The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-03-07
EBENsBURG, PA, THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1867
I hesitated,

81 cannot bind myself by any such
covenant The relations between physician
and patient are of course confidential: !:
but"
The carriage paused abruptly here, and
the door was swung open. At the same
instant something cold touched my temple.
1t was the muzzie of pistol. I recoiled
In horror.
"You surely would not murder me z"
"You promise, doctor 2"
"I premise /" I gas2ed, recoiling once
more from the chilling touch of the cold
steel az my temples.
. "Very well come :"
/ was led up Il narrow walk, through
doorway, into room, where the bandage
was removed suddenly from my eyes.
Tho spot was very familiar to me-a
ruinous cottage, long since abandoned to
decay, in the very heart Of dense, swampy
woods. How the carriage had ever reach
cd it l was at loss to know. Upon
pile of straw, hurriedly thrown into the
corner OF the mouldering floor, lay pros
trate figure; moaning at every breath
His face was concealed by handkerchief,
and the blood was slowly dripping from
gunshot wound Just above the ankle-a
wound which had been clumsily bandaged
by some unskilful hand. Moreover, there
was dark red stain on the straw where
his head lay, and his light brown hair was
matted with coagulated drops. Two or
three men stood around, with rude masks
of black cloth drawn over their faces, in
which three Sits were cut for the eyes
and mouth and female figure knelt
behind the heap of straw, yelled closely.
The men silently made way for me
as [ advanced into the apartment, and
held their lanterns so that the lurid light
should fall upon my strange patient. AS
silently, l stopped and examined both
wounds.
"Well z" asked my carriage companion.
81 can do notb; He must die"
"Nonses A T. i. Quiet through
the leg-what does that amount to 2"
hurriedly gasped the man.
sin Itself, not much !; but that blow
upon the skull must prove fatal"
A low, half-suppressed cry broke from
the woman opposite. She tore the veil
from her face, as if she could not breathe
through It's heavy folds, revealing features
as white and beautiful in their marble
agony as so much sculptured stone. She
did not seem more than thirty, but [
afterwards knew that she was indeed more
than ten years older. But in spite of her
present anguish, how erandly beautiful
81 uss Large dark eyes-hair like
lied gold, catching strange CLEANS from
the shifting lanterns-and broad,
SIR 9th brow-it was face you see but
once in a lifetime.
And yet, in the midst of her distress;
she never spoke.
"At least you can do something for
him, doctor 2' said my interlocutor, impa-
tiently "Don't let US waste time here"
AS [ proceeded in my ministrations,
the moaning grew faint and fainter, the
convulsive movements became scarcely
perceptible. A faint gleam of hope light
ed up the face o. the woman opposite; she
looked appealiugly at me.
"He is better-he is surely better !'
"I1e will be soon," 1 answered, moved
to pity in spite of myself. ale cannot
| live half an hour longer"
The horror of that sepulchral silence
that fell upon us as my accents died away
-shall l ever forget it? Five minutes
afterward, the breathing, spasmodic and
painful to hear, died into eternal silence
The woman lifted the corner of the
handkerchief, and gazed into the CHASTITY
face. 1t was that OF young mau of about
twenty-five, who had evidently been mar
velously good looking.
"Oh, heavens, he is dead p'
Her clear, agonized voice was ringing
in my ears as they led me back into the
darkness of the night I felt bank note
in my hand as I entered the carriage once
more.
"Doctor, you have done your best i. i
not your fault that your efforts have no
been more successful. Remember, 20,
are pledged to secrecy"
The next moment, was whirlins
swiftly through the November midnight
with the strange, unquiet feeling of on
suddenly awakened from startling dream
Yet it was no dream-alas ! it was a star.
ling reality.
The carriage stopped at cross roa'
near the village.
"Please to elight here, sir" said th
driver "You are not far from home"
/ obeyed, and stood listening in tn
middle of the road while the carriag
wheels died away, losing their distinctnes
of sound in the shrek of the restless wind
The clock in the village church tolled ou
the hour of one.
Late as it was, however, my surger
was still open and lighted up; the sci
want from Haddenleigh Hall had jus
, ridden up to the doo-.
off you please, doctor, you are wante
Immediately at the Hall. The Colont
, said you were to ride my horse if your
was not already saddled, and | can wall
, SO there will be no tipe lost"