Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-08-12
Hook at him in a puzzled way, and he

lOOk at uiiu III puznieu way anu ue
scrutinizes me.
"Where is the ladyp" I ask, some
what impatiently.
"The ladyP Oh, your wife thought
1t would be pleasanter for her not to see
you again Just at present. After few
days, when you are at home and
calmer."
"Calmer! What the deuce do you
meanp" l asked, turning fiercely on
him.
There, there. Not the least use in
that; all in good time. She will come,
never fear; / have seldom seen q more
charming and affectionate creature. Il
cannot part with him." she said; 1T
wrings my heart
"See here, / can't for the life of me
make out what you mean. Let me see
the doctor-Doctor Pierre Bernhoff."
The fat man shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, ! am Doctor Pierre Bernhoff." !"
"Where Is your wifep"
He regarded me as one does trouble
some child, then lifted his eyes with a
look above.
SIN heaven"
GOOD gracious! Do you mean TO
say that did not drive up here with
your wife a half-hour ago, and that she
did not show you a case containing ten
thousand rubles' worth of diamonds for
your decisionP"
"Ah, diamonds 1" said he, indulgently.
Eyes, yes-so you did. But you must
have patience. She's gone now to shUw
them to the Cham of Tartary. whose
daughter is to wed tomorrow the Basli-
Bazook of ShiraZ, and will wear your
jewels on her neck. Ha, ha! Mashoukis,
hnl. hsa fa Il
case, as the lady represented"
saw the whole plot at n glance. My
imbecile fancy had led me straight into
it. cursed my own folly and began to
tell the doctor the truth as rapidly al
possible; but saw il had no effect. 4
begged him to send at once to Carmel
& Shoveloff's for confirmation. knew
Alexis had not least idea of my where
abouts.
The doctor listened patiently, blandly
and assented TO all. But felt horri-
bic certainty that he would do nothing.
Why should he trouble himself with the
vagarics of a lunaticp
II monsieur will be patient, it shall
all be done-to-morrow, / dare say"
Good Godm cried, sudden horror
striking a terror to my heart. Il am
to be married tomorrow
The doctor evidently regarded this as
a fresh outburst of insanity.
ITO be sure, to be sure,h he said,
soothingly; "but it will all come right.
1t would have to be Lut off any way,
for Madame Snippski has not finished
the wedding dress"
"Oh, for heavens saker' / cried. in
the most abject terror "do not talk to
me in that style, or you will drive me
mad in earnestl Can you not see that
this woman was an adventuress-that
this is a clever trick TO rob us of ten
thousand rubles' worth of diamonds?"
"It reminds me of the case we had
last fall-squinteyed party-who had
been robbed Of the Robinson" muir
INJURED the doctor TO the nurse.
And then lost all command OF my
self, and made a mad effort to escape. /
flung myself suddenly agvinst the doctor
and doubled him up but he old woman
flew on me like a tigress, and fought
tooth and nail. She was powerful
creature, rs were all the employees OF
the place; and beneath the vast cush-
ions OF fat were muscles of steel and :
frame of iron. Then she never ceased
yelling for help, and, of course, was
overpowered in three moments, while
the doctor. recovering from his tempor-
airy collapse, glared at me rather vim
dictively, his face the color of rnsp-
berry jam from rage and pain.
There was no hope of his listening TO
anything after that, and felt that my
chance Was gone. So / allowed myseif
to be led 10 bare cell and locked in.
Then I had n chance for reflection
The sun was going down. / knew that
/ must spend the night there, and per-
haps many a night. How was | ever TO
be foundP Carnreis e. Shoveloff nigh
publish the loss of the Diamonds. There
was a slight hope in that; but 1t would
take n day or two TO give the matter
publicity, and my wedding was to be
tomorrow Then IL was more likely
they would go to work in a secret way.
which Is more popular in Russia. and
not breathe a word openly of the loss,
and what would become of me in the
meantimeP They might even think I
was in league with tbe handsome nd.
venturess, and had gone off with her TO
enjoy the ill-gotten gainsl
All these things burned and seethed
In my brain, till Ii seemed as II /, too,
must break out into important raving.
or blood-curdling oaths, or passionate
prayers. such as re-echoed through
the longcorridors about me; for was
in that department OF the institution
marked Violent and l could hear all
night long the wails--the groans, the
gibberings. the mad outbreaks Of vio-
lence, the sudden shrieks and crashes,
that seemed to torture the very echoes.
Morning at last-through barred
window that "slurred the sunshine
half n mile"; yet I knew by even that
pale beam that the sun had risgn upon
my wedding dayl
My wedding dayI Lisa was kneeling
perhaps at that moment breathing
prayer for our future happiness. She
was pious little thing, knew. 1 pic
tured her lifted soft brown eyes, full of
tears and hopes her pretty folded hands.
/ had never loved her enough, but
now-now that she seemed slipping
away from me, now that horrible
chance hap severed us-she grew sud-
denly dear and precious.
Lisa" / groaned "oh, my darling.
nrav--nrav aa Won have never dona he.