New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-08-06


curtains were closely shut, as well as
those of the aleoye, which coupled the
further end of the apartment. In this
room the doctor found himself along
with one Of the three individuals who
had made him I'm unwilling captive.
The stranger was tall and of inlpos-
ing mien. He was dressed with a tru-
" aristocratical precisian; lis black
eyes glittered through the half mask
that covered bis upper features, while
a nervous witch agitated his nncOy-:
cred lips and the thick beard that sur
rounded the lower part of his face.
:. Doctor, said the stranger, in Il
dry and broken voice, prepare your
implements you hayeto perform IN
amDntation. :
.'Whcre is the patient?' inquired
Lisfrahc; saying which lie turned to-
ward the alcoYe, and moved q step for
ward. Thetcnrtains waved gently, and
q stifled sigh was heard coming from
that direction.
:. Prepare for the operation, sir, . re-
peated the stranger, c0nvulsively.
"But, said the doctor, $ it is im-
p0rtant that I should see the patient y
f" You can see only the hand which
you are required to cut OFF,
The doctor then crossed his arms,
and, looking earnestly at his interlocu-
tor, replied:
Sir, there has been violence used in
bringing me here; if it be true, how
ever, that some one stands in need of
my services, without looking into your
secrets unmindful of the way have
been brought here shall willingly do
my duty as surgeon. Buff youhave
meditated crime, you may have
obliged me to follow you, but you can
not force me to become your accom-
plice.''
Be easy, sir,'' replied the stranger,
bitterly; .:there is no crime in all this
And taking the doctor by the arm, he
walked up to the alcove; then pointing
to hand that came from behind the
curtains, he said: "That is the hand
you are to cut off.
The doctor took within his own the
extended hand; he felt it's delicate fin.
gers shudder at the contact. It was
a wOman's hand. small and beautiful
~ shaped, on which q ruby ring made
its wilderness appear still more remark
able. S.
!" Nothing here . exclaimed the doc
tor; ''no, nothing demands an ampu-
tation.''
And tell you" cried the stranger,
with laundering voice, ]" that, if the
surgeon refuses, I shall fulfill his Office
myself;" and, Selling an AK that lay at
the foot of the bed, he laid the hand
on the night table and prepared to sew
er it.
The doctor held him back.
Then do it yourself, " said the man.
g But this is an atrocious deed!' cried
poor Lisfranc.
This is nothing to you. 1t must be
done; ! will it SO. The lady wishes it
likewise; if 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. A fee
BILE voice came from the alcove, and
said, in tone of unutterable despair
and resignation:
Since you are a surgeon, sir-yes, i
entreat you let it be yourself and do
not let-oh, you-for mercy's sake!''
Come, DOCTOR said the unknown;
either you or ]. "
So fierce and terrible was the aspect
OF the stranger. and SO implacable and
relentless his determinatiOn-the pray
er Of the poor lady, so poignant and
despairing, that the doctor felt inn
PEELED by humanity itself to obey the
a +001/ hso 90
with last look the heartless stranger,
who merely replied by pointing signifi-
cantly to the ak. With q broken spirit.
and cold preparation bathing his
noble brow, the doctor 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 81
lence.
The stranger stood by, apparently
unmovcd. 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 sew
cred hand, and, drawing the ruby ring
from off one Of the fingers, presented It
to the doctor.
. Take it, DOCTOR said he; sit is q
souvenir; no one will claim it from
you He then added in q low voice.
it is overp'
Immediately the other two masked
men came in, and, bandaging his eyes,
again led him away. The same car
riage that had brought him there set
him down again at his own door. DR..
Lisfranc snatched the bandage from
his eyes in time to see the carriage
rolling away and disappearing in the
darkness. It was five O'Clock in the
morning.
It 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 Gndisputable proof of
the reality Of his collections, he would
have thought himself prey to an hal
lucinatiOn.
Hoping, however, that the ruby ring
would sooner or later lead to some rev.
Citations of 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 q ball given by tho /
Countess dc P. in her magnificent
mansion In the Rue de Varennes, Paris.
He accordingly went.
All the fashion and elite Of the French
nobility, as well as the most illustrious
personages Of German diplomacy,
thronged the saloons, which were rar
diant with light and beauty.
a young man, with . pale face and
melancholy eye, had been, during the
evening, the object of particular re-
mark BY many of the guests. He
walked, from time to time,s through the
suites Of apartments, with an anxious
look, and then, with q sorrowful de-
.meanor, separated from the crowd.
1t SO happened that this young man
found himself, for an instant, opposite