Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-08-09
AMYSTERIOUS PATIENT.
NJ EMERSON BENNETT.


Louis Philippe, acquiring great prof.
ciency in the art OF surgery, met with at
least one strange, curious and exciting
own language:
am az naturally fond of adventure in
reality as most persons are Of reading it 2;
and this admission, | trust, will be suit
cient explanation Of how | so readily be-
came connected with the mysterious affair
l am about to relate.
One night, while returning late to my
lodgings from n cornwall party, where /
had drunk a good many healths, as was
saunterng along ono Of the numerously
named quays OF the Seine, not far from
the Hotel Dieu, the oldest hospitals in
Paris-as was sauuAering along the quay,
l say, humming tune, and by way OF va.
riety, thinking over some of the stories I
had heard Of persons being assassinated
in this vicinity and thrown into the river,
which could see rolling below me-a wo.
man cloaked and hooded, brushed past me
at a quick step. AS had not heard her
till saw her, and had believed myself
alone in that particular locality, | felt my
blood quicken with slight start, and /
began to mutter-as l searched for knife,
the only weapon carried
IT you were man, now, my fine lady,
instead Of woman, as you are-heavoa
bless the sex collectvely-I-'
Here | stopped because she dl--whoel
ing round, facing me, and looking as if
she were taking my dimensions.
Five feet nine and half in 10y boots"
said |, the wine making me rather saucy,
weight one hundred and iiCty-fve, dinner
included; age, say twenty-five, more or
less, generally more; and mighty good
looking for man of my size"
Here pu, my back against post, and
began to whistle--the woman all the time
cycling me closely. Then she came toward
me, aud said in low sweet yoce-at least
| though, SO then" viii you pardon me,
sir 7"
"Of course, will, since You don't owe
me anything, and are not likely to-" said
said |, thinking myself uncommonly civil,
which was al owing to the very good wine
had drank.
Are you doctor ~
i have that honor, madame
surgeon, sir 7"
Yes, surgeon, al your service
"You are all EngisAman p she said,
perceviug from my accent tina. | was a
foreigner.
Yes-an Englishmen, if you please"
returned |, elevasing my hand with an air
of pride.
" All so much the better. The English
are brave!'
Some Of them, madame"
And they are so gallant p
They possibly have that fault, if fault
1t IL, especially when pretty woman is in
the case"
Here my fair unknown, as if without
thinking, so clever was the act. pushed
back her hood and showed me, by the dim
light of nsig hboring lamp, one of the
sweetest, prettiest, most bewitbing faces |
had ever seen
" You are doctor, q surgeon, an Eng.
lishman, and brave and gallant gentle.
man; therefore. you will come with me,
and save a sufferers lie by your great
skill1"
"Of course, will" said I, seadying
myself by the post, for the wine had some.
how been increasing its power over me-
ever since leaving my friends. "Of
course | will-only too happy to serve
such beautiful creature--pon the honor
of Frenchifed English gentleman Pray
lead the way, Miss"
" Will you be so kind as to give me
your arm p
l did so and twenty PAGES brought US
to some steps leading down into the Seine.
My fair unknown descended, and SO did I,
without asking wherefore. If she had
jumped into the water, just then, probably
l should have jumped in after her. She
didn't though-and that probably accounts
for my not beng drowned doctor to day.
We'll, as she ana | reached the lowest
sterps, boat, rowed by two men, shot up
TO US, and before | exactly comproheuded
what was doing, or how it was done, |
found myself seated on one Of the thwarts,
my unknown angel beside me, and the
boat rapidly going somewhere, still rowed
by the two men.
Whew!' thought | here is an ad-
venture, whether will or no. Doctor e.
lis, you equity wine biober, you have prob
ably made an ass of yourself, and are now
going to have your throat cut, for the little
money you are supposed TO have, bu.
hav'nt got, about your person. Well, it's
700 late 70 Whlno or replne now, and so not
q word. And not word did | say, rather
liking it than otherwise, all except the
numbering part, which | hoped mi ght be
. mere fancy Of my own, SO really fond
was | Of adventure.
We we're not many minutes on the riv-
er; and during that time we shot past
houses, under bridges, and among river
craft, with the greatest rapidity, not word
being spoken. Suddenly we ran into
low, dark arch, and soon after came to a
stop in some place, where, SO far az seeing
was concerned, couldn't have told my
self from barrel Of ink.
mot word, sir your life depends on
it y said low stern whisper in my ear.
81 am dumb as post, said more
so, if anything. II you hear me speak
before you are ready, blow my brains out
that is, what few | have left
"Silence you are brave man, will
not be harmed, and will be well paid for
your trouble
g Thank you-al right-and being all
right go ahead
This was not oil the talk Of the wine. |
was getting sobersd pretty fast, and almost
wished myself safe in bed in my lodgings