The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-05-07

(which tO0tE
1.-THE left" With the word came an
involuntary movement and q sharp cry
as the spasm Of pain followed.
Don't move it," he said hastily, and
In q matter of fact way he raised her
skirt and looked. Feeling, not seeing,
her surprise, for his eyes did not wander
to her face, he said simply. II am
physician"
Then, though he was too busy to know
It, sex asserted itself, and II he had look
ed at her face instead Of her foot he
would have seen . pretty picture, most
interesting to o philosopher, though per
haps not to one Of his school, he being
profoundly mAterialistic.
Margaret Latimer was incapable Of
the petty tTivialities Of protest that .
weak woman would have made. 1t did
not occur to her to make an outcry and
affect squeamishness, but her eyes fash
ed fire. Tanning, had he seen her face,
must have humbled himself in abject
apology, brusque and harsh As he was,
but fortunately he was entirely ignorant
Of her indignation, and took the swollen
ankle in his hand without the slightest
hesitation.
To her it was as II the ground had
opened under her. To be touched and
Razed at in this fashion was simply In
comprehenible. Her face, that was
marble a moment before, became sud
denly like q damask rose. Her eye told
her that Tanning was gentleman, and
his touch proved that he was truthful in
claiming to be physician, but
The ready penknife was cutting away
the substantial boot. When that was
of it passed steadily and swiftly around
above the ankle, and with one downward
sweep destroyed the stocking. Then
came again the most excruciating pains
as his skillful fingers pressed gently here
and there.
Physicians say there is an order Of high
intelligence which belongs to a portion
Of the human race and which makes
most difficult patients. Even sickness
and pain fail to subdue it, and one gifted
with it is Us recalcitrant under treat
ment as a lawyers client who has a
smattering of legal knowledge. He will
oppose theories, question methods and
even refuse medicaments that do not ap-
prove themselves to his mind, and double
the doctors task by forcing him to over
come mental obstinacy together with
physical ailment. The surgeon meets
with less Of this passive resistance than
the physician, since his work is not COM
monty complicated with mental process
es, but there are cases in which he must
first reduce his patient to submission be-
fore he can proceed with treatment. Such
a case, to his great surprise, DR.. Tanning
found this to be.
Amazement kept this young woman
silent for a few moments. The unprece-
dented situation-at least it seemed 80
to her-bewildered her, and strong as
she was it was little time before she
could decide whether to submit to this
benevolent stranger or not. At length
she decided.
stop a moment, DOCTOR" she said
quietly.
Tanning looked up. He turned his
face merely. The hand which still held
her ankle was as rigidly immovable as
II it were craven out Of steel. II know
that the pain Is intense" he said kindly,
"but it is inevitable that you must suf-
fer it. There is bone broken. and it
must be set."
at is not the pain that am thinking
Of" said Miss Latimer; "that is bad
enough, but the situation is worse. 1
am more than thankful for your kind.
ness, but we will suspend operations for
the present. My house is only half q
mile away, and l prefer to wait until ]
can be taken home before l am treated. "
Tanning looked at her closely and
thought he understood her. The flush
had not left her face, and it lent unusual
beauty to countenance that showed the
highest breeding as well IS marked in.
telligence. As II she had spoken all her
thoughts, he knew that even in her pain.
full plight she was mindful Of the pro.
prieties, and that the ministratiOns which
she would have accepted as Q matter Of
course II her mother had been present
were simply insupportable under the cir
cumstances. To her 1t seemed that virgin
pride was asserting itself. To him II
seemed that she was the slave Of Q fool
ish conventionality. BE did not hesitate
an instant.
"BoshT he exclaimed roughly. "a
shall not allow you to be moved until
the bone is properly set and your ankle
Is bandaged." And without more ado
he turned his attention to his business,
which, as heconceived 1t, was to see that
no further injury should come to her
foot.
It was perhaps well for him that he did
not look at her face again for Q time.
For her the world seemed to have come
to an end. Here was male Of her spe-
cies who not only set her expressed wish
at defiance, but who was actually hand.
ling her person as II she were the tools Of
his trade instead Of a rebellious princess
Of society. Evidently "the divinity that
doth hedge about" maiden had no Ter.
rors for him. He was to her first q man,
and secondly physician. She was to
him first q patient, and secondly-noth-
ing whatever.
Pride would not allow her to make
further protest In words. One movement
Is II to arise, and, confronting, to slAJ
him with her eyes, gave her such pang
that she recognized her powerlessness
again. Then, like . destroying fash Of
lightning, came q single throb Of agony
when the bone slipped into place and
all became o blank. But even as she
Swooned away into unconsciousness she
was raging like an insulted empress at
the single word steady" which he had
spoken coolly when she moved first.
Once more Tanning looked up, after