chattered and asked for his "daddy" and his "mathar."

Then Big John broke down utterly and tried to speak his
gratitude, but the doctor abruptly told him to quit his
blubbering and hitch up, for little Murdock would be
chasing the hens again in a week or two.

The doctor went faithfully every day and dressed little
Murdock's wound until it no longer needed his care,
remaining perfectly sober meanwhile. Hope sprang up in
Mary's heart--for love believeth all things.

At night when he went to bed and she carefully locked
the doors and took the keys to her room, she breathed a
sigh of relief. One more day won!

But alas for Mary's hopes! They were built upon the
slipping, sliding sands of human desire. One night she
found him in the office of the hotel; a red-faced,
senseless, gibbering old man, arguing theology with a
brother Scotchman, who was in the same condition of mellow
exhilaration.

Mary's white face as she guided her father through the
door had an effect upon the men who sat around the office.
Kind-hearted fellows they were, and they felt sorry for
the poor little motherless girl, sorry for "old Doc" too.
One after another they went home, feeling just a little
ashamed.