Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-03-29

pdSI disu nave W Ut ScUJ OdCh w MAIL.
1t would reach them too late to do any
good. I'll just rest bit and go on by
that 4:30 train. It's the only way"
He spoke slowly, as one who figures
out a situation.
Royal faced round to the bed.
"Are you aware of your condition."
he demanded gravely.
"Perfectly," the other replied. "Ive
watched the case from the beginning"
1t seemed hideous, this turning of
ones science upon ones self; but neither
man appeared to find it it so. The one
doctor made the statement and the
other received it quite as matter OF
course.
"You know, them" Royal proceeded,
speaking plainly because Of the urgency
of the case, 'just what your chance is
worth, even with all the help you can
get from rest and quiet. To continue
this journey will be suicide"
The eyes on the pillow met his reso-
lutely, and the jaw squared itself.
~ know that I'm to be married before
- o'clock tomorrow, and that I've got
TO be on hand, dead or alive"
Here was an unlocked for complica-
tion. Royals brows swept together in
perpleXity. 1t was an awkward situa-
ton, he was willing to admit; but with
him the professional instinct was domi-
nant.
1T can't be done," he announced de-
cidedly. "Your life won't be worth an
instant's purchase if you quit that bed.
It's an ugly tangle, but it won't help
matters to invite death in to unite it.
Delay may mean an hour or two Of
anxiety and modification to the lady,
but it means deuced deal more for you.
And it would be poor sort of woman
who wouldn' gladly submit to the one
| for the sake of the other. In short, the
case is in my hands, and don't choose
TO have it wrecked. Give me the adj
dress and III telegraph at once. I'll
write, too, if that will make your mind
easier. Anything else is out Of the ques-
ton. I'm going to give you an oplate
now, and you must compose yourself
and go TO sleep"
The sick man smiled, but his express
sion lost none of its resolution. 1t
amused him to hear the tone taken with
him which he himself was prone to take
with his own patients; it was like an
unexpected glimpse of his own re-
Election. As for his chances, he
could estimate their worth far more
accurately than could his monitor;
his opportunity for observation had
been greater, and, as he had stated, he
had followed the case from the begin
ming. To his mind the question involved
Of oh hat
death than an estimate of endurance
under diverse conditions and OF hours
ere death should come. His pain had
been lessening for several hours, and
torpor was gradually stealing over his
lower limbs, whose significance was I'M
mistakable. His brain was clear and |
abnormally active, and he involuntarily |
trusted to his strength of will TO clinch |
his grasp on life until his purpose should |
be accomplished. Like most forceful |
men he cut his margins close, and some
times neglected to make sufficient allow
ance for nature.
He waved the opiate aside.
~ don't intend to sleeep yet" he de-
clared prop me up trifle, please, and
give me something TO fight this cursed
ed, aside from the order, and | want you
to help nstead of hindering me. My mar
riage before II o'clock tomorrow isn't
simply question of anxiety or mortif-
cation to woman, though that would
be bad enough. It's question Of food,
raiment, hope, ioy-all the things
which would 90 to make life full and, in
a measure, satisfying, as set against the
devils grind of poverty and dependence,
and for a woman physically incapaci-
tated for holding her own in the scram-
ble"
Royal put the rejected opiate aside
and did as the patient requested. Then
he drew a chair to the bedside and COM
posed himself to listen. There would
be no rest for the bruised body, he
knew, until the mind should be at lib
erty to rest also. He must get the Dad
whatever it might be, transferred to
his own shoulders, or the case would be
city, too, for excitement might bring on
internal hemorrage, of which there was
imminent danger.
"Take it easy" he said gently. I'm
going TO help you. Put what you've got
to say in as few words as possible and
then leave the matter to me. You've
overtaxed your strength already, but
there isn't any hurry now. We've got
eight hours before that train goes. But
first | want to suggest something.
Wouldn't will set the matter right for
the young lady?"
The patient shook his head.
mot mine" he answered. I'm worth
nothing outside of my profession. It's
a worse tangle than you think. Listen.
This is how the affair stands"
Divested of all superhuity of detail,
for which there was neither time nor
strength, the facts of the case were
these: Some fifty years before there had
been a quarrel in one branch OF the
Royal family over the disposition OF GER
tain property vested in northern securl-
ties. The family consisted of two broth
ers and a sister. and the property be-
longed to a maiden aunt who made her
home with them. The aunt's affections
had seemed pretty equally divided be-
tween nephews and niece, and without
overt declaration to that effect on her
part, the family feeling had been that
the young people Woulu sudIc anu eA"io
alike in the property. When, there
fore, on the old lady's death it had been
discovered that the entire estate had
been wllled to the niece without reser-
walton, the nephews not unnaturally
suspected, and what is more, being men
of choleric temper, proclaimed aloud
that there had been undue influence.
1t is true that, while the men disport-
ed themselves according to their pleas
ure, the woman had nursed and tended
her relative with loving care and pa
thence. But this did not strike the
brothers as afTording sufficient reason
for the will being made so unequivo-
cally in their sisters favor, since anxi-
ETY. and care and household pains
and troubles fell naturally with
Ia womau'S DrOyince. Per-