Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-08-11

NO" I found voice to stammer;
"the doctor has said nothing to me
about q visitor at this hour of the
night"
"Ah! he wished to spare you, no
doubt, a disagreeable apprehension"
he returned. advancing and taking a
seat on the sofa opposite me, where for
a few moments he sat and eyed me from
head to foot with a strange, glittering
light in his eyes that m~ysteriously i'm
pressed me. "You have a remarkably
fine physique, madam" he observed,
quietly; zone that might deceive the
eyes of the mort skilled and practiced
physician. Do you suffer much pain?"
Unable to speak, l shook my head. A
terrible suspicion was creeping over
me. was alone, miles away from aid
| or rescue, with a mailman
"Ah," he continued, reflectively,
"your husband may have mistaken 4
tumor for a lancer. Allow me to feel
your pulse" he said, rising and bend
ing over me.
I thought it best to humor him, re-
Numbering 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 Ease of surgical instruments.
Involuntarily l raised my head and
cried: Spare me! Oh, spare me, l be-
sech you'll"
Madam" he said, sternly, clasping
my wrist with his long, sinewy fingers
with a grip Of steel, you behave like a
child. l have no time to parley, for l
have received a letter from the emper-
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-
s~istance, he had me in his arms, and
was carrying me into the study, where
was a 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 severallong 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:
Madam, your husband has made a
mistake. l find no necessity for my
intended operation"
At this l gave a 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 OK! l will remove it, so that
you can see for yourself, reduce it to it's
natural size by a curious 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 1 closed my eyes,
while every nerve was in perceptible
tremor.
He now bent owe me, his long, white
beard brushing my face. opened my
eyes be%seechingly, trying to think OF
some way to save myself. "Oh, sir, give
me an anaesthetic, that Imay not feel
the pain" I pleaded.
"Indeed, indeed, madam, I would
comply with your wish were you not
the wife of a physician-of q skillful
surgeon. I wish you to note with what
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
eternity seemed compressed in every
one. l never tainted in my life, and ]
never felt less like swooning than now,
as l 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 conf
posure, II have the utmost confidence
in your skill; I would not trust my life
tc another; but, doctor, you have for
gotten to bring a napkin to stanch the
blood. II you will have the goodness
to ascend TO my sleeping chamber, at
the right of the hall" you will And
everything you need for that purpose
in the bureau"
"Ah, madam" he said, shaking his
head sagaciously, "Iuever draw blood
during a surgical operation; that 10
another one OF my secrets unknown to
the faculty"
Then, placing his hand on my bosom,
he added, with horrible espieglerie:
"Tll scarcely mark that skin winter
than snow, and smooth as monumental
alabaster."
20 God!" / cried, as I felt the cold
steel touch my breast; but with the
same breath came d~eliverance.
Quick as thought a heavy wooden
pianocover was thrown over the head
and person OF the mailman, and bound
tightly around him. As quickly was
I released, and the thongs that bound
me soon held the maniac. My husband
held me in his arms. He had noiseless-
1y approached, and, taking in the hor-
ror Of my situation at a glance, had, by
the only means at hand, secured the
madman, who was the very patient he
had been summoned to attend, but
who had escaped the vigilance Of his
keeper soon after the departure of the
messenger, who had 10Y returned
with the doctor in pursuit Of him. As
the poor wretch was being hurried
away, he turned to me, and said:
Madam, this is a plot to rob me of my
reputation. Your husband is envious
of my great skill as 4 surgeon. Adieu!"
1 afterward learned that the man wal
49,