The morning news., 1892-02-21
C0LUBER.
By CHARLES Lor1N HnpHErH.

name was familiar to me as that of widow
of large fortune and high social position,
residing with her daughter upon hand
some estate a few miles of town. II was
certainly very flattering that, with the ceIe-
brated specialist at her command, she should
summon me, young practitioner who had
worked himself up from poverty and OBJ
scurity. But l was beginning to be known,
Trehected as | prepared to start, and IL
were to be successful in this case, Mrs.
Trevor's influence would throw open to me
the doors of the fashionable world, where
she was an acknowledged leader.
found Mrs. Trevor in a state of the
deepest anxiety and distress. Her daughter
had been i'll for some weeks already, and
was growing slowly and steadily worse
every day. The disease, which seemed to
be a strange. painless decline of strength
without visible cause. had baffled the utmost
skill and experience Of the physicians. None
of them could even give it a name, and one
after another they had retired, confessing
their defeat. She had heard of me. she
said. in connection with some remarkable
cures, and with tears in her eyes she be-
sought me to save her darling.
| promised to do my best.
was shown TO Miss Trevor's room. She
was about 1s, and. despite her languor and
paleness, one Of the most beautiful beings l
had ever seen. A physician is supposed to
be hardened to the emotions of ordinary
humanity, but as she raised her large, soft
ewes to mine In mute appeal, 1 was conscious
of thrill of tenderness and pity at my
heart which was new in my experience.
After a long and anxious examination ],
too, was compelled to acknowledge my COM
plete ignorance Of the nature Of the maladY
from which she was suffering. l could de-
tect no fever, no organic lesion, nothing but
slow fatal sapping OF the vital forces
The symptoms were so strange and contra
dictory that was literary COMPOUNDED.
While 1 was questioning the girl. there
was cautious rap at the door, and a voice
inquired:
MAY l come in. dear HelenP'
What was there In the voice that affected
me disagreeably? | am not given to fancies;
but something in those smooth, persuasive
tones chilled me like a note of warning. l
saw the person who had spoken, the i'm
preston was deepened.
She was a woman Of &c or %, tall and
slender of figure, pale of complexion, with
very light hair and prominent features. Her
eyesl-I had never seen such eyes In hu-
man countenancel They were of a dull
blue, so faint as to be hardly discernible
from the surrounding whites; and when her
face was in shadow they seemed to disap-
pear in a sort Of greenish haze. The effect
was not pleasant. This person was in-
troduced to me as Miss Misane, cousin of
Mrs. Trevor's deceased husband.
As she leaned over the sick girls couch
touching the laces about her neck with her
long, gaunt fingers, had an ugly idea that
those fingers would gladly clasp. the soft,
white throat and press the fraiI young life
out of the body. 1t was an absurd fancy,
and banlshed it, with smile at nv own
folly But could not help it'll had taken
a strong dislike to the woman, and was re-
leved when Mrs. Trevor invited me into her
boudor. .-..-..,...
Perplexed and i'll at ease, sat listening
to the poor ladys gossip without needing
her words, until l was suddenly reused
from my reverie by an important sentence.
"lf my poor girl dies Martha Misane will
inherit the whole of MIR. Trevor's fortune"
started and looked at her with strange
thought taking shape in my mind.
THE whole of your husbands fortune"
repeated mechanically.
Yes. She is his only blood relation.
Aside from my dover, the estate would 90
to her-nearly Million
| arose to my feet and moved restlessly
about the room, giving little further heed
to her talk. was striving to grasp that
intangible suspicion which was floating be-
fore my mental vision. A million and only
one fragile, young life between 1t and that
woman Again that soft appealing look
in the girls eyes came back to my mind
lrresistibly. Turning abruptly to Mrs.
Trevor, l said:
II do not profess at present to understand
the malady with which your daughter Is
affected. But do not despair. If human
skill and devotion can cure her, 1 believe
shall do it. With your permission | will
send word to my assistant in town and re-
main here where can give my whole at
tentlon to Miss Trevor"
Mrs. Trevor clasped my hand in the full
ness OF her gratitude, and departed to give
the necessary directions for my installation
IN the house. l watched Martha Misane's
lace furtively as my intention was an
nounced. Was it imagination, or did
catch quick. malignant gleam in the
glance she cast at me!
For the next two weeks gave my whole
time to studying my patient-and watch
ing Miss Misane. Wild as it seemed, had
come to believe firmly that if were event
uaily to overcome the disease which was
surely draining the young girls life, itmust
Oe through discovering Martha MSane's
secret. Yes, had got as far as that In my
oI9u cropping among the gloomy sus-
piclons which haunted me. But even yet
could not have put my distrust of her in
pam words. 1t was there, however, and
night tand day watched and waited.
Inc woman's devotion to the sick girl
Ane4ndusblDIo IL was she who sat by
tGe bedside night after night. 1t was she
VINO prepared the food with her own hands
me mother herself was not more uutiring
~ ~ 1er mlnistrations Yet day by day my
u'silEe OF her grew stronger until it became
Posltlve adherence.
was not uEwise enough, however, to be-
"ay my feelings to her. Nor did breathe
snint Of them to Mrs. Trevor. / could
maSe no accusation; had not a shadow of
evidence to offer.
meantime my interest in Edna Trevor
H.. H." with the progress of the mysterious
iseaSe Which was consuming her. At
\ ~ tIlusth knew my own secret, the secret Of
tae terror and misery which smote my
.lnr, slo.r. Ike an icy hand as saw her fading
on% S%%y before my very eyes, while looked
uelpless to save her. l loved her-loved
Anaith Win the whole strength of my soul !!
Si5 5G she-was | presumptuous fooll Or
E uer eyes brighten, her pale cheek flush
TO- sat beside her and spoke to her with the
NV muerhess ,atess could not keep wholly out of
bsr Uue morning, after night disturbed by
doc anxiety l arose early aud went
rrou stairs to walk Ia the extensive
tnCus tnus surrounding the dwelling. l had
salf slfpoSed that all Of the inmates besides my
nath we're still asleep, but on turning into a
csrs, III distant corner Of the garden
ovan -' suddenly upon Miss Misane bending
yrso,! nower bed which she seemed to be
rs5 She wore thick gloves and car
Sha small box In her hand.
sipb. seemed strangely agitated at the
s,ooS OF me- She dropped the box and
assa5 gazing ar me in positive terror.