Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-05-02
A DOCTORS STORY.
n Carloas Professional Adven.
t0re.

., the h.Il interrupted our brief interval Of
domestic quiet.
- liz tue surgery bell, my dear. Suns
body wanting me. suppose.
Ani want downstairs, secretly wonder
ing TO myself If, after nil, there was su,h a
very ". .e differences between galley slave
aud ooantry doctor.
Tne surgery dosr stood wide open. but
nobody was there, and through the blind
Ing darkness without could discern the
dark outline OF q close carriage. and . man
standing at the borses's head.
WHO'S there wanting ] ask
ID. coming to the thrsahhold and inssin-
ciively but,oo,ng up tho overcast has
hurrisiiy thrown on.
You're wanted. Doctor, said the man,
speaking indistinctly behind the muiiiing
that surrounded his face.
Yes, but what FORT Who wants NOR
~ an not II liberty to tell"
l had already entered the carrisge, bnt
This suspicious answer inspired me with
distr .st. | made step 10 descend, but
vas too late. The vehicle was in motion.
at 10 quite unnecessary TO alarm your
self Doctor. sid . quiet, measured voice
ct my aide. 'Bslisve me, you are safe
and trust you viii net feel any unsasinsss
when l tell you that you must DO bind
folded"
And At the same instant folded bandase
was .lsftiy slipped over nv eyes.
''HoidI' calculated. ut strikes me that
this 10 rather supsrhuous. The night 10
dark ~ Ersbus, and you have no lamp"
Possibly" returned the dry voice, but
IL 10 beat to run no risks"
Aud then cususi . silence Of some ten or
fneen minutes, while the carriage rolled
sWiftly along. and the low, measured breath.
Ing Of my unknown companion kept time
% my own uncomfortable thoughts.
Al length my companion spoke again in
the sams Ao!t, Inoduiated tones.
doctor, one moro little precsution is
Necessary you promise never to divulge to
human soul word Of this nights visit"
| hcsitA,ed.
II c,ano, bind mysclfby any such cove
nant. lac relations hstweea PHYSICIAN
and pa lent arc Of course confidential (,
but t."
rhe Garage paused abruptly here, and
tho door WAS swung open At the same in
stan pnsthtns cold touched my temples.
IL was the muzLic Of pistol. reco led Ia
horror
'lol ,Irs' = would not mIr Ter the p
"foa prom Sc. docto.t'
- psonise = | sAspei, cliliog once
more isnn tho chhag touch Of the cold
sec sttny temples.
ivory we'll. Cmer
va, led mp anarroy walk, through n
doorway, iato room, where the bsndage
vas removed suddenly from my eyes.
The spot was very familiar to me-a ru-
inous cottage. long since abandoned to de-
cay, In the very heart Of dense swampy
woods. How the carriage had ever reach
cd i; | was Mt loss TO know. Upon pile
81 straw hurreily throwa Into the corner
Of the ruidering floor, lay n PROSTATE fig
urc, moinins at every breath. His face WAS
concealed by IA handkerchief, and tho blood
was slo~ly dripping from a gunshot would
Just above the anklc-a wound which had
teen clumsily baniaged BY some unskillful
hand. Moreover, there was . dark red
stain on tho straw where hi head lay, aud
his light brown hair WAS matted with cosg
uls,ed drops. Two or three men stood
around With rude masks Of black cloth
drawn over their faces, IN which three Sits
were CT &c the eyes and mouth; and q
female figure hnelt behind the heap Of
straw. yeslsd coscly.
The taen shsntiy made way for me as |
advanced into the apartment, and they held
their ianterasso that their lurid light should
fail upol my strange patient. As silently
stopped and examined both wounds
well - asked my carriage companion.
II can do nothing for him. Tho man
must iis''
Nonsense A mere bulle, through the
leg what does that amount tor gasped
the man
''ln itself, not much but tha, blow up
on the skull must prove fatal"
A low. hahtsuppressed cry burst from
the woman opposite. She tore the veil
from her iacc. a. II she could not breathe
through its heavy folds, revealing features
~ white aud beautiful in their marble agony
as SO much scuiptured stone. She did not
seem more than thirty, but | afterwards
knew that she Was indeed ten years older.
But in spite vf her present mortal anguish
how Erandly beautiful she Was Large,
carA eyes hair like coilsd gold, catch
ing strange CLEANS from the shifting Ian
terms an! broad, smooth brow-it was
face to see but once in q whole hfe-
time"
And vet in the midst Of her distress,
she never spoke.
AT least you can do something for him.
coctcr." said my intsrlceutor, ,mpatientiy.
Don't let ~ wastc time here"
A | proceeded in my ministrations tho
moaning grew fainter and fainter and the
coavuisive movements became scarcely per-
ccpooie faint CLEAN OF hope lighted I'D
the face OF the woman who knct with clasp
81 handa opposite she looked appealing
~ It me.
''tis i bstter-he 10 surely better p
''Hs will be better soon,' l answered,
moved to pity IN spite Of himself "Hc can.
not live half an hour longer"
The horror Of that scpuichral silence
that fell upon Us 49, my accents died away
shall l ever forget it? And five minutes
after cards the breathing, spasmodic and
painful 10 hear, died into eternal Stiffness.
Ths young woman litied the corner Of the
han ikerch'e eli aud gazed into the ehas,ly
face. l, VAS that OF a young man OF about
twenty twa, and who mad evidently bsen
marvelously good looking
.'Oh, heavens, he is lead -
Her clsar, asoalzsd so CO was ringing in
my ears "a they lei me back into The dark
ness OF tns right. felt band note
pressed into my hank as | entered the car
risgc once more.
"Dos.or, YOU have done your best; il is
not your faalt that Your efforts have not
been more successful. Remember, you are
pledged TO secrecy
Tue next moment was whiriing swiftly
through the November midnight, with the
strange, unql,et feeling Of one Weakened
suddenly from a startling dream. Yet it
was no dresm-alas it was startling re-
slity.
TIE carriage stopped at a cross-road
near the village.
"Pleaye to Ai,ght her, sir" said the dri.
yer 'you are not far from home"
Iobsysd. and stood listening in the mid
die Of the road, while the noise Of the car
rage wheels died away, losing ito dis
t,ncsrssa in the shrek ofthsrestless winds.
And the clock in the village church tolled
eustes hour of one.
Late = il Was, however, my surgery WAS
en'i open and lighted up the servant from
door.
III you please, doctor, you are wanted
Immediately at the hall. The Colonel said
yoa we're to ride my horas, it yours IA not
olready saddled, and can WALL a. ,h.-.