San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-12

"Take swallow of this, he said, pro-
ducing a pocket flask. She obeyed, and
the raw, whisky made her cough. She
looked reproachfully at him.
THAT is all right" he said reassur-
ingly. Now tell me how you are hurt. "
81 slipped and wrenched my foot, and
when tried to walk tainted. fancy
q bone is broken"
- NJ
(Which foot?"
''The left" With the word came an
involuntary movement and sharp cry
as the spasm of pain followed.
sDon't move it," he said hastily, and
in a matter of fact way he raised her
skirt and looked. Feeling, not seeing,
her surprise, for his eyes did not wander
to her face, he said simply, II am
physician"
Then, though he was too busy to know
it, sex asserted itself, and if he had look
ed at her face instead of her foot he
would have seen pretty picture, most
interesting to a philosopher, though per.
haps not to one Of his school. he being
profoundly materialistic.
Margaret Latimer was incapable Of
the petty t1ivialities of protest that
weak woman would have made. 1t did
not occur to her to make an outcry and
affect squeamishness, but her eyes flash
ed fire. Tanning, had he seen her face,
must have humbled himself in abject
apology, brusque and harsh as he was,
but fortunately he was entirely ignorant
Of her indignation, and took the swollen
ankle in his baud without the slightest
hesitation.
To her it was as if the ground had
opened under her. To be touched and
gazed at in this fashion was simply in
comprehensive. Her face, that was
marble moment before, became sud
denly like damask rose. Her eye told
her that Tanning was gentleman, and
his touch proved that he was truthful in
claiming to be physician, but
The ready penknife was cutting away
the substantial boot. When that was
off it passed steadily and swiftly around
above the ankle, and with one downward
sweep destroyed the stocking. Then
came again the most excruciating pains
as his skillful fingers pressed gently here
and there.
Physicians say there is an order of high
intelligence which belongs to a portion
of the human race and which makes
most difficult patients. Even sickness
and pain fail to subdue it, and one gifted
with it is as recalcitrant under treat
ment as lawyers client VINO has a
smattering of legal knowledge. He will
oppose theories, question methods and
even refuse medicaments that do not ap-
prove themselves to his mind, and double
the doctors task by forcing him to over
come mental obstinacy together with
| physical ailment. The surgeon meets
with less of this passive resistance than
the physician, since his work is not COM
monty complicated with mental process
es, but there are cases in which he must
first reduce his patient to submission be-
fore he can proceed with treatment. Such
q case, to his great surprise, DR.. Tanning
found this to be.
Amusement kept this young woman
silent for few moments. The unprece-
dented situation-at least it seemed so
to her-bewildered her, and strong as
she was it was a little time before she
could decide whether to submit to this
benevolent stranger or not. At length
she decided.
"Stop a moment, DOCTOR" she said
quietly.
Tanning looked up. He turned his
face merely. The hand which still held
her ankle was as rigidly immovable as
if it were craven out Of steel. Il know
that the pain is intense" he said kindly,
~but it is inevitable that you must Suf
fer it. There is bone broken, and it
must be set"
at is not the pain that / am thinking
Of" said Miss Latimer; "that is bad
enough, but the situation is worse. /
am more than thankful for your kind
ness, but we will suspend operations for
the present, My house is only half a
mile away. and c-efer to wait until
can be take .Iome before am treated"
Tanning looked at her closely and
Thought he understood her. The flush
had not left her face, and 1t lent unusual
beauty to countenance that showed the
highest breeding as well as marked in
telligence. AS if she had spoken all her
thoughts, he knew that even in her pain
full plight she was mindful of the pro-
prieties, and that the ministrations which
she would have accepted as matter of
course if her mother had been present
were simply insupportable under the cir
eumstances. To her it seemed that virgin
pride was asserting itself. To him it
-como7 that she was the slave of a fool
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