Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-08-14

scene had escaped her. 1t was evident that
something extraordinary had happened.
That these two-the fashionable physician
and the pitiable outcast on the hospital
mattress-knew each other she had now
not the smallest doubt. But the three
moved on to the next bed, smiling and
chatting as they went. Presently Sir Ken,
meth Brandon urged consultation at the
other end of London at 5 O'Clock, and OF,
fered to drive Lady Sibthorpe back. as she
had sent away her carriage. They were
both rather silent as they were bowled
along westward
A few nights afterward they met by &C,
cident at dinner. 1t was brilliant party.
The talk, like the food, was stimulating;
the wine, like the beauty of the women,
was rare. 1t was in gracefully ARTIFICIAL
moments like these that Sir Kenneth,
pessimist though he was, felt tenderly dis
posed toward all the world. Sir Kenneth.
in fact, was delighted, for he was deputed
to take Lady Sibthorpe down to dinner.
She was woman who looked specially
we'll by candle light and at dinner time.
Her teeth, her shoulders and her diamonds
were proverbial-three things which, adj.
ded to her native wit, made the widow
much coveted dinner companion. Sin
NSuucUu. lullc0Q, uftO utftG I6dllZtQ HOW
devoted he was to her before. And yet
there was an expression in Lady Sibthorpe's
eyes tonight which he had never seen there,
and which he could not quite understand.
81 see from the papers that you have been
in Paris the last few days." she said as
they ate their soup; II hope you have
saved Europe one of it's ex-crowned heads9"
''To any one but you am professionally
tongue tied" whispered the doctor gal.
lantly. "Her majesty is now out of dan
ger. I was in fact able to leave Paris by
the II train-just in time to dine here to-
night But l haven't opened single let
ter or telegram"
He kept the talk on the gossip of the day
until he saw the corners of her mouth give
way with a little tired droop.
"And your article on the hospitals?'
said the doctor, bending his head and smil
ing at the charming woman at his side. 81
hope you're going to let US down easily"
"Ahl my article will be on quite another
question:" said Lady Sibthorpe. 81 have
been curiously interested in a case which
is typical of one of the great problems OF
modern society. I have been three times
to the 'WhitechapeP since that day''-
81 wish to heaven you would not run any
such risk! We doctors are hardened, you
know, but there is always the fear of infec-
ton for delicate women"
''But that poor creature-Number Tween
ty-nine'-
"Ahr sighed Sir Kenneth, frownine
slightly, as he reached out his hand toward
his champagne glass. "Dear Lady Sib-
thorpe, those are terrible cases. They are
cankerous evils, eating away the very life
of our social system"
MY dear DOCTOR" urged the lady, in her
most delightful drawl, ''you forget what
Mr.. Lecky says. Number Twenty mine,
on the contrary, is the martyr of civiliza-
tionl''
Possibly" replied the physician dryly,
'but meanwhile
Meanwhile the woman has succumbed.
She died last night"
There was burst of laughter from each
side of the table. A well known @. C. was
telling the latest joke. In the pause that
followed, Lady Sibthorpe studied the menu
and Sir Kenneth fingered some grapes on
his plate. How much did she know? 1t
seemed to him an eternity before she spoke
again.
ct have taken Number Twenty-nine
as typical case. The woman seemed to
be what we are now agreed to call 'mor
ally uCLClCHu pOISOu. Leu, pEOpcT1y OTdlu6u
and protected, Number Twenty nine
might now be alive, well and tolerably
useful member of society. Think of i'll
That pitiable woman was barely forty"
'My dear lady," said Sir Kenneth slow
ly, ''you have probably only heard half her
story. Do you really know anything about
her?"
eyes," said Lady Sibthorpe abruptly
And as she looked him straight between
the eyes the doctor knew that she was
aware of the whole story. "I'm not senti
mental" she added, with smile, "but I've
taken a fancy to have this wretched Great
ure decently buried-in some little country
churchyard. She shall rest now-for good
Shall undertake the necessary arrange
ments3 Or would you, perhaps, prefer"-
The ladies were rising to go. Brandon
bowed his head.
'I-I think I would rather see to this
thing myself"
Nothing more was said. He sat down
again when they were gone, staring blank
ly at the fruit strewn plates and halt
drained glasses. Her crumpled napkin
fell across his knee, and as it fell he saw
with a shudder vision of stiff, silent
figure in the hospital mortuary. He could
hear the ladies' silken trains and high bred
voices as they trailed up stairs. And the
doctor knew that when that suave, desira-
BILE, but unrelenting woman had passed out
of the door she had also passed finally out OF
his life.-True Flag.