Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-07-01

must nave an answer. You are keeping
something back. Your mistress life may
hang upon you. Tell me, do you know
to whom or to what she alluded?"
IT do"
"Then in heaven s name, tell me. She
must be reused from her lethargy if she
is to live. What did she mean?"
doctor, I cannot tell you"
"But you must. I insist upon it. Is
that life Of no consequence to you? Can
you see her die and keep back what
might save her life?"
eyes"
"Then you are committing murder. !"
The nurses eyes were fixed on the fire.
She seemed to be seeking guidance from
the flames. At last her courage failed
her, and in distress she cried:
ooh, heaven! What shall do? dare
not"
The doctor moved up to her.
Nurse" said he, Zone thing you
must do. You must tell me what you
know. If you do not, your life will be
made hideous and unbearable by the
memory Of tonight. Cannot you trust
me? You know she looks upon me as
friend. The secret, if secret there be,
is as safe with me as with you. You
must tell me. What did she mean by
Linley? Is it mans name?"
eyes"
The doctor glanced involuntarily at
the bed. No, she could not hear; he
need not have lowered his voice.
"Her lover?"
eyes"
The clock struck, and the woman on
the bed was one step nearer the un-
known.
SIS this an old affair? mean is it in
the pastp"
emo"
The doctor sighed. He had brought
the woman into the world, and he loved
her as his own child
"What are 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 she could be reused
from her lethargy 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 be 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
the loss Of his faithful wife. Aye, let
her die. Yet dare he take this RESPONSE
bility 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 the nurse only shook her head.
"Or 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
in scorn by those who admired her be-
fore. To be scoffed at by those whose at
tentions she had not deigned to accept.
To 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 as he signed her death
warrant.
"You are right, nurse. It is best she
should die. "
He threw himself into q chair, and
tho nurse took his place at the bedside.
Doctor" she called out at length.
He stood beside her and noted the
change.
"Call them, nurse. She will not live
the hour out"
Again they stood by the side Of the
woman, speeches. with grief. How
beautiful she looked! How utterly love-
ly! Oh, the pity of it she must die, so
yonng and so loved Oh. the irony that
love which should have chained her to
life had been her doom.
Ihe clock struck once again. The WIS.,
itor was come, and the woman breathed
her last in her husbands arms.
"Linley Linley!" muttered the doc
tor on his way home. II wonder who he
is. I 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 me who he is.
But the nurse kept her secret and did
not tell him.
For it was the Doctors own son. -
Good Company.
A Hint to Bicycle Riders.