The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-07
alled me Elwin, as if he knew me very

calLeo me ElWln, as If he knew me very well.
 "Why do you say Elwin ?" asked.
 don't know,' sand the surgeon care- lessiy 1" it is Elwin, is it not 2"
 He was short-sighted, and he walked to tue head of the bed, peered closely at a large card affixed there which stated the nature of my case, my diet, and my treatment, and all particulars tor the information of the surgeons and stu dents going to and fro :; and my name and number were there also, it was evil dent.
 "You're down here as Elwin-E Finest Elwin. Is it wroag, then 3" he asked.
 l did not answer; could have shouted "Yesp in my rage and distress, but it would have been foolish lie. Some one had recognized me, or something had betrayed me, and my long silence had been all in vain. l had not spoken of my home, and no one had cared to ask me concerning 1t if there had been any. body whose anxiety could allay, they thought probably should have been the first to mention it, of course. But had been very silent, very grim. It had seemed to me better that Eva should re- main in suspense awhile than that she should come here and possibly meet him. The great surprise was over by this time, and it was only question of short time longer. Had she known l should not have been allowed to see her yet awhile, she would have called persistently and been discovered. All this had had the strength to plan out, to feel the misery of it all, and yet to feel sure that it was best And after all there was my name at the head of the bed and the secret had kept so close exposed to those who cared to read.
 " Is it wrongr the surgeon asked again.
 It is quite right" I replied at last. " But who put my name up there ?"
 don't know"
 Later in the day l asked the nurse, and she could not inform me either. It had been a matter of form-done by one of the students, she supposed-she could not say.
 Strange Y l muttered doubtfully.
 "l don't recognize the handwriting either" she said, looking at the card in her turn. "It's not the usual writing. Does it matterp'
 "No."
 But lay and tried to puzzle out the meaning till l grew very faint, and went back a step or two toward a relapse. When l was well enough to speak again next day, l asked that a message might be sent to my home explaining to Eva where was, and saying that she must . fn I any one yet it was Sir Edward Trafford's 
 Say Sir Edward Trafford's," I pleaded, " and ask her to write to me instead, and assure me she's we'll"
 In due course the answer came. There were only few words, and had thought she might have sent me longer letter.
 C have been already told of your ac- cident, and have promised for your sake to keep away" she wrote. [" am terri ply bewildered. I pray every night-I, who have not prayed for years-for your recovery. am i'll. EVA"
 She had known all, then but who was there in the hospi al to inform her of my accident? Her address was not on the books, and there was no one to whom my accident was of any extra interest, save rom scientific or surgical point of view. Unless-and l tried to think if it were possible Sir Edward Trafford had done all this himself, had recognized me, Found out my address, and written to her who had been once his wife. Surely inn possible!
 The probable return of the great sur yeon to town filled me with dismay, and retarded my progress to recovery. What would he say when he saw my name at he head of the bed2 What would he hinkp What would he do?
 owed my life to the man whose home had shadowed, whose name had d S. and my life was valueless in his .yes and my own. If could escape be- ore his return if could only get away before he looked down upon me with his | great inquiring, dark eyesl seemed suddenly to remember his eyes, and how | hey glistened through the glasses which | ie had always worn. grew afraid of hem. If could only steal awayl if :ould escape him
 Then came the relapse in earnest, born 'f all this mental struggle of which | :ould not, dared not speak, and all was :haos to me, from which l emerged at | ast, weaker than had ever been. I had | :ome back from delirium-there had | ,een another operation necessary; had 'een carried to the Lecture Theatre, and pack to my bed, without my knowledge here had been cold, critical discourse lpon my case to the students who had hronged the cperating-room to gather from my suffering, from the ips of the great surgeon who so seldom addressed them now, and only in inn 'ortant cases like my own.
 In the twilight before there were lights burning in the wards, one day when 1 9as stronger. l woke from my sleep to ind him sitting at my bedside. The lurse was near him talking in a low oice, and he was listening attentiveiv. fly heart seemed to stop still when was ure it was he.
 l was right. knew him by his eyes. D all else he was changed man. He 'as nine years Eva's senior, but had ot thought to see him with hair as white