again the great pity and understandingwith regard to the other man came over him, and a feeling for Clemencywhich he had never before had: a feeling greater than love itself, thevery angel of love, divinest pity and protection, for all womanhood,which was exemplified for himself in this one girl. His heart ached, asif it were Clemency's upstairs, lying miserably asleep under theinfluence of the drug, which alone could protect her from indescribablepain. His mind projected itself into the future, and realized thepossibility of such suffering for her, and for himself. The honey-stingof pain, which love has, stung him sharply.

  Gordon seemed to divine his thoughts. "God grant that you may never haveto undergo what I am undergoing, boy," he said. Then he added, "It wasin poor Clara's blood, her mother before her died the same way. Clemencycomes, on her mother's side at least, of a healthy race, morally andphysically, although the nervous system is oversensitive. If my poorsister had been happy, she would have been alive to-day. And as far as Iknow of the other side, there was perfect physical health, although hehad that abnormal lack of moral sense that led one to dream ofpossession. Did you notice how much less evil he looked when he wasdead, even with that frightfully disfigured face?"

  "Yes."

  "There are strange things in this world," said Gordon with gloomyreflection, "or else simple things which we are strange not to believe.Sometimes I think people will have to take to the Bible again in thatliteral sense in which so many are now inclined to disregard it. Well,Elliot, I honestly feel that you have nothing to fear in taking poorlittle Clemency. I should tell you if I thought otherwise. She willmake you happy, and I can think of no reason to warn you concerning anypossible lapses, in either her physical or her moral health, and I havehad her in my charge since she first drew the breath of life. Come, myson, it is late, and we have a great deal to do to-morrow. This awfulbusiness has made me neglect patients. I have to see Clara again, andget what rest I can." Gordon looked older and wearier than James hadever seen him, as he bade him good-night, old and weary as he had oftenseen him look. A sudden alarm for Gordon himself came over him. Hewondered, after he had entered, his room, if he were not strained pastendurance. He recalled his own father's healthy, ruddy face, and Gordonwas no older.