Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-07-18

must have an answer IOu are keeping
something back Your mistress life may
hang upon you. Tell me, do you know
to whom or to what she alluded?'
81 do.
"Then in heaven S name, tellm She
must be reused from her lethargy if she
is to live. What did she mean?n
doctor, cannot tell you. \"
"But you must. insist upon it. Is
that life Of r4tonsequence to you? Can
you see her die and keep back what
might save Ler life"'
eyes. !"
Then you are committing murder.
The nurse s eyes We're fixed on the fire.
She seemed to be seeking guidance from
the flames. AT last her courage failed
her, and in distress she cried:
"Oh, heaven! What shall do? dare
rot +"
The doctor moved up to her.
"Nurse, said he, "one 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 man ! name?"
Eyes
The doctor glanced inyoluntarily at
the bed. No, she could not hear; he
need not havo lowered his voice.
"Her lover?"
eyes.
The clock struck, and the woman on
the bed was one step nearer the I'M
known
''Is this an old affair? 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 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-this Linley might
do it, for he was III 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 lie
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
Tor she viii die. "
'tBetter SO, sir. y
And the doctor wavered.
t'Better SO; aye, better so indeed. The
price is too great to pay, even for life,
a 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. Tt is best she
should die.
He threw himself into a chair, and
the 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 viii not live
the hour out \
Again they stood BY the side Of the
woman, speechless with grief How
beautiful she lookedl How utterly love-
ly! 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 Linley!'' muttered the doc
L. I. I,