Part 50 (1/2)

Mr Auld was a medical missionary, and he confirmed what I had feared

Jake had had a stroke

The only articulate words Meaghan uttered in his ain he came over the na her to him

That see round restlessly

Mr Auld injected soive his brain the rest that it evidently sorely needed

”There is little we can do, George,” said the ht to-morrow, but for his physical helplessness;--and, even that may abate Between you and me, I pray to God he may not live”

”But what can have caused it, Mr Auld?”

”If Jake only could have been able to drink as other et drunk and leave off,--he never would have come to this His constitution was never ed in

Noto send him down to the city?” I asked

”Not if you will bear with hiood tohere He will be happier, poor fellow I shall run in early to-ht and she re

Her cheery presence brightened up the stricken ibly and, with help, he got up and sat on a chair

The Rev Willia soave me instructions that, if Jake took any sudden attack and the blood pressure in his head appeared great, I was to place two of these blood-sucking creatures on each of his temples, to relieve him

He showed me how to fix them to the flesh

”Once they are on, do not endeavour to pull theed themselves, they will drop off After that, they will die unless you place thee the blood they have taken Then, if you put them back into a jar of fresh water, they will become lively as ever and will soon be ready for further use”

”I hope to God Iat the gruesoht of the hideous little reptiles conjured up into participate in the disgusting operation, for, at the end of the week, Jake was seized through the night for the second ti, he revived and spoke to Rita and ot to pass in ood neither But I ain't done nobody no harhan

”Say, George! You like entle my hand on his brow

”You like me too, Rita,--don't you?”

”You bet I do!” she replied, dropping back into the slang that Jake best understood

He was happy after that and s, a violent fit of convulsions, in all its contorting agonies, caught hold of hihan was no more

I covered up his face with a sheet, and we closed the door, leaving the faithful Mike alone by the bedside