"the Time In Pekin"

For two days tbo doclor's features bad worn an expression of gravity as he bent over tho bod üf niy piek frieud, bnt now, as I watched liim closely, the ; etrong face relaxed, and as lie raised his hr-ad I saw tho light of satisfaction in his kiudly eyes. His hat, stick and glovea lay on tho dressing case, and as he crossed the j room to taks tfaem he marked my look ] of eager inquiry, and, pausing i ly, laid liis band on my shoulder. "We're doing splendidJy, famously, my deur Lor, famonsly. If literature faïls yon, come to me, and I will give you your rrcdentials as a nurae. ence Nightingale could uot have done better." "Tho worst ia over then?" I asked. "Yes. I belicve we can pull liini through - between us. " He pauscd, and as he turned once more toward bis patiënt his face grew grave again. "Ithink the crisis is passed, " he said quiet.ly. "All that any mortal physician , can do for him has been done. Nature alone must supply tbc only rest ora tive he neetls, He must í-leep. I have just grven birn a.edative, and ho ought soon ! to be nnderita inflnence. Keep the light turned down, and do not allow him to talk. Sleep is imperativa. He must have slee]). ' ' He stepped lightly to the dressing case, and as ho raised his glovea a dust covered heap f manuscripts caught his eye. He chuckled softly and shook his head. "Odd people, you Amerioans," he said, with a smile. "Is our poor literature so in:poverished that you must ueeds instill Yankee blood iuto its veins?" Iwas looking at the palo face of poor Torn and did not reply. "Ah, well," said the cheery doctor as he appropriated his hat and stick and advanccd, with extended hand, "the fairy voices of the Bow bella are farreaching, and I hope that they will one day ring as rnerry changes for two Yankee lads as they did for that fortúnate young beggar, Dick Whittington. Good uigbt, niy boy, good night. I'll see you in themorning. Andnow, remember" - He put his finger to his lips, and a moment later he was gone. I closed tho door gently and returned to the bedside of myfriend. His eyes were closed, and, believing that the eedative had already begun its work, I tiptoed to the gas jet and turned down tho light. Tben, eeating myself bef ore the grate, j.' revitalized thu dying ernbers and put in two or three more pieces of ooal. For sevcral minutes all was stil!, then I heard a movement among the bedclothe:; and a few ruoments later the voice of my sick roommate: "Hal." "Yes, Tom. " "Has the doctor gone?" "Yes, he left just novv. You must go to filcep, old chap. " There was anolher movement on the Wd, then all was still again, aud I had just begun mentally to congratúlate the doctor on theeffieacy of his presoription w-hen I beaid my name pronounced. "What is it, Torn?" I asked, a little impatiently. . "What time is it?" "Half past 4." "In the afternoon?" "Yes." "What makea it so dark?" "It's the fog. Come now, old boy, you must be quiet. The doctor says you must have sleep. The worst is over, and fivc or six hours of rest will make you your old self again." He did not reply at once, but at the expiratiou of two or threo minutes he asked : "What time is it in New York now, Hal?" "You must stop it, Tom," I commanded, but immediately releutiug I ontinued, "About half past 12." A deep sigh broke the stillness that ensned. "It is Saturday, " gaid Tom. "Saturday, isn't it? In six hours more the old crowdwill be in the restaurant - in Maliu's. I can seo tbein all - old Gaynor, George Leslie, Barrett and Bess. " "Now, Tom" - "Come here, old chap." I rose, and, going to the bed, I placed my fingers on my friend's lips. He took tfaem in his wasted hand, and as he removed them hisgrasptightened, and he smiled. "All right, Hal. I'll be quiet now. Good night." I returned to my chair, and for ten minutes nothing save the ticking of the clock broke the stillness of the room. Then there was once more an ominous movement on tho bed. "It's funny, isn't it, this difference in time?" he murmured. "In Chicago it is an hour earlier still." There was a pause. "What timo is it in San Francisco, Hal?" "Oh, I don't know, Tom. About two hours earlier, I guess. Why won't you go to sleep?" "That would make it about half past 9. ' ' He paused, but a few moments later I heard him muttering to himself. "Confound it, old chap," I began. "I was just trying to figure it out," he went on. "It takes 24 hours for the World to make a complete revolution. Where do they begin to reckon the time auy way?" "Oh, I don't know. Let'ssee. wich, I believe - yes, Greenwich, I ana snre. Now for heaveu's sake, go" - "Well, if it's half past 4 at Green■vrioh, wbat time is it 011 tlio other side of the worid - in China? What time is itin Peking, Hul?" "Hang it, Torn," I sairï, rising impatiently. "Teil me, old boy. Iwant to kuow. " "About huif past G, " I bazarded. "ïhüt can't be íight, yon kuow. Therc is a screvv loóse eomewhere. It caif't be tbat" - I couolnded that argniug with the poor fellow wonld bo iu vaiii, so I returner! to my ohair. "Hal." I did uot respond. "What timo ie it in Peking?" I jumped up auickly and went to the bed. "Now, sec here, Torn, this sort of tbing is ntterly absurd. Your life is j hanging by llie merest tbread. All yon need is sleep. We have ■ 11 c.jne what we could, and now yon will have to take a hand yonrself. Wbat tbe denoe have you to do vfith time or Peking now? Come, go to sleep. Tbere's a good fellow." "I lcnow Tra acting like an ass, old boy, but I can't get the. infernal tbiug out of my head. If I could figure it out, I would be all rigbt, toe I do feel a bit sleepy. " "Well.I'llseeif tbe old lady knows," I said indulgcntly. "Wbat ara I to ask her?" "The, time inPekin," lies:iidfeebly. "All right, " I replied. Theii I ran down stairs lo the landlady. "Mr?. Sleminer, Toni wants to know what time it is iu Pekin. " "Lord blesa me, Mr. Carson, 'ow should" - "Got a geograpby - 'cyclopcdia? Almost any old book will teil." "Why, I aiu't got no books. Mebbe the ehildren"- Just then two of her youngsters carne tumbling into the room. "Freddie, ga for tho doctor, " I said desperately. "ÏJell, run over the way and get a geography. Heve, take this from door to door uutil you get wbat it calis for. " I wrote a brief note explaining the circumstances and got tbo ehildren off. Then I went up stairs. One glance at poor Torn gave jne to onderstand that the dreaded fever had again asserted itsclf. His eyes were supernaturally bright, and as I entered tbe room his featnres wora a look of nnrestrained anxiety. "Well," be asked irritably, "didn't you find out?" "iSTot yet, but 111 have some books bere in a minute." In two or tbree minutes I heard the sound of rapid footsteps 011 tbe stairs aud hastened to the door. I met the groeer's wife. "I hurried as f ast as I could," she gasped. "I saw Nell, and - and here is the book. Poor boy! Shall I go in?" I seized tbe book aud, perceiving that it was a ready reckoner, I returned it forthwith to its owner. Other steps were now heard on the staiis, and iu a few minutes the narrow hall way and even the room itself was thronged with syrnpathetic neighborg, who bad placed themselves aud their meager libraries at my service. All, however, failed to contribute any iniormation wbicb would meet the exacting demands of the invalici. The floor ■was strewn with all sorts of literature, varyiug from toy picture books, containing pietures of Chinameu, to technical works ou navigation aud household ecouomy, but still the feeble voice whieh emanated from the bed inepired me to clamor for more. I cursed the inherent ignorance of the Anglo-Saxon race. I railed, stormed, perspired and trembled for the safety of my friend. But all was of no avail. Pinally I beard a BHimini iu tbe hall. Tbe doctor had come. Leaping forward I seized him by the lapel of his coat. "What is the time in Peking?" Icried in his ear. "What is the time iu Peking?" demanded Mrs. Slemmer, barriug his way to tbe bed. "How the devil should I know?" exclaimed the astonished doctor, as he made his way through the group that surrounded his patiënt. "Here it isl Here it is!" shouted a voice in the haU, and an old, white haired gentleman with a book in his hand was pushed by a dozen eager hands into the room. The volume was opened, and the desired information was before my eyes. "At last!" I exclaimed. "Here, doctor, I have it. It is"- "Hush!" said a warning voice. A moment later the hand of the English physiciau was laid gently ou my eboulder. ' 'He kuows, my boy. He kuows. " - Exchange.