The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-02-23
"NUMBER TWENTY-NINE'
How DR.. Brandon Lost the Wom-
an Ho Loved

The vast, mud-colored building
doomed out OF the fog as the doctors
brougham drew up, with jerk, under
the portico. Against the dark lining
of the carriage the set face of man
inside was visible by the light OF a
portable lamp. IL was the face of a
man whose mind is not at ease. There
were irritable folds at the corners OF
the mouth, a5restless look in the keen
eyes, even as they travelled over the
page he was reading. Sir Kenneth
Brandon only shut his book as he
Apped out and entered the White
pei hospital. The doctor always
Had as he drove about London from
one consultation TO another IL was
his habit 10 allow himself no leisure
for idle thoughts
Sir Kenneth Brandon was one of the
few London doctors whose names are
familiar abroad. lie had made one big
discovery. he had done great deal Of
useful work, and at fifty he was al-
ready making large income His re-
cent lsnighthood was popular-not
only among his patients but among his
professional brethren-and his dinners
were among the incest in town. And
vet many people-and, who knows?
perhaps Sir Kenneth himself-missed u
hostess smile, n woman's winning
phrases, at his brilliant dinner table In
Wirnpole street. SometimeS-if ever
he had had time To think perhaps the
great physician might have regretted
the pretty. bad-ternpered, foolish wife,
4 I.I md t.afrlnafaH in
the old days; the child-for she was lit
tie more-who had finally left their
flingy suburban villa for good; the girl
he might have saved before IL was too
latc--for az first she had left his house
after one OF their miserable, sordid
yquabbles, and had gone back TO her
father, and it was only after a humili-
ating scene with her husband that she
had finally disappeared, and she had
never come back. The police had been
unable 10 find trace of her, beyond
that she had gone To Spain with some
man who was unknown To him. After
at all was a blank. To all intents
purposes his wife was ms one who
Gdead. Yet the embittering quarrcls
of those early years; his severity when
he should have been lenicnt; his care
iessness when he ought TO have
watched over the foolish young life
that he had sworn 20 cherish and pro-
tect-were facts which, though he sell
dom allowed himself TO think of them,
had left their trace written ON the
great physicians face.
Inside the large hall, where q mar
bic statue Of the queen doomed chilly
out OF the vague half light, lady was
already waiting for him. fair, high
bred face, with something of the look
OF a student, modernized by slightly
bored air, such as is often seen I'm q
cultivated woman OF the world. Lady
Sibthorpe was widow OF leisure, anc
was internationally interested In va
riety OF questions She occasionally
wrote n short article for one OF the
monthly reviews, preferring sucl
topics as do not usually commend
themselves 60 the more tender
hearted sex, for she by no means posed
rs philanthropist, and was under
stood 20 have views little In advance
of those OF the British matron. just
now, for instance, she was interested
In the hospital question, and at n din
ner party thc night before Sir Kenneth
had volunteered TO explain the inter
nalworlting of the "Whitechapel." The
doctor never missed an opportunity o.
being useful 20 Lady Sibthorpe; she
was just tho woman he would have
lted TO be his wife. II only
They met as people meet who arr
more than interested Ina each other
For some time past Lady sibthorp'
had known that he liked her, and fol
some Time past she had almost made