The Grange advance., 1874-09-30

Doctor Wood,' said one of the
masks, II sent for you to perform a
surgical operation"
The young physician swept the apart
ment with his eye, but could see no one
who looked like a patient.
'"rhere's an arm to be amputated,"
continued the mask, quickly. $50 let's
to work at once. This way, if you
please, doctor.''
The man stepped toward a curtain
stretched across the cave and raised the
ample folds. Alf. Wood found him.
self in smaller compartment, which
was, in fact, but continuation of the
main cave, and his eyes fell upon a
couch.
''Here lies your patient, DOCTOR"
said the man. ''To work at once.'
As the young doctor approached the
couch, he discovered that his patient
was woman, whose face was tightly
vailed
She slept, and Wood glanced at his
man as he drew the coverlet aside.
The masked face stood near him with
a revolver.
''The face is not for you to see,' said
the stern voice. ''Look to the arm!''
Gently he lifted the bandaged arm
and examined it. A pistol.ball had
made havoc with the flesh, and, TO no
little extent, the bone was injured.
But suddenly he leaped to his feet,
and stared aghast at a ring that glitter
ed on one of The swollen fingers
s'To your work SIR said the man.
s'Cut that arm off.
'sThat arm can be saved.'
''Take it OFF,
''Twould be the height of cruelty.
Sir, l placed that ring on her finger four
years ago. Let me spare the arm
The revolver was lifted to his breast.
eff you don't proceed Immediately to
the amputation Of that arm, I'll put a
bullet into your heart.''
The doctor moved slowly 20 open his
case of Instruments.
''Be more expeditions, doctor,'' said
the man, impatiently.
He moved to the couch, but drew
back when ne took up the arm.
Il won't mutilate this beauteous
body-there - he cried, and a second
later he hurled the case of surgical in.
struments at the brigand's head.
The box struck the masks revolver,
and dashed it from his hand. But he
drew another quickly; but never got
to use it for, as the novel weapon left
the doctors hand, he displayed his own
pistol, and the brigand staggered for
ward, shot to the death!
A minute of wild excitement fol-
lowed. The curtain parted, and three
men leaped into the chamber; but two
went back with bullets in their bodies,
and the third fell forward, shot by a
volley which, at that juncture, was
poured into the cave from the exterior.
The Regulators were upon the Ozark
bandits, and in less time than I can re-
cord sentence, the battle was over!
Alfred Wood tore the veil from his
patients face, and Ethel Grey, under
the influence Of some soporific, lay be-
fore him.
He saved her arm after he had lis
tened to her story.
Four years prior to the opening of
our story, Alf. Wood, then young
medical student, fell in love with Ethel
Grey. But malicious lies estranged
them, and she followed her father to
the villas Of Kansas. There she had
fallen into the clutches of the chief of
the Ozark brigands, and, in attempting
to escape, had received the sentry's bull
let in her arm.
Her latest adorer, Ned Oliver, lay
cold and stiff in the ho:el at Dead-man' S
Gulch, while the chief of the brigands,
Black Rob, his murderer, slept the long
sleep, with the young doctors bullet in
his brain.
The man who had guided the doctor
to the mountains was the red-whiskered
fellow who tried his nerve at the hotel
as the reader has seen; but he had
tested that nerve too far, for he proved
to be one of the two who followed
Black Bob to the other world.
Doctor ALI. returned with the Regu-
lators to Dead-man's Gulch, which, un-
der new cognomen, is now flourish
ing city, and long since he retired from
practice, rich and respected, that he
might be more in the society of his
family.
Basil H1arris0n,s Romantic Marriage
At the age of 10, Basil Harrison, the
late Michigan centenarian, formed a 70.
mantle attachment for Martha Stillwell,