The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-12-20
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DOCTOR DEANE.

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DOCTOR DEANE.
A Christmas story.
The December night was bitter cold,
with a clear sky above, the moon and
stars shining brightly.
| DIR. Deane sat before the fire. . =. !
He was young man of about eight
and twenty years of age, with pleasant
and good-looking face of f1o,id complexion
and, as yet, unmarried.
He satthis freeing winters night with
his feet resting upon the brace fender, q
medical book upon his hands, and a pipe
dangling from his mouth.
The contents of the book did not seem
to entirely enhance his attention, for
every few moments he would raise his
eyes and glance up at the clock on the
| mantel.
The clock struck twelve.
"Midnight," muttered the doctor aloud.
'The men are fully an hour behind their
appointed time. What can detain
them2"
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 before
him in the clear moonlight, carry
ing between them something long and
heavy, which was concealed in canvas
bag.
The two men Immediately entered
with their strange burden, and Docto
Deane followed them into his privat
room.
They laid the heavy canvas bag upon
the long table, which stood behind green
baize curtain, that was hung by rings on
brass bar running from one end of the
! room to another.
Without uttering word, the men slow
ly drew off the great bag covering and
human form half nude was disclosed to
view upon the table.
'The fellow said to the last that he
was the wrong man, SIR" exclaimed one,
winking his eye, "said and swore that
he was innocent. He died like a man,
SIR"
A moment later the two body bearers
bade "good night" to the physician, and
were out in the cold street. t
Deane, having bolted and locked the
door after them, returned to the room
and having pushed the green baize cur
tain aside to the wa l,stood looking at the
form upon the table with his hands clasp
ed behind him.
The body before him was that of man
OF perhaps thirty years of age, we'll form
ed and fine featured face which even
death could not rob it of its manly beauty; !;
but dull blue circle stained the skin of
the neck, where the moose of the hang
man had pressed, and tightened, and vet
the eyes closed and unswollen, gave to
that dead face the appearance of calm re-
pose.
A dark murder had been done eight
months before.
For the crime man had met MUIR
derer's fate upon the scaffold that same
morning, and there he lay this night in
the room of Doctor Deane-for the un-
fortunate man had been poor and utterly
friendless in life, and so in death the
| body had found its way to where it now
lay.
For few minutes Dcane stood silently
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.
He took up the candle, set it beside
the box on the dissccting table, and, roll
ing up his sleeves, opened the box and
drew forth long, slim and sharp -bladed
knife.
With the first gentle touch of the knife
upon the cold body, the young physician
started suddenly back step or two, and
dropping the knife upon the floor, stared
at the body before him. A slight shivcr
had passed through the form upon the
table, and the cyelids were trembling
even now.
Deane comprehended the truth.
! The man WIS not dead.
The doctor Immediately set to work to
revive the man who the world believed
had died upon the scaffold that same
morning.
His efforts were soon rewarded; for
within twenty minutes living, breath
ing being sat upright on the long table,
and swallowed the brandy that Deane
held to his lips.
"a live man!'' said he, in husky
voice, as he gazed about him, and then
fixed his eyes upon the doctor. "Thank
God, 1 was not buried alive!'
Deane shudderea.
"1ou will not give me up to the cruel
law again? You will not have me taken
back to prison? My God! will you not
be merclful?'
"You were found guilty of murder.
George Leighton. You were brought to
the caffold to-day, and, by most clumsy
mistake, were cut down before life had
entirely left your body. By giving you
up to the justice from which you have
for time escaped, only do an impera-
tive duty" said Deane.
GAS am now living man, as there is
a Heaven above, am an innocent mani y
cried George Leighton, iervently. II
never committed the deed of which am
accused-never, never! was condemned
upon evidence which was purely circum-
stantial, and no murder rests upon my
souls
Something in the look of the man
something in his voice and manner
caused Deane to think that, after all, this
being might be the victim of circumstan.
tial evidence.
"Don't give me up" pleaded Leigh
ton. "Don't let them kill me in earn.
est. Give me my freedom. Allow me
to leave this place free man, and the
mercy which you will show to an unfor
tunate man this nj ght shall ever remain
as close a secret with me as with you
You may live to bless the hour wher
| such mercy WAS shown me: for If thf