The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-07-09

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dage over your eyes"
! s.But. sir,-n
"Fewer words, and let us be gone,n sale
one of the unknown. He then whistled ane
Immediately BERN drove from neighbor
ing street; the three men, taking the doctor
with them, Immediately entered it, and the
carriage rolled on, the horses at full gallop
HUBERT saw that all resistance would be
useless; and submitted TO this mysterious
violence For two hours not word was
exchanged between him and his travelling
companions, who conversed together in {
tongue the doctor could not understand. AL
at once the carriage entered an arch. The
noise of the gate opening was Nheard, ant
the carriage stopped, and the door was open
led.
"Well?n a voice was heard TO ask, anxious
Fly.
''He is here" replied one of the men in
the carriage, and taking the doctor by the
hand, he assisted him'to alight.
They made him ascend several steps. BY
the keeness of the air; DIR. HUBERT preceived
that he was mounting outside steps. Then
door opened, and the Doctor preceiyed
that he was crossing large room, paved
with flag stones, perhaps a vistibuIe, and
afterwards several apartments covered with
thick carpet. AT length the guide of-M.
Huberti stopped and said to him
"Doctor, we have arrived, take off your
bandage." a.
an. HUBERT, whose terror had given place
TO the most lively curiosity, obeyed, and
found himself in a little room, decorated
with the gayest luxury, and dimly lighted
by an alabaster lamp suspended from the
ceiling. The window curtains were closely
drawn, as were, those also of an alcove, at
The bottom of The ROOM In this room the
doctor found himself alone with one ofthe
three unknown who had arrested him. He
was man tall in stature, of imposing ap,
pearance: and dressed with the most arsto.
cratic recherche. His black eyes glisiened
through the half mask which covered the
upper portion of his face, and nervous
trembling agitated his uncovered lips, and
the thick beard which concealed the lower
part of his countenance
"Doctor," said the man, in a short and
abrupt manner, sprepare your instruments.
you have an amputaton to perform
"Where is the patiently" demanded M.
HUBERT.
So saying, the doctor turned towards the
The curtains were slightly moved, and
stifed sigh was heard.
''Prepare your instruments" said the man
with the mask, in convulsive manner.
"Bu,," insisted nj. HUBERT, 81 must first
see my patient"
"You will only see the hand which you
are TO cut off, replied the man.
NJ HUBERT crossed his arms upon his
breast, and, looking the other firmly in the
face, said to him.
''Sr, you have used violence TO conduct
me here; yet, if it is really true, that any
one stands in need Of my professional SER
vices, without troubling myself about your
secrets, forgetting how have been brought
hther, will do my duty as surgeon. But,
if il is your intention TO commit crime, al
though you have been able 10 compel me to
follow you. YOU shall not force me 10 be your
accomplish
"Reassure yourself" said the unknown,
in tone of bitterness; ''there is no crime
in all lhIs.'' Taking the doctor by the arm
he approached the alcove; then pointing TO a
hand that was thrust out between the cur
tains, ''this is the hand which you are to cut
off,
The doctor took The hand in his; he felt
the fingers tremble at his touch. 1t was the
hand of woman. small, admirably formed
and its delicate wilderness was set off by
magnificent ruby, surrounded by diamonds.
"But,n cried the doctor, ''there is nothlng
that calls for amputation, nothing"
''And Itell YOU" cried the unknown, vio-
lenily s'that if the surgeon refuses me, will
do bis Office myself" and seizing Ratchet
which was at the foot of the bed, he placed
the hand upon the stand and prepared to cut
it off. The doctor restrained him.
"Do your duty, them" said the man.
"But this is perfectly atrocious," cried
poor HUBERT.
"What is that to you2 Ii must be So
wish 10 have il, and madame wishes it also
IF it is necessary that she herself shall en-
treate you, she will do so. Come madame,
beg the doctor to do you this service"
M. HUBERT, pale, bewildered, aghast,
could hardly keep from faintng.
A half smuthered voice came from the
alcove, which said, in an in discribable accent
of mingled despair and resignation:
''Sir, since you are surgeon-yes, en-
treat you do it-don'l let him-fOr mercy's
sake"
"Come, DOCTOR" said the man, "you or
~"
The resolution of his dreadful companion
was so implacable and so terrifying, the
prayer of the poor woman so poignant aad
so despairing, that the doctor saw that the
dictates ofhumanity command that be should
obey. He took bis Implements; cast one
more nquiriug look upon the unknown, who
pointed TO the alcove as his only answer;