The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-05

toms before | can attempt cure"
"fOur business here is to kill, not to
cure, Doctor said one in 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 JUS
tice 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"
iii this lady has committed any crime
30 great as to deserve death" he answer-
ed, full OF compassion for the untOrtu'
nate, "she must meet her punishment
from the hands OF the publicexecntioner,
not by mine.p
"By yours, and yours only" said one OF
his conductors, gravely. There Is no
time to waste in mere words. She knows
she has deserved death, and she knows
that she must die"
God forbid (" exclaimed the physician,
frozen horror stealing over him, The
ominous stiffness, the grim aspects Of the
terrible men, struck chill to his heart.
lie realized all the horror Of his posi-
ton.
"a doctor never travels without his
tools" replied the stranger; and as he
spoke he turned the lace back from the
tender throat, and, pointing to it, added
significantly: open the jugular vein; it
is the easiest and quickest way to die"
My grandfather started back amazed
and hOrror.strnck. These were the very
words he had uttered during one Of
those pleasant gatherings Mt the house
Of celebrated NeapOlitan a few days
back.
GLOW dare you propose to me such a
crime% he exclaimed. ~ am an Eng
lishmAn, and will not commit murder"
"Pshaw your nation produces as many
honorable criminals as any other. To
your work, sir and quickly. II you have
conscientious sCruples, remember an en-
forced sin lies lightly on my conscience;
lay that comfort to your soul. No more
words" he added peremPtorily-not one;
this Is the time for action"
81 refuse to obey yonr cruel command.
Let me CO."
The man who had been writing, and
until now had taken no part whatever in
the scene that was passing round him,
then rose up and Joined the group, Lay
ing his hand lightly on my grand.father's
shoulder he said:
"There Is no escape for you, Doctor;
every moment you hesitate you prolong
that woman's pain. She must die, and
you can dispatch her with painless
speed"
"What II ! refuse? You cannot force
me to commit 80 foul murder"
He pointed 10 the swarthy figures
(either soldiers or liveried servants Of
some noble family-my grandfather could
not tell which, who had been standing
mOtiOnless by the couch, and answered /;
"Then these faithful fellows will dis
patch you, and afterwards dispatch her;
they are MOI, professional, and their work
will be clumsily performed. II the opera.
ton be not performed upon your patient
before the clock strikes, you know your
fate; II you arc obdurate, remember you
throw away your own life without saving
hers. She Is doomed; no power on earth
can save her" .-
1t was In vain to speak or cxpostulate
with those iiends In human form. lie felt
they were a. stern and MEMORABLE as fate.
1t was as cruel rs horrible and COwardly,
Five men assembled TO witness the pro-
fessiOnal murder Of young and beauti-
ful woman! What had she done2 Whom
had she offended ? Some secret machinery
was at work; these men were mere instrn.
ments in the hands Of n higher power
they had owned as. much; they had no
personal interest in the matter. They
were there to carry out justice, they said
-seCrGtly,it was true; but the woman had
been lawfully condemned, md the sen.
tcncC Of the law must bo privately OK.
eCutGd.
The woman's eyes were fixed upon
them throughout the whole Of this con-
versation, and Travelled from one face to
the other in hopeless agony; not a word
passed her ears, and only the one despair
ing, changless expression sat like seal
upon her face. She knew there was no
escape for her-none. There was only
the one question to be solved: Was she
to die by the unwilling hand Of n plying
stranger, or he killed cruelty by probes
sional murderGrs2 What u world OF ter
ror must have been cOmpasscd in those
few moments Of her life ~ she lay watch
ing and waiting there
The clock began to chime the quarters
II was about to strike. Alta given signal
the Statue-like figure stepped forward and
rapidly uncoiled u rope with n moose al.
ready made; they were about to slip II
over his head and hang him to n beam
which ran along the centre Of the ceiling.
The horror Of facing sudden and VIC.
lent end seized him-his death would
avail her nothing for whom he died. Ills
senses were In whirl; he threw up his
hands and sprang forward.
"I'll do itln he exclaimed, and fell on
his knees beside her. "They riR have
your life; I cannot save you, child;
but Calf shield you from their rough,
cruel hands, and put you painlesSly to rest.
Forgive me forgive for y Is In mercy
to you ! do this cruel deed"
The white hand went out TO him and
closed over his in soft, fOrgiving clasp
tne HHOHy uleu OUt VI tnc hMcet cgtH u
they rested ono moment on his face; then
with u low sigh she closed them and turn.
ed away her head. In another moment
her young life was ebblng slowly away.
lie remained by her side holding her hand
in his aud Watching till oil was over. lie
would not for second leave her with
those stern men, lest a woundlng word or
rough touch might disturb her on her way
from this world TO the next. lie was con.
Quoted from the place in the same way as
he had entered IT, and when his conduct.
ors took leave Of him they suggested that
II would be we'll II he would leave Ma
pies with ms little delay az possible. This
forced murder-for such ii really WAS
lny upon his conscience to tho end Of his
life, and filled II with one long remorse-
n living nightmare-for that scene was
always present to his mind. The change
that had so long puzzled us puzzled us no
more. lie could not carry his secret TO
the grave with him, so gave II into our
keeping.