Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1900-05-31

Z
negligee robe, that you were expect
irg me"
NO. / found voice to stammer;
"the doctor has said nothing to me.
about visitor at this hour of the
| night
.sAh! he wished to spare you, no
doubt, disagreeabie apprehension"
he returned. advancing and taking
seat on the sofa opposite me, where for
few moments he sat and eyed me from
| head to foot with strange, glittering
light in his eyes that mysteriously i'm
pressed me. you have remarkably
fine physique. madam" he observed.
quietly; lone that might deceive the
eyes of the most skilled and practiced
physician. Do you suffer much pain? 90
Unable to speak, shook my head. A
terrible suspicion was creeping over
me. ] was alone, miles away from aid
Or rescue, with madman.
"Ah," he continued, refectively,
your husband may have mistaken a
tumor for cancer. Allow me to feel.
your pulse he said. rising and bend
| ing over me.
I thought it best to humor him, re-
membering it was unwise for a help
| less woman to oppose the as yet harm
| less freak of a lunatic, He took out his
watch, shook his head gravely. laid my.
| hand down gently, and then went to-:
ward the study, where on the table was
| an open case of surgical instruments.
/ Involnntarily l raised my head and
cried: "Spare me-! Oh, spare me, ] be-
seeh you!' :.
Madam he said. sternly, clasping
! my wrist with his long, sinewy fingers
with grip of steel, s'you behave like
child. l have no time to parley, for !
| have received letter from the e-nper-
or of the French, stating that he is de-
sirous of my attendance. must start
| for Europe Immediately after perform
| ing the operation on your breast" and,
| before I could make the slightest re-
| sistance, he had me in his arms, and
was carrying me into the study. where
was long surgical table, covered with
green baize. On this he laid me. and
| holding me down with one hand. with
| the strength of a maniac, he brought
| forth several long leather straps. which
| bore evidence of having recently been
cut. with which he secured me to the
table with the skill of an expert. 1t
| was but the work of a moment to I'M
| loose my robe and bare my bosom.
Then, after carefully examining my
| left breast. he said: a -. .. z.
Madam, your husband has made a
| mistake. I find no necessity for my
| intended. operation"
| At this 1 gave long-drawn sigh of
relief. and prepared to rise.
| But" he continued, II have made the
| discovery that your heart is as large as
that of an on! will remove it, so that
You can see for yourself, reduce it to its
natural size by acurious process of my
own unknown to medical science, and
of which I am sole discoverer, then re-
| place it again."
He began to examine the edge of the
cruel knife, on which closed my eyes.
while every nerve was in perceptible
| tremor.
He now bent over me, his long, white
| beard brushing my face. I opened my
eyes beseeching.y, trying to think of
some way to save myself. "Oh, sir, give
me an anaesthctic, that may not feel
the PAIN pleaded.
"Indeed, indeed, madam, I would
comply with your wish were you not
| the wife Of physician-of a slliilful
ease I perform this difficult operation,
so that you may tell your husband of
| the great savant whose services he Sc
! cured, fortunately in season."
AS he said this he made the final test
| of the knife on his thumb. How pre-
| cious were the moments now! They
were feeting all too fast, and yet an
one. I never tainted in my life, and
| never felt less like swooning than now,
as summoned all my presence of mind
| to delay the fearful moment, fervently
| praying in the meantime for my hus-
| bands return.
Doctor" said I. with assumed COM
posture, II have the utmost confidence
in your skill; would not trust my life
tc another; but, doctor. you have for
| gotten to bring napkin to stanch the
blood. If you will have the goodness
| to ascend to my sleeping chamber, at
| the right of the hall, you will find
everything you need for that purpose
in the bureau"
"Ah, madam" he said. shaking his
head sagaciously. 81 never draw blood
during a surgical operation: that is
another one of my secrets unknown to
| the faculty.
Then, placing his hand on my BOSOM
| he added, with horrible espieglerie:
s.I'll scarcely mark that skin whittier
| than snow. and smooth as monumental
| alabaster."
20 God!" I cried. as I felt the cold
! steel touch my breast; but with the
same breath came deliverance.
Quick as thought a heavy wooden
| piano-cover was thrown over the head
and person of the mailman, and bound
tightly around him. AS quickly was
l released. and the thongs that bound
me soon held the maniac. NV husband