American fiction -- 20th century; American fiction -- California; Western stories
"This is my husband," she said. "I have told him how kind you were to me
last night."
Fong Wu nodded.
Barrett hastened to voice his gratitude. "I certainly am very much
obliged to you," he said. "My wife might have been bitten by the
rattler, or she might have lain all night in pain if you hadn't found
her. And I want to say that your treatment was splendid. Why, her arm
hasn't swollen or hurt her. I'll be hanged if I can see--you're such a
good doctor--why you stay in this----"
Fong Wu interrupted him. "I will wet the bandage with medicine," he
said, and entered the house.
They watched him with some curiosity as he treated the sprain and
studied the pulse. When he brought out her second cup of steaming herbs,
Mrs. Barrett looked up at him brightly.
"You know we're up here for Mr. Barrett's health," she said. "A year or
so after we were married, he was hurt in a railway collision. Since
then, though his wounds healed nicely, he has never been quite well. Dr.
Lord, our family physician, prescribed plenty of rough work, and a quiet
place, far from the excitement of a town or city. Now, all this morning,
when I realized how wonderful it was that my arm wasn't aching, I've
been urging my husband--what do you suppose?--to come and be examined by
you!"
Fong Wu, for the first time, looked fully at the white man, marking the
sallow, clayey face, with its dry, lined skin, its lusterless eyes and
drooping lids.
Barrett scowled at his wife. "Nonsense, dear," he said crossly; "you
know very well that Lord would never forgive me."
"But Fong Wu might help you," she declared.
Fong Wu's black eyes were still fixed searchingly upon the white man.
Before their scrutiny, soul-deep, the other's faltered and fell.
"You might help him, mightn't you, Fong Wu?" Mrs. Barrett repeated.
An expression, curious, keen, and full of meaning, was the answer. Then,
"I might if he----" Fong Wu said, and paused.
Past Mrs. Barrett, whose back was toward her husband, the latter had
shot a warning glance. "Come, come, Edith," he cried irritably; "let's
get home."
Mrs. Barrett emptied her cup bravely. "When shall we call again?" she
asked.
"You need not come again," Fong Wu replied. "Each day you have only to
dampen the bandages from these." He handed her a green-flowered box
containing twelve tiny compartments; in each was a phial.
"And I sha'n't have to take any more of this--this awful stuff?" she
demanded gaily, giving back the cup.
"No."
"Ah! And now, I want to thank you again, with all my heart. Here,"--she
reached into the pocket of her walking-skirt,--"here is something for
your trouble." Two double-eagles lay on her open palm.
Fong Wu frowned at them. "I take no money," he said, a trifle gruffly.
And as she got into the cart, he closed the door of his home behind him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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