The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-11

nd slender, and yet his beauty, though
eai, may, i~ndisputabie. was not attractive.
'copie eraned their necks to admire this
M! rel Of masculine perfection, but they
biz Adonis. With ali his beauty he looked
tnpid, and upon clOser examination
in his yelled and almost lasciyiOns
oOk an expression Of falsehOod and cum
And yet he WIS 40 handsome that Alex
'ndra IIanine, the only one who had re-
aimed her ~cOmpOS1re gOrmeWhat amid the
sorrow, cOnld not keep from u move
nent OF admiration. The young mans
passed negligsGtIy over lana and
.ested upon the Young girl. Alexandra
n cast down her eyes. The man
'miled triu mphantiy.
Doctor" said Vladimir quickly, "how ID
wounded mapY"
1--WE have succeeded in bringing him here
giving him too much pain. l have
the wound. II IL serious, but | have
lot lost all hope"
lana raised her head and examined tue
Her keen scrutiny secmed TO
the doctor. Then she turned
way with n cold smile. She had made mp
ler mind; tho man was highly distasteful
her.
Doctor continued yladimer. 1--WE arc
very. fortunate in having you for Our adver-
'ary's second. l cannot express the graft
;ude which IL due to you from all of M, who
ire Interested in Nadine. without your
I'D this poor boy would perhaps be already
The doctor made A bow which he meant
20 be modest, though it was really con-
''Sir," said lana, II lelieve that life and
death are in Gods hand and that science il
The doctors ironical smile did not es.
cape the countess and increased still more
the antipathy which she felt for this man.
But" continued lana. Though you can
not be certain, you can estimate the posi-
] ask you, therefore, do yon ex-
pect TO save my cousinT"
after probing the wound and studying
me wounded mans condition." replied the
in a sharp and ~peremptory tone. II
canp promise his cnre il j am left free to act
lana, nnaccustomed to the tone used by
the doctor, felt offended. She replied very
Would Won not consider IL an advantage
for a young man like yourself to profit by
experience Of some older practitioner?
A. il our friend; would you not think il
convenient to consult with him?"
At these words the doctor turned purple
with rage.
II told you. madame, that ! desire to act
from a standpoint Numerically opposed to
NINE
lana interrupted him. "What is Your
she asked. Thinking he had
made an impression. the doctor looked i'm
portant.
"Aristides Petrowich Dakouss,, he re-
piled.
lana showed great astonishment.
II never heard that Name. Ills strange.
! thought from the way in which you
spoke Of DR.. A. that you were a medical
celebrity" ,
The handsome doctro was provoked.
Madame said he, II belong to a school
that despises routine. The fact that you
have never heard M name proves nothing
to me, except that you follow the ways OF
the alIopathx and the ~homosopatls.r
Iana retorted smiling:
"You forget that in medicine / can fol-
low no ones ways. This docs not prevent
me from having great confidence in DIR.
AS experience. Pardon me, therefore, if
/ INSIST
The doctor answered almost rudely:
II think it is useless for o to insist. /
alone attend my patients and ! shall never
to n consultation with an old prac-
toner. II you have such confidence in A.,
choose between him and me-"
my choice il made, SIR said lana in
"Vadine is my cousin, l am the
cause of his wound, l wish to save
him: DIR. A. possesses my entire confidence
md [ have not the honor to know you!'
VERY we'll, madame" responded Dakou-
not tell you what / think Of your action,
especially after all / have done for your
nephew: but it does not surprise me coming
RS il does from a great lady,
''If you mean u fees. sir. send your
bill; whatever it may be l shall pay its
The doct.r's eyes gave AZ iil-omened
fash; he had already opened his mouth to
utter some sarcasm, when Vladimir inter
posed.
''Are you beside yourself, lana said he.
do you forget that duels arc strictly
i'll Russia? Too many are al
ready privy to this unfortunate affair. II
he minister of war or the emperor should
near of our meeting this morning. we
all be severely punished. l for aid
ing in it. Nadine. the seconds, the doctor.
and, above all, Capt. Bello. Now. if Bello
shall never forgive myself, and you mus
know why. No, we must not call in an
to attend the patient. M. Dakouss
has already dressed the wound with great
lexterity. 1 assure you. Let him finish his
ask. / promise you that he will acquit
himself we'll.
Vladimir said lana. 81 yield TO your
but you must know that Va
safety
1.-THE doctor will save him, I assure you.
Pardon my wife, doctor. You are young.
will readily understand that at first
sight you canno inspire unbounded conf
ience. especially i'll one who has not seen
ut work"
The doctor hesitated: his wounded vanity
him to refuse. He darted n side
ut Alexandra.
At this moment Vladimir said:
You will stay. won't you, doctor? /
shall give You Il room in ths house. Yon
promised ms on tho way not to abandon
the wounded man until perfectly healed.
Frequent visits. you tell me. would be dan
agree with you You will make
your peace with my wife. Come. Will you
accept"
Then il seemed TO the handsome doctor
A~lexandra's black eyes made him yield.
A deceitful smile appeared on his lips. Il
malicious glenn lighted his eyes; he conf
posed his features and replied:
We'll. general. | consent: and | promise
you, unless unforeseen compli cations arise,
TO set your cousin Oh his feet again within
a month. Confidence il not n feeling that
be forced. nave certain principles
InINAMA Al lrmd.