The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-14


hang upon you Tell me, do you know
to whom or to what sho alluded?'
81 do"
Then i'll heaven s name, tell me. Sho
must bo reused from her lcthargy if size
is TO live. What did she mean?"
doctor. l cannot tell you
But you must. / insist upon it. Is
that life of 10 consequence to you? Can
you SEQ her die and keep back what
might save her life?"
Eyes
"Then you are committing murder"
The nurses eyes wero fixed ON the fire.
She seemed to be seeking guidance from
the flames. AT last her courage failed
her, and i'll distress she cried:
"Oh, heavcn What shall I do? ] dare
not"
Tho doctor moved up to her.
Nurse" said he, "ono thing you
must do You must tell mo what you
know. If you do not, your life will be
made hidcous and unbearable by the
memory of tonight Cannot you trust
me? You know sho looks upon mo as
friend The secret, if secret there be,
Is as safe with me as with you. You
must tell me. What did she moan by
Linley? Is it man s name:'
Yes
Tho doctor glanced involuntarily at
tho bed No, she could not hear; he
need not have lowered his voice
Her lover?'
eyes"
The clock struck, and tho woman on
tho bed was one step nearer the I'M
known.
Is this an old affair? 1 mean is it in
the past?''
"No."
The doctor sighed. He had brought
the woman into the world, and he loved
her as his own child.
What arc we to do, sir?''
What indeed nurse:"
He rose and paced the room in his
perplexity.
Linley! Who was he? Pshaw! what
did it matter? The woman would most
surely die unless sho could DO reused
from her lethargy-this Linley might
do it, for he was in her mind. He must
be sent for if her life was to be saved.
Her life! What would it DO worth after
that? Better death than dishonor. Let
her go down to the grave leaving spot
less name, let her mother sorrow for
her, let her child treasure the memory
of good mother, let her husband mourn
tho loss Of his faithful wife. Aye, let
her die. Yet dare ho take this response
bilty upon himself? He could save her
OF this he was confident. What had he
to do with others? Saving life was his
business. She must be saved This Lin
ley, whoever he was, must be sent for,
and at once
Nurse, we must send for him.
But tho nurse only shook her head
Cor she will die
Better SO, sir -
And the doctor wavered.
Better SO; aye, better so indeed. The
price is too great to pay, even for life,
life of agony and dishonor. To be held
III scOrn by those who admired her be-
fore. To be scoffed at by those whose at
tentions she had not deigned to accept.
10 lose her mother, husband and child
at one blow. and gain-what? No, a
thousand times, no. Let her die -
The doctor wiped great drops Of agony
from his brow Us no signed her death
warrant.
You are right, nurse 1t is best she
should die
He threw himself into a chair, and
the nurse took his place at tho bedside
Doctor" she called out at length
He stood beside her and noted tho
Change.
Call them, nurse. She will not live
tho hour out "
Again they stood by the side of the
woman. speeches. with grief. How
beautiful she looked How utterly love-
iy! Oh, the pity Of It she must die, SO
young and so loved Oh, the irony that
love which should have chained her to
life had been her DOOM
The clock struck once again. The WIS.,
itor was come, and the woman treathed
her last in her husbands arms.
u
"Linley Linley!" muttered the doc
tor on his way home. ~ wonder who he
is 1 should like to let him know his
villainy is known, to thrash the life out
of the scoundrel, to break every bone in
his body Linley, Linley. Nurse will
have to tell mo who he is -
But tho nurse kept her secret and did
not tell him.
For it was the doctors own son.
Good Company.