San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-29

watched the case from the beginning"
1t seemed hideous, thisturning of ones
science upon ones self; but neither man
appeared to find it so. The one doctor
made the statement and the other re-
ceived it quite as a matter of course.
You know, then" 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-
lutoly. and the jaw squared itself.
Il 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 IN unlocked for conpiica-
ton. Royals brow swept together in
pcrplexiGy. 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-
ciGcdly. Your Life won't be worth an
insrant's purchase if You quit that bed.
lis an ugly Cangle, but it won't help
matters to invite death in to unite it.
Delay may mean an hour or two of
| anxiety and modification for the lady,
but it means 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. In short, the
case is in my hands, and 1 don't choose
tn bou hn ol
dress and I'll 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 opiate
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
far more accurately than could his mon
itor; 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
WAS less one of choice between life and
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 q
torpor was gradually stealing over his
lower limbs, whose significance was I'M
mistakable. His brain was clear and alb
normally 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 martins close, and some
times neglected to make sufficient allow
anCe for nature.
He waved the opiate aside.
Il don't intend to sleep yet" he de-
clared. "Propme up a trifie, please, and
give me something to fight this cursed
weakness. You look n fellow to be trust
ed, aside from the order. and want You
to help instead of hindering me. My mar
rage before 12 o'clock tomorrow isn't
simply a question OF anxiety or NORTH
cation to a woman. though that would be
bad enough. It's question of food, raj
ment, hope, joy-all the things which
would go to make life full and, in meas
ure, satisfying, as set against the devils
grind of poverty and dependence, and
for woman physically incapacitated for
holding her own in the scramble"
Royal put the rejected opiate aside
and did as the patient requested. Then
he drew chair to the bedside and COM
posed himself to listen. There would be
no rest Tor the bruised body, he knew,
until the mind should be at liberty to
rest also. He must get the load, what
ever it might be, transferred to his own
shCulde.s, or the case would be beyond
his skill. 1t must be done quietly, too,
for excitement might bring on internal
hemorrbage. of which there was immi-
| nent 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 yo':ug Lady,
The patient shook his head.
Not mine" he answered. "rm worth
nothing outside of my profession. It's a
worse tangle than you think. Listen.
This is how the affair stands"
Divested of all superiluity 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