Dr. John's Destiny — Dorothy Worley

Dr. John Brooke had come back to Brookville to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both of whom had been well-loved doctors. He had no wish to trade on their reputation -- he intended to prove himself a good doctor. Most of all, he did not intend to ride to success on Dr. Jim Burton's coattails. Dr. Burton owned Burton Hospital, where he was chief of staff, and he had expected John to come in as his assistant when the young doctor returned to Brookeville after his internship and residency. With pressure building up for him to join Dr. Burton, John wondered if it wouldn't be wise to leave Brookeville and seek a new pasture.

He had no idea that Barbara Burton's interest in him stemmed from her wish that he become her father's assistant. Barbara, with her black hair, very white skin, and deep-blue eyes, was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and any man would have been flattered to think she liked him. Fascinated as he was by Barbara, he had little time for Melanie Merrell, the girl next door, who had been his small shadow before he went away to medical school. Melanie's red hair had deepened to auburn and her velvety brown eyes still held the love she had always felt for John Brooke. It was a surprise for John to learn that Melanie was now a nurse -- until he recalled that, as a child, she had declared this to be her ambition.

It is up to a dog named Bingo, who had come into John's life by chance four years before, and a visitor to Brookeville -- Gina Shannon -- to pull the scales from John Brooke's eyes in Miss Worley's latest doctor story.