Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1875-06-15

| 10 MIN, VINO requested his Immedlat
attendance in case of great urgency
He represented that he was there on
visit of pleasure, not for professions
purposes. They were perfectly awar
of that fact, they said, still, they urge
him so strongly that. he overcame hi
scruples, and he consented to 90 wit
them. A carriage was at the door; b
got in first, they followed him, puIle
down the blinds, and the carriage raj
tied away. He did not like his position
and began to suspect that all was nc
right. They kept utter silence.
They seemed TO drive great distance
turning and turning many times Ono
he inquired, ''Had they far to go 2" an
received the brief answer, 'No" A
last they drove into the court yard of
great house. The door opened as if by
magic. There was no lights, he Nigh
as well have been blindfolded; ther,
would have been a total darkness bu
for the moonbeams that struggled
through the stained glass window, and
fell in fantistic shadows at their feet a!
they ascended the wide stone staircase
On reaching the first landing they threw
open the door: and for a second he wa:
almost blinded by the blaze of light that
streamed out upon him. The door clos.
ed behind him as he stepped ioto the
room. He took the whole aspect of the
room at a glance; it was georgeously
furnished, and brilliantly illuminated
with wax candles; at table, near the
heavily curtained window, man of
stern, commanding appearance sat
writing He raised his head as they en-
tered and pointing to the far end of the
room, exclaimed:
''Your patient lies there, sir"
My grandfather's eyes followed the
detection of his finger, and observed a
woman stretched upon couch. Where
had he seen that face before Slowly il
dawned upon his memory. A few days
back he had been to the theater, and,
glancing round, was struck by beauti.
ful, fair face, which for the time fas-
cinated him; he thought it the loveliest
there. He looked on il again now; but
how changed The hands were clasped
upon the breast, as though in prayer a
dumb, white terror was written on the
face and in the great uplifted eyes
there was a hopeless, despairing agony
siCkening to behold.
He inquired what was the matter
how she had been attacked, and seeing
that she was gagged, he begged them TO
release her mouth, that she might an
swer his questions, adding:
Il must know something of the symp-
toms before | can attempt a cure
Your business here is to kill, not TO
cure, doctor" said one in a strangely
sad tone, which accorded i'll with his
stern, fearful phrase. ''Your patient
has spoken her last word in this world.
She is doomed to die by secret though
strictly just tribunal, but we would
temper justice with mercy and spare
her the shame and public disgrace You
can cause her TO die easily and secretly
therefore we have brought You here.
crffle so great Is 10 deserve death, he
full of compassion for the un-
fortunate, 'she must meet her punish
ment from the hands of the public
not by mine"
''By yours, and yours only" said one
of his conductors, grayely. "There is
90 time TO waste in mere words. She
knows she has deserved death, and she
knows that she must die.
"God forbid :" exclaimed the phys
clan, frozen horror stealing over him
The ominous stiffness, the grim aspects |
Of the terrible men struck a chill 10 his |
leart He realized all the horror of his |
position.
"a doctor never travels without his |
.Ools, " resumed the stranger; and as he
,poke he turned tue lace back from the |
ender throat, and, pointing to it, added |
significantly, "0pen the jugular vein |
I is the easiest and quickest way to
lie."
My grandfather started back, amazed
md horror struck. These were the very /
words he had uttered during one of those
pleasant gatherings at the house of
celebrated Neapolitan few days back.
Chow dare you propose to me such
and will not commit muir
ler"
"Pshaw your nation produces as
many honorable criminals as any other.
To your work, sir, and quickly. If you
nave conscientious scruples, remember
IN enforced sin lies lightly on the con-
lay that comfort to your soul.
No more words" he added peremptorily
-''not one; this is the time for action.
81 refuse to obey your cruel COM
nand. Let me CO."
The man who had been writing, and /
Until now had taken no part whatever
n the scene that was passing round him,
hen rose up and joined the group. Lay
ng his hand lightly on my grandfather's |
he said:
"There is no escape for you, Doctor;
very moment you hesitate you prolong |
hat woman's pain. She must die; and |
you can despatch her with painless
peed.
"What if | refuse? You cannot force
ne TO commit SO foul a murder"
He pointed to two swarthy figures |
either soldiers or liveried servants of /
ome noble family-my grandfather
,ould not tell which, who had been
tanding motionless by the couch, and
"Then those faithful fellows will des-
,atch you, and afterwards despatch her;
hey are not pro essional and their work
will be clumsily done. If the operation
'e not performed upon your patient be-
ore the clock strikes, you know your
ate; if you are obdurate, remember
,ou throw away your own life without
aving hers. She is doomed; no power
N earth can save her"
1t was vain to speak or expostulate
With those fiends in human form. He
elt they were as stern and inexorable as
ate. 1t was as cruel as horrible and
owardly. Five men assembled to wit
less the professional murder of young
nd beautiful woman What had she
one? whom had she offepded2 Some
ecret machinery was at work these
nen were mere instruments In the hands
if a higher po@er-they had owned as
much they had no personal interest in
he matter. They were there TO carry
,nt justice, they said-secretly, it was
rue; but the oman had been lawfully
and the sentence of the law
must be privately executed.
The woman's eyes were fixed upon
hem throughout the whole of this con-
Iersation, and travelled from one face to
he other in hopeles agony; not q word
,assed her ears, and only the one despair
ng, chaBgeless expression sat like seal
ipon her face. She knew there was no
seape for her-none. There was only
he one question to. be solved: Was she
o die by the unwilling hand of a plying
franger, or be Killed cruelty by profes-
ionaH murdefers What a world of |
error must have been eompassed in
hose few moments of her life as she lay |
and waiting there. RI <
{ The clock began to chime the quar-
ers !; it was about TO strike. AT a given
;.,,oI. tba otofun lsHa fianrea- etapned