Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-01-01
The Curse Of the MOne-
lands.
BY LEON LEWIS.
cHAPTER II-tContInued.l

girl would say you nayi"
$50 you did, uncle" admitted Vance
with keen interest. GWhat can have
given you such clear insight into the
situation?"
@Simply due attention to it's facts" re-
piled the uncle. ITO begin with, was
not Jessie sunny, light-hearted girl
when you first met her, on the occasion
of being called to treat her mothers
sprained ancle?"
~Yes, she was, uncle?"
"And since then the more she has
learned to think of you the more she has
grown preOccupied and unhappy"
al must admit it!n replied Vance.
~She has a secret, then, which renders
her ayerse to marriagel Does she love
you?"
"Better than she loves her own life,
uncle" replied Vance, with a lovers
ardor. "About this there can be no
Doubt"
"And yet she rejects you'll"
That's because Of some secret, as you
have already limited"
ado you propose to give her up, Vance?"
s~Jgst ebOgt as much as I propose to
give up living, uncle"
cor just about as much you would de-
sert patient who dismissed you in
moment Of raging delirium?"
EXACTLY"
Mr.. Wyeville uttered an ejaculation
Of the liveliest contentment.
Il am glad to see you 80 sensible" he
said. "The trouble with that girl, as
with her mother-I have been studying
them both-is that they are almost in
sanely morbid over some personal blem-
tsh or deformity, and this feeling has
been aggravated by the solitary lives
they've been living. They see nobody
and return no visits. In a word, they
are In most unhealthy and unnatural
state of mind, as the result of some
chronic af1iction of the body, and the
business we now have in hand is to find
out what ails them and apply the neces-
sary remedy. Are you their doctor,
Vance?"
"No, uncle. They have never said the
least word to me professionally outside
Of that sprained ankle which first intro
duced me to them nearly year ago."
They've never even demanded the
usual tOnics and powders of the interest
ing invalid?"
an thing of the sort, uncle"
"Nor any plasters or ointments?"
SNo, uncle"
Vance unused 9 minute or two, with a
thoroughly puzzled air, and then added:
~They simply seem to be worrying
themselves to death over some mysteri-
Gus fear or Observation-Disclosures knows
what"
switch fear or apprehension has been
intensified by your appearance on the
scene as sutton for the girls hand?"
"That's about the situation, uncle, as
unfattering as it is for this deponent."
"Let's comprehend just where we
stand, therefore. To begin with, the
girl has a secret?"
@Evidently = something awful. But
what is it, uncle? What can it be?'
fhfOlr can toll Won Won asked tho
girl for her hand in marriage?"
eyes, uncle"
~Well, she refused you because she has
no hand to give"
"No-no hand?" stammered Vance, be-
wildered-
"That's what's the troubled" affirmed
Mr.. Wyeville, with an air Of intense
conviction. The poor girl refused you
for the simple reason that she has no
hand to give you! Both mother and
daughter were born without handsi"
Vance Wyeville started as If shot at
this enunciation of his uncle's.
"And you never even thought Of this
you medicus?" pursued Mr.. Wyeville-
"Never, my dear unclel"
@And have never 80 much as suspected
anything of this kind?"
"NeverI" returned Vance, with a pro-
found preoccupation. "HOw-how was
1t possible for any such suspicion to occur
to me? have never noticed, during all
my acquaintance with these ladies, that
there is anything the matter with their
hands. To the contrary, I have seen
them engaged in all sorts Of feminine
work, such as sewing and wedding flow
ers, not to speak Of rowing, writing, fan
ming themselves, and almost any other
use of hands you may be pleased to sug-
gest or mention"
%All of which has its value, admit, {"
commented Mr.. Wyeville, ~but all which
is entirely incOnclusive. Permit me to
ask if you have never been struck by
the persistency with which both Mrs.
Moreland and Jessie wear gloves?"
Certainly, as who hasn't?"
SWELL, what explanation have you
given yourself in this matter2"
"To be candid, uncle,7 replied the
young physician, 81 have never given a
great deal Of thought to the popularity
in question. I happen to have lady
patient at this very moment who has
worn gloves ever since knew her, al
though she cuts of the fingers at the
last joint. The trouble with this lady is
q simple erysipelas, which leaves her
hands red and rough, scaly, even, and de-
hes thus far all my attempts to eradicate
It.
swell, VancelS
@Well, uncle, I concluded, at an early
stage Of my acquaintance with Jessie and
Mrs. Moreland, that they had some SINH
lar affection, and I had too much pro
fessional pride to be the first to refer K
It'll"
sand so it has been left to me to give
you the solution Of the enigma" ex
claimed Mr.. Wyeville. %You must Ger
tainly be aware, as a medical man, tina
many persons have been born into Thu
world without hands?"
al have read Of such cases." replieC
Vance, although never saw one"
"Then have the advantage Of you IL
this respect" pursued Mr.. Wyeville