Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-02-25


with bright eyes, hurried forward as
superintendent of the ward.
The doctor introduced the two wo-
men to each other, and for while
Lady Sibthorpe, note book in hand,
was absorbed with statistics.
snow take me round to your pa
tients, Sir Kenneth" she said when she
had done. Sister Catherine moved for
ward, professional look on her bright
face. They stopped at every bed.
Lady Sibthorpe asked questions in a
business-like way, and Sir Kenneth,
whose "hospital manner" was pro.
verbal, addressed the patients in the
same tone he would have employed to
duchess. His way with women was
one of the things for which he was
justly famous, They had come to the
end of one of the lines of beds, and
were now turning up the other side of
the room.
ave have a new patient there, Sir
Kenneth" said the sister; "No. ga
hopeless case-the last stage of con.
sumption, aggravated by want and
uii u ihOy piOuSHI hcl III lloll Out vi
the common lodging houses. Poor
creatureI she was in a terrible state
when she came"
"Indeedp calculated the great physi.
clan, in his sympathetic voice.
All three approached the bed. The
patients back was turned to him, but
as steps approached she tossed over
and lay on her back, her weekly vicious
face, with its flush of color on each
cheek bone, looking sharply emaciated
against the witnesses of the pillow.
There were streaks of gray in the dark
hair, and the eyes-dull, slaty eyes,
which had once been blue-were blood
shot and red-lidded.
Sir Kenneth leaned forward and their
eyes met in long star. ! The
years seemed to roll away.
The doctors heart stood still Great
God! Could this horrible wreck of
womanhood be his wife? #
And she was going to speak? 1t was
fateful moment.
But No. 80 only langhed-an un.
mirthful coarse and empty laugh.
'Oh, Lordl Are you here?" she nut.
tered, and tossed over.
The doctor drew a long Breath; he
had grown a little paler before he
spoke. "Poor creature; she mistakes
me for some one else. They often do
At the last" he whispered, and then,
taking down the usual card hungabove
the bed on which the patients age,
disease and diet, as well as the doctors
name in charge of the case, were writ
ten, he added urbanely: "Quite right
perfectly right. DIR. Brown has Or
dered everything that could possibly
De of use. Sister, look after this case
specially"
Lady Sibthorpe said something gra-
;ious and passed on. Not feature of
the strange scene had escaped her. 1t
was evident that something extraordi.
nary had happened. That these two
The fashionable physician and the pitt
able outcast on the hospital Mattress
knew each other she had now not the
smallest doubt. But the three moved
on to the next bed, smiling and chat
ting as they went. Presently Sir Ken
neth Brandon urged consultation at
the other end Of London at B o'clock
and offered to drive Lady Sibthorpe
back, as she had sent away her car
riage. They were both rather silent as
they were bowled along westward.
A few nights afterward they met, by
accident, at dinner. The talk, like
The food, was stimulating; the wine,
like the beauty of the women, waSrare
1t was in gracefully artificial moments
like these that Sir Kenneth, pessimist
though he was, felt tenderly toward all
the world. Sir Kenneth, in fact, was
delighted, for he was deputed to take
Lady Sibthorpe down to dinner She
was woman who looked specially
well by candle light and at dinner time.
Her teeth her shoulders, and her dia-
monds were proverbial three things
which, added to her native wit, made
the widow much coveted dinner com.
panion. Sir Kenneth, indeed, had
never realized how devoted he was to
her before. And yet there was an ex-
preston in Lady Sibthorpe's eyes to.
night which he had never seen there,
and which he could not quite under.
stand.
81 see from the papers that you have
been in Paris the last few days" she
said, as they ate their soup; 81 hope
you have saved Europe one of its ex.
crowned headsF
"To anyone but you am profession,
ally tongue-tied," whispered the doctor,
gallantly. "Her Majesty is now out of
danger. | was, in fact, able to leave
Paris by the IL train--just in time to
dine here tonight. But l haven't
opened single letter or telegram"
He kept the talk of the gossip of the
day until he saw the corners of heI
mouth give way with a little tired
droop.
"And your article on the hospitals y
said the doctor, bending his head and
smiling at the charming woman at his
side, 81 hope you're going to let us
down easily"
"Ah, my article will be on quite an,
other question" said Lady Sibthotpe