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THE GOLDpN POOL BY ROBT. W. CHAMBERS
Illustrated by Jay Barnum.
(Copyright, 1907, by Robert W. Chambers.)
The doctor, . finding his patient's
quarters untenanted for the first
tune in many months --hastened
downstairs to the veranda, where he
discovered a lean, soldiery-looking
young fellow clad in fishing-coat
fussing with rod and reel.
"Oho, my enterprising friend!" he
said. "What mischief are you hatch
ing now?"
"I'm going to try for big trout in
the Golden Pool," said his patient
calmly.
This unlooked-for energy appear
ed to embarrass the doctor. His
grim mouth tightened.
"Don't go now," he said; "it too
late in the morning."
"I know it, but I'm going."
"Against my orders!" demanded
the exasperated doctor.
"With pleasure," replied the young
man, gayly. "And it's your own do
ing, too. Do you remember what
you said last night?"
"I said I saw a big fish rising in
that pool," growled the doctor.
"Exactly; and that has done more
to "brace me up than all your purple
pills for peculiar people."
"Now what the devil possesses you
to make for the Golden Pool at this
particular minute?" demanded the
vexed doctor. "You've been an in
valid for a year and .more, and up to
this moment you've done what I told
yoh."
His patient continued to laugh
that same light-hearted, infectious
laugh which the doctor had not Tieard
in many a month, and he looked at
him keenly.
"All the same, you're not well yet,
and. you know it," he said.
"My aversion to women?"
"Partly."
"You mean my memory still fails
me? Well, then, what do you think
happened this morning?"
"What?" inquired the doctor,
sulkily.
"This: I went out to the stables
and recognized Phelan and Riley!
How's that for a start? Then" he
glanced across the lawn where an old
gardener pottered about among the
petunias "there's Dawson, isn't it?
And this is my own nlace Gleniris!
Isn't it? Besides," he added, my
aversion to women is disappearing;
I saw a girl on the lawn from my win
dow this morning. Who is she?"
"Was she dressed in white?" ask
ed the doctor.
"Don't remember."
"You never saw her before?1'
"No I don't know. I didn't see
her face."
"So it seems you can't recollect
the back of a relative or a neighbor.
Now what do you think of yourself?"
"Relative? Nonsense," he laugh
ed; "I haven't any. As for the neigh
bors, give me time, for heaven's sake
I'm doinff beautifully. There are mil
lions of things that set me thinking
and worrying now funny flashes of
memory hints of the past, vague
glimpses that excite me to effort; but
nothing absolutely nothing yet of
that blank year. Was it a year?"
"More; never mind that!" 'I -"How
long was it?" asked the pa
tient, wistfully.
"Sixteen months."
"You said I was shot, I think."
"No, I didn't. You think you were,
but it was done with a Malay kris.
Now, what can youremember about
it?"
The young man stood silent, fum
bling with his rod.
The doctor, who had begun to pace
the veranda, halted and glanced
sharply at his patient.
"I'll tell you why I didn't want you
to go to the Golden Pool," he said.
"Well, why?"
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