Читать книгу The Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald онлайн

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Bartney’s patience wore out. He drew in his breath, and let out a yell that echoed and re-echoed through the night air.

He repeated it again and again, and at length he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the road.

“Hello!” came a voice.

Bartney breathed a prayer of thanksgiving.

“Come here! I’ve had an accident,” he called, and a minute later the night watchman’s brawny arms had rolled the stone off him and he staggered to his feet.

“Good-night,” called the Christian Scientist sweetly. “I hope I have made some impression on you.”

“You certainly have,” called back Bartney as he limped off, his hand on the watchman’s shoulder, “one I won’t forget.”

Two days later, as Bartney sat with his foot on a pillow, he pulled an unfamiliar envelope out of his mail and opened it. It read:

William Bartney.

To Hepezia Skiggs, Dr.

Treatment by Christian Science—$3.00. Payment by check or money order.

* * * * * * * * * *

The weeks wore on. Bartney was up and around. Out in his yard he started a flower garden and became a floral enthusiast. Every day he planted, and the next day he would weed what he had planted. But it gave him something to do, for law was tiresome at times.