The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-12-26
DOCTOR DEANE.
A Christmas Story.

He was young man of about eight
and wenty years OF age, with pleasant
and good looking face OF tiorid complex
ion, and as yet unmarried.
He sat, this freezing winters night,
| with his leet resting upon the brass ien-
der, medical book In his hand, and u
pipe dangling from his mouth.
The contents of the books did not seem
to entirely enchain his attention, tor
every few moments he would raise his
eyes and glance up at the clock on the
mantle.
The clock struck twelve.
"Midnight," muttered the doctor,
aloud. "lhe men are fully an hour be-
hind their appointed time. What can
delay themW
The words had scarcely left his lips
| when the bell pealed loudly.
Doctor Deane laid down his book
upon the table.
He unlocked and opened the front
door, and beheld two men standing be-
fore MIN in the clear moonlight, carrying
between them something long and
heavy, which was concealed in canvas
bag.
The two men Immediately entered
| with their strange burden, and Doctor
Deane followed them into his private
| room.
They laid the heavy canvas bag upon
| the long table, which stood behind a
green baize curtain, that was hung by
| rings on IA brass bar running from one
end of the room TO the other.
| Without uttering word, the men
slowly drew off the great bag coverin &
and Il human form half nude, was dis
closed to view upon the table.
| 'Pne fellow said TO the last that he
was the wrong man, sir" exclaimed one,
| winking HIS eye, "sald and swure thai
he was lnhoc nv. He died like man,
sir"
A moment later the two body bearers
| bade ''good night" TO the ply siciRn, and
were out in the cold street.
| Deane, having bolted and locked the
door after them, returned to the room,
and, having pushed the green baize cur
| tainS aside to the walls, stood looking at
the form upon the table with his hands
| clasped behind him.
Tue body before him was that of a
| man of perhaps thirty years of age, we'll
formed and with u fine featured face,
which even death could not rob of its
manly beauty; but a dull blue circle
stained the skin of the neck, where the
moose OF the hangman had pressed, ana
tightened, anu yet the eyes, closed and
appearance OF calm repose.
A dark murder nad been done eight
months before.
For the crime man had met a MUIR
derel's fate upon the scatfold that same
morning, and there he lay this night in
tue room OF Doctor Deane-for the un-
| fortunate man had been poor and utterly
friendless in lie, and so in death the
body had found its way to where it now
lay.
For few minutes Deane stood 81.
lently looking at the corpse, and then
he turned upon his heel, walked over to
an open chest OF drawers, and drew out
| his box OF instruments.
| lie took up the candle, set it beside
the box upon the dissecting table, and
rolling up his sleeves, opened the box
and drew forth long, slim and sharp
| bladeu knife.
With the first gentle touch of the
knife upon the cold body, the young
physician started suddedly back a steI
or two, and, dropping the knife upon the
floor, stared at the body before him.
A slight shiyer had passed through
the form upon the table, and the eyelids 3
were trembling even now.
Deane comprehended the truth.
The man was not dead.
| Ane uoSCol ilAneultIeIy SET TO work to
revive the man, whom the world believed
had died upon the scatfolu that same
morning.
| His efforts were soon rewarded: for
within twenty minutes a living, breath.
| ing being sat upright on the long table.
and swallowed the brandy that Deane
held to his lips.
ga live manW said he, in husky
voice, as he gazed about him, and then
| fixed his eyes upon the doctor. '.Thank
God, was not buried alive!'
| Deane shuddered.
| "You viii not give me up to the cruel
Ilaw again? You will not have me taken
back TO prison? My God! will you moi
| be mercIlulV
"You were found guilty Of murder,
George Lelgntoh. You were brought to
the scaifolu to-day, and, bv most
life had entirely left your body. BY Civ
ing you up to the justice from which
you nave for a time escaped, only do
an imperative duty" s4iu Deane.
''As am now living man, as there
is a Heaven above, l am an innocent
man!H cried George Leighton, tervently.
II never committed the decd Of which L
am accu sea-lever, neverl | was con-
demned upon evidence winch was pure
ly clrcumstantial, and no murder resUs
upon my soul"
Something in the look of the man,
something III his voice ana manner,
caused Deane to think that, after all,
this being might be the victim of Cir
Gums tantial evidence.
HDoRt give me up" pleaded Leighton.
EDUn'G let them Kill NE iii earnest. Give
me my freedom. Allow me to leave this
place "a tree mar, and the mercy which
you will show an uniortunate man this
night shall ever remain as close a secret
with me as with you. You may live TO
bless the hour when such mercy was
SHOWN me; for if Tue old saying that
murder Will oup was ever u prophetic
one, 1T shall be i'll my case, docJor. 1
say again, / am an innocent man; and
the time will come Wnen you ana ali the
world shall be firmly convinced OF the
fact"
81 will be mercful. 1 do not know
why it is, but am strangely forced to
believe your declaration that you are an
innocent man. / hav9 an old silt of
clothes here. Arise and dress yourself.
and Jet the coming of another nlgnt
see you upon the ocean. Remember
faithfully the belief / have in you.
vi never abuse the mercy thus shown
uu.o
The man. descending from the table.