The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-06-11
Ten Minutes to Twelve.
CONTINUED from First Page. !

get it IN time to make new arrange
ments. There's no telegraph Office 1t
their station, and a message would go !
mast and have to be sent back by mail. /
1t would reach them too late TO do any /
good. III Just rest a bit and go on by |
that 80 train Its the oaly 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. I've |
watched the case from the beginning"
1t seemed hideous, this turning Of ones !
science upon ones self; but neither man
appeared to find it so. The one doctor
made the statement and the other re-
ceiyed it quite as a matter Of course.
You know, then" Royal proceeded,
speaking plainly because of the urgency
of the case, lust 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.
Il know that I'm to be married before
IL o'clock tomorrow, and that I've got
to be on hand, dead or alive"
Here was an unlocked for comphca-
ton Royals brows swept together in
perplexity. 1t was an awkward situa-
ton, he was willing to admit; but with
him the professional instinct was doni~
Eant.
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 i'll to unite It,
Delay may mean an hour or two OF
anxiety and modification for the lady,
but it means a deuced deal more for you.
And it would be a poor sort of woman
who wouldn't gladly submit to the one
for the sake Of the other. II short, the
! case is in my hands, and 1 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 expression
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 reflection. AS for his
chances, he could estimate their worth
4 far more accurately than could his mon
itor; his opportunity For observation had
| ha nd Gt1ta ~
had followed the case from the begin
ming To his mind the question involved
was less one of choice between life ant
death than an estimate OF endurance
under diverse conditions and of hours
ere death should come. His pain hat
been lessening for several hours, and ;
torpor was gradually stealing over hi
lower limbs, whose significance was un
mistakable. His brain was clear and alb
normally active. and he inv0luntaril,
trusted to his strength of will to clincl
his grasp on life until his purpose shout,
be ACCOMPLISHED. Like most forcefu
men he cut his margins close, and some
times neglected to make sufficient allow
ance for nature.
He waved the opiate aside.
don't jotaIld t. slaa1~ Tet - be DR.
, give me something to fight this curse
, weakness. You look fellow to be trust
ed, aside from the order, and | want 70
to help instead of hindering me. My NAL
riage before - o'clock tomorrow ism
simply a question of anxiety or mortif
, cation toa woman. though that would b
bad enough. It's question of food, ra
: ment, hope, joy-all the, things whic
would go TO make life full and, in mea.
ure, satisfying, as set against the devil
grind Of poverty and dependence, an
for a woman physically incapacitated fc
holding her own in the scramble
Royal put the rejected opiate asid
and did as the patient requested. The
; he drew 4 chair TO the bedside and CON
, posed himself to listen. There would b
no rest for the bruised body, he knew
until the mind should be at liberty t
rest also. He must get the load, wha
ever it might be, transferred to his ow
shoulders, or the case would be beyon
: his skill. 1t must be done quietly, too
for excitement might bring on interns
hemOrrhage, of which there was imm
i nent danger.
: Take it easy" he said gently. 'T1
going to help you. Put what you've &C
to say in as few words as possible an
then leave the matter to me. You'v
q overtaxed your strength already, BIT
, there isn't any hurry now. We've &C
: eight hours before that train goes BIZ
first | want to suggest something
|. Wouldn't will set the matter right fc
the young lady
The patient shook his head.
Not mine" he answered. I'm wort
!, nothing outside of my profession It's
s worse tanSle than you think. Lister
S This is how the affair stands"
= Divested of I'll superiority of detail
q tor which there was neither time nc
+ strength, the facts of the case wei
Y these: Some fifty years before there ha
been quarrel in one branch of IL
= Royal family over the disposition of ce
tain property vested in northern secur
ties. The family consisted of two brotl
ers and sister, and the property b,
. longed TO a maiden aunt who made hi
: home with them. The aunt's affection
had seemed pretty equally divided b
tween nephews and niece, and withoJ
d overt declaration to that effect ON h,
i part, the family feeling had been tn:
:. the young people would share and sha1
: alike in the property. When. therefor
d on the old lady's death it had been di
+ covered that the entire estate had bee
% wllled to the niece without reservation
the nephews not unnaturally suspected
: and what is more, being men of cho1er
temper, proclaimed aloud that there hs
been undue influence.
> 1t is true that, while the men disporte
" themselves according to their pleasur
q the woman had nursed and tended h,
It relative with loving care and patienc
l. Blt this did not strike the brothers as a
Ii fording sufficient reason for the will b