Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-30

repueo TO all 1nquir1eS:n 1t is impossible to
say what turn the disease may take"
Andreis had written at intervals various
penciled notes to her; indistinct, feebly
scrawled. but still coherent. He pointed to
each when 1t was written and looked at
his friend with duplicating eyes. He could
not speak, for the5 false membrane filed
his throat. Damer had taken each note.
ITO Countess Laranigra?' he had asked.
Andreis gave mute assent Damer had
carried each note to the next ROOM read
it, then disinfected 1t. then sent it to its
destination. He was Of too proud a tenn
per to use the usual small arts Of the
traitor
Once she wrote in reply:
Il cannot see my eyes are too weak"
Andrefs scrawled on a scrap of paper,
Read it to me-"
Damer opened and read it aloud It
was short, timid, simple, but deep love
and an intense anxiety spoke in It. An
dreis took 1t and laid his cheek on it with
a smile Of ineffable peace. 1t seemed to
give him firmer hold on life.
Damer sat by the bedside and watched
him.
He believed that he would recover.
Andreis slept. his cheek on the little let
ter. as child falls to sleep with favorite
toy on its pillow.
In the dark. Damer was told that lady
who vas below in her gondola desired to
see him. He descended the stairs prepared
to find Veronica Laranigra. She was veil
ed: he could not see her features, but he
knew her by the turn of her head. the
shape of her hand, before she spoke.
you come for news of the prince?" he
said. coldly and harshly. II can give you
none. The disease Is always uncertain and
deceptive"
LET me see him! oh. let me see him!
she murmured. Il came for that. No mat
ter what they say. No matter what dam
ger there be. Only let me see him.
THAT Is wholly impossible" replied Da-
mer. in an unchanged tone. why do you
come on such errands@
"Who should see him If not I? Who are
you that you should keep me from him?"
II am a man of science. whose duty it is
to protect you from yourself. Co home
madame. and pray for your betrothed.
That is all that You can do"
why does she love him?" thought Da-
mer. Like to like. Fool to fool Flower
to fower!'
From his soul he despised her. poor, love-
ly. mindless. childlike creature! But her
voice turned his blood to flame; the sound
of her weeping deepened his scorn to hate:
the touch Of her ungloved hand was costa
cy and agony In one. He loved her with
furious, brutal, unsparing passion. like
lava under the ice of his self-restraint. He
stood in the twilight and looked after the
black shape of the gondola.
He shall never be yours" he said In his
heart. "Never-neyer-never unless 1 die
instead of him tonight"
CHAPTER VI.
He remained there some minutes whilst
the water traffic passed by him unnoticed
and the crowds flocked out from a novena
in the Salute. One of the medical men
whom he had summoned came out onto the
steps.
1.-THE sisters say the prince is better. He
seems So" said his colleague.
What do they know" said Damer; and
added less harshlys eft is too early to be
able to make sure of recovery; 1t is a dis
ease which is very neaeherous"
You have more knowledge than l." said
the Venetian, who was a meek man, not
very wise -, n
Come to my. laboratory in the Fonda
mente, and win show you something and
tell you something said Damer
His Italian colleague, fattered, complied
with the request. ~
What he showed him were three animals
two rabbits and cat-inoculated with
and dying of diphtheria; what he explained
to him were the theories of Loffier and
klebs and the discovery of the antidote by
Behring; and displayed to him some serum
which he had received from Roux, who was
only then at the commencement of hfs ap-
plications Of Behring's theory.
The Venetian doctor inspected and lis
tened with deep respect.
why do you not try this treatment on
the prince?" he said, which was what Da-
mer desired and intended him to say.
-! Will do so on my own responsibility IL
he is no better in the morning." he replied
OUT you Will AUNT IQdC the RESPONSIBILITY
will be great. the theory of the cure being
at present unknown to the general public
and no one of his family being at present
In Venice to authorize the experiment.
I'VE are there as your colleagues, and
we shall support you," replied the more OBJ
scure man. touched and f1attered by the
difference OF one who was in the confidence
of French and German men of science.
IF there be no other way" said Damer,
as he put the small phial of serum back
into a locked case.
The dual meaning which lay in the words
was like a DEVILS laugh in his ears.
When the Venetian doctor had left him
he had taken the phiai of serum, inoculat-
ing syringe and another smaller bottle con-
tanning clear liquid; he had put these to-
gether in the breast pocket of his coat. He
looked up at the Ca Laranigra as he
passed it; its windows were all dark, and
the white lilies had no light upon them save
that from the rays of the moon. AS he
entered the lighted hall of the hotel they
handed him telegram. 1t was from the
Princess Andreis.
She had received his dispatch twelve
hours late, as she had been in her summer
palace in the mountains she had left ST.
oily Immediately, and said that she would
travel without pause at the utmost speed
possible. She added: Il commend my dar-
ling to God and YOU
Damer crushed the paper UP in his hand
with a nervous gesture and flung it out, by
the open doorway. into the water below.
Then he assembled the staircase and en-
tered his patients room.
The night was very warm; the windows
stood wide open; there was shaded porce-
lain lamp on the table. One nun watched
whilst the other slept. Andreis lay still on
the great bed in the shadow; he was awake;
his eyes were looking upward, his mouth
was open, but his breathing was easier
and less hard. The Sister of Charity whis-
pered to Damer: Il think he is better. The
fungus growth seems loosening. We have
given the wine and the meat essence. He
could swallow"
Damer said nothing He was absorbed in
meditation. The infection of death was
nothing to him-could be nothing; he was
used to kill as he was used to torture with
profound Indifference, with no more hesita-
ton than he ate or drank or fulfilled any
natural function Of the body. What was
the man lying sleeping there to him? Only
an organism like those which daily he
broke up and destroyed and threw aside.
Only an organism, filled by millions of
other invisible organisms, by myriad of
parasite animalculae, numerous as the
star-dust in this Skies
He sat by the window and looked out
absently at the night 'a
He knew that the nun was right; he knew
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