San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-06-14

Ter. ne WIS iOuS6u IN Jne FTlSOu, uOl
as suspected of any offense, but as the
most convenient and suitable mode of
disposing of him until the magistrates
should have conferred with the Indian
sagamores respecting his ransom. His
name was announced as Roger Chilling
worth. The jailer after ushering him
into the room remained a moment, mar
Yelling at the comparative quiet that fol-
lowed his entrance; for Hester Prynne
had Immediately become as still as
death, although the child continued TO
moan.
"Prithee, friend, leave me alone with
my patient" said the practitioner.
Trust me, good jailer, you shall briefly
have peace in your house; and l promise
you Mistress Prynne shall hereafter be
more amenable to just authority than
you may have found her heretofore"
may, if your worship can accomplish
that" answered Master Bracket, II
shall own you for a man of skill indeed!
Verify, the woman hath been like a
possessed one, and there lacks little
that | should take in hand to drive
satan out of her with stripes"
The stranger had entered the room
with the characteristic quietude of the
profession to which he announced him
self as belonging. Nor did his demeanor
change when the withdrawal of the
prison keeper left him face to face with
the woman, whose absorbed notice of
him in the crowd had intimated so close
a relation between himself and her.
His first care was given to the child,
whose cries, indeed, as she lay writing
on the trundlebed. made it of peremp-
tory necessity to postpone all other
business to the task of soothing her. He
examined the infant carefully and then
proceeded to unclasp a leathern case,
which he took from beneath his dress.
1t appeared to contain medical prepare
tions, one of which he mingled with a
cup of water.
my old studies in alchemy" observed
he, land my sojourn, for above a year
past, among a people well versed in the
kindly properties of simples have made
a better physician of me than many that
claim the medical degree. Here, woman!
The child is yours, she is non of mine,
neither will she recognize my voice or
aspect as a fathers. Administer this
draft, therefore, with thine own hand"
Hester repealed the offered medicine,
at the same time gazing with strongly
marked apprehension into his face,
"Wouldst thou avenge thyself on the
innocent babe?' whispered she.
Foolish woman!" responded the ply
stefan, half coldly, half soothingly.
What should all me, to harm this mis-
begotten and miserable babe? The
medicine is potent for good; and were it
my child-yea, mine own, as well as
thine-I could do no better for it,"
AS she still hesitated, being, in fact,
in no reasonable state of mind, he took
the infant in his arms and himself ad-
ministered the draft. 1t soon proved its
efficacy and redeemed the leech's pledge.
The means of the little patient subsidized:
its convulsive tossings gradually ceased,
and in a few moments, as is the custom
of young children after relief from pain,
it sank into a profound and dewy slum-
Der. The physician, as he had a fair
right to be termed, next bestowed his
attention on the mother. With calm and
intent scrutiny he felt her pulse, looked
into her eyes-a gaze that made her
heart shrink and shudder, because so ia
miliar and yet so strange and cold-apd
finally, satisfied with his investigation,
proceeded to mingle another draft.
81 know not Lethe nor Nepenthe," re-
marked he, "but | have learned many
new secrets in the wilderness, and here
is one of them-a recipe that an Indian
taught me in requital of some lessons of
my own that were as old as Paracelsus.
Drink it! 1t may be less soothing than
a sinless conscience. That | cannot give
thee. But it will calm the swell and
heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown
on the waves of tempestuous sea-"
He presented the cup to Hester, who
received it with a slow, earnest look into
his face-not precisely a look of fear,
yet full of doubt and questioning as to
what his purposes might be. She looked
also at her slumbering child.
81 have thought of DEATH" said She
''have wished for it-would even have
prayed for it were it fit that such as !
should pray for anything, Yet~if death
be in this cup | bid thee think again ere
thou beholdest me quaff it. Seel 1t is
even now at my lips"
Drink, then" replied he, still with
the same cold composure. "Dost thou
know me SO little, Hester Prynne? Are
my purposes wont to be so shallow?
Even if | imagine a scheme of venge-
ance what could l do better for my OBJ
ject than to let thee live-than to give
thee medicines against all harm and