The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-07-25

man was q corpse. Surprised and
shocked ont Of my ordinary professional.
bearing, I exclaimed:
Madam, / am too late. Your hus-
band Is dead. he must have died four
or five hours ego. It is very strange
that you should not have known his con
dition.'
"she turned hastily and set the lamp
upon the table. Then, going around SO
as to place the heavy structure between
us, she faced me, leaning forward with
her hands resting on the polished sur
face. The look she turned upon me was
one which no man could ever forget
who had once seen it. She spoke. Her
voice had a harsh, vibrant, rasping
sound that made my nerves jump at
every word.
".Deadi Deadi It Is not true. You
are lying TO me- You are n of our
enemies. He is yet living and you would
bury him. My Godl You would bury
him alive. You shall not. You shall
not,
II was so amazed, surprised and over
whelmed that ] could not think or act,
b'lt rose half up from my chair. Army
motion, still repeating those words:
You shall not, you shall not, she
stepped backward, tore open q bureau
drawer, took out something and again
faced me. I saw then what that some
thing was. IT was a six-shooter of the
largest size, a weapon having almost
the power and accuracy OF a rifle. She
held it cooked full upon me, using both
her hands to steady It, the weight being
100 much for the slight strength of her
single arm. ! could plainly see her
slim forefinger resting against the
trigger. / sat down again as she Kissed
at me these words:
"'Liarl Murderer! You shall not
do it. Restore my husband. Now, at
cnce, or I will shoot you as you sit
there
1T was four good long steps between
us. There, too, was the barricade of
the table. Should I rush upon her /
must receive at least one and probably
two or three shots. She could not miss
me, and a bullet would surely disable
me. These things flashed through my
brain, and the idea was dismissed at
the winking of an eyelid. Then the full
terror of my situation came upon me
as a wave. The woman's brain had
turned. She was crazy and possessed
of that one fatal idea. Between myself
and death was the slightest pressure
of a finger, u mere muscular contrac-
ton, responsive at any instant to the
d~isordered impulse of a lost mind. 1
am not ashamed to say that when the
full realization Of my critical position
came upon me that / was scared, badly
scared, scared completely out of my
senses. / sat there helpless, dazed and
bewildered. The woman's voice aroused
me.
Restore him. she said. Begin
now.'
"What 1 did was not the result Of any
forethought, but simply a mechanical
act induced by fright. Preached down.
picked uP the medicine case, opened it
and began lingering over the walls, say
ing. all the while:
"'Well, well, be patient, and we will
try what we can do
II did not know my own voice, it
sounded so far off and queer. But I be-
gan to recover myself somewhat, and
my thoughts assumed something like
order. 1 ventured to look UP at her.
She was now sitting down in a chair,
her arms resting on the table, her
hands still clasping the pistol, its ugly
muzzle pointing straight at nue.. She
held it firm and true. There was no
hope for me in that face. No feeling
there save the concentrated force of
her insane determination.
Hurry, she said.
Her voice was as a whip to my mind.
The first coherent idea that 1 formed
was, anything to gain a little time. So
1 spoke to her again, never raising my
head, for a man don't care TO gaze upon
such faces or into such eyes any oftener
than he can help. / lied to her good
and hard, too.
There is a possibility 1 said, that
he is in a cataleptic trance. Living, but
presenting all the appearance of death.
II this is so, | may be able to revive
him.
"'Revive him, them she answered,
uO HOuA NOlhs uAA0 w y quIShlJs OAlUB |
him to look at me, to talk to me-
"Ah, me, no one has ever worked
such marvel since the gentle Nazarene
walked the earth. My panic had gradu-
ally worn away, however, but the sense
of deadly peril still remained. A care
less movement, an incautious word,
might bring a bullet crashing into my
brain. But the quick movement of my
mind brought a suggestion Of a means
of escape. Pulling myself together,
l spoke again:
Madame, ] will use my utmost skill
in spite of the extraordinary situation
in which you have placed me. That /
would do in any event, and is all / can
do. 1 had no idea of being called to
such a case, and the simple medicines
I have with me are useless in this in
stance. Irequire rare drugs of extraor-
binary power. With your permission
/ will return at once to town and get
what l need. The delay will in no way
affect your husbands condition.
would this pretense deceive herr?
She did not answer at once, and when