Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-03-19

| dblt.
! Nothing here" exclaimed the doc
tor; mo, nothing demands an ampu-
tation."
and tell you" cried the stranger,
with a laundering voice, that, if the
surgeon refuses, | shall fulfil his office
myself, and Selling an axe that lay at
the foot of the bed. he laid the hand
on the night table and prepared to
sever it.
The doctor held him back.
Then do it yourself" said the man.
! 'But this is an atrocious decd" cried
poor Listranc.
That is nothing to you. 1t must be
done: | will it SO. The lady wishes it
! likewise; ii she must ask it of yourself
/ she will do it. Come, madam, request
the doctor to do you the favor"
/ Poor Lisfranc, pale and trembling,
/ felt ready to faint on the floor 4 fee.
bic voice came from the alcove, and
said, in a tone Of unutterable despair
and resignation:
! Since you are a surgeon, sir-yes, |
entreat vou--let it be yourself and do
not let--oh, you-for mercy's sake"
SoLlt, NfStpi; chis tiiC ttiihlibNii,
either you or l."
| SO fierce and terrible was the aspect
OF the stranger, and 50 implacable and
relentless bis Observation-Disclosures prayer
of the poor lady so poignant and de-
| spairing that the doctor felt impelled by
humanity to obey the command.
He took his implements, in plored
| with last look the heartless stranger,
who merely replied by pointing signi-
! ticantly to an axe. With a broken spir-
it, and cold perspiration bathing his
noble brow, the doctar recalled all his
energy and presence Of mind. Twice
his arm trembled and he paused. At
length the blood spouted forth-a shrek
burst from the alcove, and to that cry of
agony succeeded dead silence.
The stranger stood by, apparently I'M
moved. Nothing was heard but the
noise of the horrible work. Soon the
hand and the instrument fell together
The doctor, livid and exhausted, gazed
upon the stranger with haggard eyes.
The latter stopped, picked up the sever
ed hand, and, drawing the ruby ring
| from of one of the fingers, presented II
to the doctor.
Take it, doctor" said he; "it is
souvenir; no one will claim it from
YOU" He then added in IL low voice,
sit is over!'
Immediately the two masked men
came in, and, bandaging his eyes, again
led him away. The same carriage that
had brought him there set him down
again at his own door. DR.. Lisfranc
snatched the bapdage from his eyes in
time to see the carriage rolling away
and disappearing in the darkness. 1t
was 5 O'Clock in the morning.
1t was in vain that day after day the
doctor exhausted every means he could
imagine for penetrating the mystery of
this terrible adventure. Had it not
been for the ring (indisputable proof of
the reality of his recollections), he would
have thought himself prey 10 IA halln-
cination.
Hoping, however, that the ruby ring
would sooner or later lead to some re-
violation CT this mysterious affair, he was
in the habit of wearing it suspended to
his watch chain.
About two months after the events
Just recorded, DR.. Lisfranc received an
invitation for ball given by the Coun-
tess de P, in her magnificent man
sion in the Rue de Varrennes, Paris.
He accordingly went.
All the fashion and elite of the French
nobility, as we'll as the most illustrious
personages Of German diplomacy,
thronged the saloons, which were radi-
ant with light and beauty.
A young man with pale face and
melancholy eye had been during the
evening the object of particular remark
by many of the guests. He walked
from time to time through the suits of
apartments with an anxious look, and
then with as sorrowful demeanor, separ-
ated from the crowd.
1t so happened that this young man
found himself, for an instant, opposite to
DR.. Lisfranc. His eyes mechanically
falling upon the doctor, soon assumed
an earnest stare, then glittered with a
fearful expression on the ring that shone
on his chain. With sudden and rapid
movement the young man passed
| through group that separated him
from the doctor, and, walking up to
him, elbowed him rudely and intention
ally. The doctor politely demonstrated
but, instead of answering, the young
man struck him repeatedly in the
| face.
II may be easily conceived what ex-
element and CONSERVATION this scene
! produced.
The next day was appointed for a
meeting, and the company soon after
dispersed in confusion.
The young Matilda de-(the names
are too illustrious and too we'll known
! for us to nnint them out even by mi