Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-07-01

must lave an answer. lou arc keeping
something back Your mistress life may
hang npon You Tell me. do you know
90 whom on 20 what she allnded?"
II do"
Then in heaven s name, tell me. She
must be reused from her lethargy If she
is 90 live. What did she meanl"
Doctor, cannot tell you. ["
But you must. insist upon it. Is
that life Of no consequence TO your Can
you see her die and keep back what
might save her lifeg"
YES"
''Then you are committing murder.
The nurses eyes We're fixed ON the fire.
She seemed 20 be seeking guidance from
the flames. At last her courage faxed
her. and In distress she cried:
"Oh. heavenl What shall do? dare
not
The doctor moved up to her.
Nurse" said he, lone thing you
must do. You must tell me what You
know. II you do not, your life will be
made hideous ~sAd unbearable by the
memory Of tonight. Cannot you trust
me? You know she looks upon me as a
friend. The secret, If secret there be.
is as safe with me as with you. va
must tell me. What did she mean by
Linley? Ii it a mans name?'
"Yes."
The doctor glanced involuntarily at
the bed. No, she could not hear: he
need not have lowered his voice.
"Her loyer?''
Eyes.
The clock struck, and the woman on
the bed was one step nearer the un-
known
rs this an old affair? mean is it in
the past?"
ono"
The doctor sighed. He had brought
the woman into the world, and he loved
her as his own child.
"What are we 10 do, sir?"
"What indeed, nurse?''
He rose and paced the room in his
perplexity.
Linleyl Who was no? Pshaw what
did il matter? The woman would most
surely die unless she could be reused
from her lethargy-this Linley might
do it, for he was in her mind. He must
DO sent for if her life was to be saved.
Her lifel 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. q
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 1t is best she
should die"
He threw himself into a chair, and
the nurse took his place at the bedside.
Doctor" she called ont 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, speechless with grief. How
beautiful she looked How utterly love-
lyi 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 breathed
her last in her husbands arms
'Linley Linleyi' muttered the doc
tor ON his way home. 81 wonder who he
IL I chould lilo IN LOT him knaxv bic