The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-04-13
Misrrllamp.
APHYSICIAN'S ADVENTURE.

wanting me, suppose.
And / went down stairs, secretly wondering to
myself if. after all, there was such avery wide
difference between galley slave and a country
doctor
The surgery door stood open, but nobody was
there and through the binding darkness with
out could discern the d lrk outline OF close
carriage, and man standing at the horses head
"Whos there what's wanting" l asked,
coming TO the threshold and instinctively but
toning up the overcoat had hurriedlv thrown
Your wanted doctor" said the man,
speaking indistinctly behind the mufiing that
surrounded his face.
Eyes. but what for? Who wants me y
~ am not at liberty to tell"
had already entered the carriage, but this
suspicious answer inspired me with distrust I
made step to descend, but l was too late. The
vehicle was already in motion.
at is quite unnecessary to alarm yourself doc
tor" said quiet, measured voice at my side
believe me, You quite safe; and | trust you
will feel no uneasiness when tell you, that you
must be blindfoded."
And at the same instant folded bandage was
quickly slipped over my eyes,
Hold ~ | calculated. at strike me that this
is rather superluous. The night is dark as Erebus,
and you have no lamp"
'Possibly," returned the dry voice; "but it is
best to run no risks"
And then ensued silence of some ten or fif-
teen minutes while the carriage rolled swiftly
along, and the low measured breathing of my
unknown companion, kept time to my UNI
comfortable thoughts
AT length my companion spoke again, the same
soft, modulated tones.
Doctor one more little precaution is neces-
sary-your promise never to divulge to human
soul a word of this nights visit"
hesitated.
Il 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 muzzle ola
pistol. Irecoiled in horror.
You surely would not murder me!"
you promise, DOCTOR
eyes promiser' gasped recoiling once more
from the chilling touch of the cold steel at my
temples.
"Very we'll; Gomez
was led up narrow walk, through door
way, into room, where the bandage was remov-
ed suddenly from my eyes.
The spot was very familiar to me--a ruinous
cottage, long since abandoned TOT decay, in the
very heart of dense, swampy woods. How the
carriage had ever reached it | was at a loss to
know. Upon pile of straw, hurriedly thrown
into the corner of the Wondering floor, lay a
PROSTATE figure, moaning at every breath. His
face was concealed by handkerchief and the
blood was slowly dr .ping from gunshot wound
Just above the ankle wound which had been
clumsily bandaged by some unkilful hand
Moreover there dark red stain on the straw
where his head lay, and his light brown hair was
matted with coaguated drops Two or three
men stood around with rude masks of dark cloth
drawn over their faces, in which three Sits were
cut for the eyes and mouth; and a female figure
knelt beside the heap of straw, yelled closely.
The men silently made way for me as ad-
vanced into the apartment, and held their lamps
so that the lurid light should fall full upon my
strange patient, as silently / stopped and ex-
aInined both wounds.
"Well 7" asked my carriage companion.
II can do nothing. He must die"
Nonsense! A mere bullet through the leg
what does that amount to-" hurriedly yasped
the man.
'In 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,
az If she could not breathe through its heavy
folds, revealing features white and beautiful
In their marble agony 30 much sculptured
stone. She did not seem more than thirty, but l
afterwards knew that she was indeed more than
ten years older But in spite Of her present
anguish, how grandly beautiful she was Large
dark eyes-hair like coiled gold, catching strange
CLEANS from the shifting lsnterns-and broad
smooth brow--it was face you see but once in
lifetime
And yet, in the midst Of her distress she never
spoke.
"At least you can do something for him. doc
tori" said my introlocutor, impatiently "Don't
let US waste time here"
As proceeded in my illustrations, the moan.
ing grew fainter and fainter, the oonvulsive
mn mt han E
CLEAN of hope lighted up the face Of the woman
opposite; she looked appealingly atme.
"He is better--he is surely better"
HE will be soon,' answered, moved to pity
in spite Of myself. "He cannot live half an hour
longer"
The horror of that sepulchral silence that fell
upon us ~ my accents died away---shall / ever
forget it: Ind five minutes afterward the
breathing spasmodic and painful to hear, died
INTO eternal stiffness.
The woman lifted the corner of the handker-
chlei' and gucd into the CHASTITY face 1t was
mat OF young man of about twenty-two and
VINO had evidently been marvelously good look
ing.
h "Oh. heavens, he is deadw
her clear agonized voice was ringing in nv
ears, as they let me back into the darkness of tho
the night. felt bank note in nv hand "a I
entered the carriage once more
Doctor you have done your best; il il not
your fault that your efforts have not been mnro
successful. Remember, you are pledged to
secrecy"
Inc next moment | was whiring swiftly
through the November midnight, with the strange
unquiet feeling OF ono awakened suddenly from,
a startling dream. Yet it was no drenmH-oI,s
it was a startling reality
The carriage stopped at cross road near the
village.
please to alight here, sir" said the driver