The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-07-05

had gone to wake" who had been
killed by an accident at the sawmill.
In the midst of these terrifying re-
Elections, I4was startled by stealthy
football on the piazza. ] listened be-
tween fear and hope. 1t might be
the doctor. But no, he would not
tread like that: the step was too soft
and cautious for anything less willy
than cat. AS / listened again, my
eyes fixed on the window-blind, saw
the Stats move slowly and cautious
ly, and then the rays of the moon dis
closed thin. cadaverous face, and
bright. glittering eyes. peering at me.
Horror! Who was it? or what was
it? felt the cold perspiration start
at every pore. / seemed to be frozen
in my chair. I could not move; I
could not cry out; my tongue seemed
glued 20 the roof of my mouth, while
the deathly white face pressed closer,
and the great sunken eyes wandered
in their gaze about the room. In a
few moments the blind closed as
noiselessly as it had been opened, and
the cautious footsteps came toward
the door. "Merciful heavens!" cried
in horror-stricken whisper, as
heard the key turn in the lock, "the
doctor, in his haste, must have for
scsten to withdraw the key"
l heard the front door open, the
step in the hall, and, helpless as a
statue, | sat riveted to my chair. The
parlor door was open, and in it stood
tall, thin man, whom / never before
beheld. He was dressed in long,
loose robe, sort of gaberdine, and
black velvet skull-cap partially con-
cealed broad forehead, under which
cleaned black eyes, bright as living
Goals, and placed SO near together
that their gaze was preternatural in
their distinctness; heavy, grizzled
eyebrows hung over them like the
tangled name of lion; the nose was
sharp and prominent; the chin was
overgrown with white hair, which
hung down in locks as weird as the
Ancient Mariners. He politely dotted
his cap, bowed, replaced it, and then
said, in slightly foreign accent:
Madam, it is not necessary for me
to stand on any further ceremony, as
your husband, DR.. Maynard" here he
again bowed profoundly, "has al
ready acquainted you with the ma
ture of my business here tonight. l
perceive" he added, glancing at my
negligee robe, "that you were expect
ing me-"
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, disagreeable apprehension" !"
he returned, advancing and taking a
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 ?"
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 pu1se,'' he said, rising and bend
ing over me.
| thought it best to humor him, re-
membering it was unwise for help
less woman to oppose the as yet harm
less freak of 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.
"Do not be alarmed, madam" he said
| to me, as I was about to rise and flee,
| and in another instant he was by my
side with the case in his possession.
Involuntarily I raised my head and
cried: "Spare mel Oh, spare me, be-
| sech you'll"
Madam" he said, sternly, clasping
| my wrist with his long, sinewy fingers
with grip of steel, "you behave like
child. I 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-
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 maniac, he brought
forth hseverallong 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 moment to un-
loose my robe and bare my bosom.
Then, after carefully examining my
left breast. he said:
Madam, your husband has made a
| mistake / find no necessity for my
4