Evening star., 1896-11-14

@SsNN -
~ shall save her life"'
been ready to laugh to scorn any one who
had told him such an event was possible.
He was at the mems mercy; no one could
give any clue 10 his disappe arance, and MS
murderers would escape, Tor they would
find ii easy 10 dispose of his DO 1y-proDa Oily
pitch him off the rocks At the mouth OF the
glen, where he would be carried out to sea.
He set his teeth, his hands iavolunta,ily
clenched, and grim look OF determination
came into his face. which BODIED i'll for
some one CT the wretcned crew when the
struggle began.
Then, like flash, he saw the weapon
which might save his !ife-there, by the
light of the smoky candle. which was burn
ing low and gave movement as it fiickered
| TO the stony features of his patient.
Not till she's deid!" he muttered, re-
peating the husbands words.
What did that maal? Had they some SUI
perstitious feeling against killing MIN while
the breath still fingered in the woman s
breast? Perhaps SO. AT any rate. his life
seemed to hang on hers, and he asked him
self what more he could do to prolong 1t,
knowing full well. in dull. apathetic way.
that ne had done everything that medical
and surgical skill could devise.
lie drew a stool to the bedside and seat
ed himself. holding his patients wrist to
reel the faint tlutterings of the pulse; and
he was seated thus. feeling that the life
was departing as the candle burned lower
WICK fell over sidewise, to be SmotheroG in
the melted fat, leaving him i'll darkness.
Only Tor moment, though, for The door
was thrown open, and the ruddy glow from
the outer room flooded the bed with light.
"Wass she deid?" said the husband
NO Bring another light" said the doc
tor. sternly. and the man stepped back to
where his companions sat muttering in
Gaelic. and returned in minute with a
fresh candle, the men pressing after him to
stand gazing in.
She wass deid!" growled the husband,
holding up the light: and low growl
arose from the men behind him.
The speakers face was near that his
hot. whisHy-inflamed breath puffed into
the doctors face; but he sat firm, as he
said sternly:
Go back, she is not dead. Why do YOU
here?"
The man gave vent to a fierce laugh, and
held the candle over the woman's face
Ia WummanS ded,'' he said hoarsely
ana ms companions pressed forward but
stopped as If moved by impulse as a
low, plteous. weary sigh escaped from the
sick woman's lips.
You hear?' said the doctor firmly .sbe
Is not dead. for l have saved her life Now
go back, sir, and send away those drunken
scoundrels. DO you want to murder the
poor woman whom l am trying to saver
IN Inc man started. stared at the doctor.
held the light close to his face. and then
down over that of his wife, before uttering
peculiar gasping utterance and shaking
ms head as if to clear his brain from the
fumes OF the whisky.
She Wass not tell lees?" he whisnered
huskiy. She sal not deep
J.. tell you no." replied the doctor, stern
ly. Il shall save her life"
Hah! calculated the man, and setting
down the candle he bent over the bed and
kissed the inanimate face before rising up
again and turning to the doctor.
she was guid wumman," he whispered
huskily. land she sal dee for We. doctor
Gu. ay!"
The man stepped fiercely back, literally
driving the others before him. and returned
directly with bottle and cup into which
he poured some of the potent spirit
She'll trink," he whispered. and after a
moments hesitation the doctor raised the
cup to his lips and took a good burning
mouthful.
Dutch courage. perhaps" he said the
next day to his friend but that put life
into me, and 1 felt comparatively SAFE but
had one defender, 1 could see. He went
back, closing the door after him, and there
was fierce discussion in the outer room
for the next half hour, carried on in angry
whispers. Then there was a silence. and
crept to the door to peer through the crack
and saw the husband seated on a three
legged stool in front of the fire. with his
head down upon his hands-alone.
He came in soon after, to go on tiptoe
to the bedside. turning to me after to
NulSpcI. Id uuiiHdn IS no gong TO zee.
Shall she like to sleep a wee bit?'
Il shook my mead, and the rough fellow
laid his hand upon my shoulder to whis-
per: She's guild wummaa. She thocht
"And will she live?' asked the doctors
friend
Il was in doubt when said she would"
was the reply. land 1 was thinking more
of my life than of hers. BY tomorrow
morning shall be quite sure"
What! Surely you are not going among
these savages again?"
Il am, and at once. 1 want to save that
poor thing if it is to be done"
But If she dies?''
well. she will die.'
But your
"Oh. the poor things will not hurt me
now. Do You know, old fellow, 1 believe
| have made friends with all my tenants
In the glen.'
But they had trapped you there to kill
YOU"
Yes, but I shall be safe among them
now"
The woman did not die. That was fifty
years ago, and Lindon's son is worshiped
in the glen. and spoken of by the half
savage tenantry as 'Ta Laird"
CThe EndO