Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-05-29

jNut prlSlnS Story tne oIHef udy'
ooS Doctors-and Wilmore Is one
do meet with surprising cases at times.
had not seen my friend for some
time when he invited me to spend few
days with him at his pretty villa over
looking the Royal gardens at Kew. On
the first evening of my visit sat with
him on the balcony of an upper room.
Close to us was the great palm house.
Wilmore pointed to it.
whenever I look at that house." he
said, Il think of the events of night
that 1 spent in it with a man who
would have committed a murder had
not been instrumental in preventing
him."
did what any one else would have
done-asked Wilmore to tell his story.
Don't mind if 1 do" he replied, "only
must not be too long about it,
"Well, it is almost twenty-five years
since settled here near this wonderful
garden. 1 put up my brass plate and
waited for patients. 1 could do this
with little anxiety, for 1 had slight
income to keep me going.
There came to Kew about the same
time a colonel, his wife and his daugh-
ter. Apparently they did not intend to
reside here permanently-the took a
furnished house by the quarter.
81 met the three of them in the gar.
dens constantly. Like myself, they had
obtained a private pass and used to
enter by that little gate opposite to us.
They were seldom in the gardens when
the general public were admitted.
''To be candid with you, the beauty
Of the colonel's daughter was to me far
more enchanting than the beauty Of the
gardens. Yes, 1t was a case of love at
first sight.
81 am not going to describe her ex-
cept to say that every man before he
reaches my age experiences the sort of
intoxication that did then, and to him
the beauty Of the loved object is in
comparable.
''The girl, I must tell you, was one
of the most healthy-looking girls have
ever seen. We doctors know at glance
where health has its abode.
81 took a dislike to the colonel-nat-
urally, perhaps, for he seemed to guard
his daughter with exceeding sternness.
He disliked me, too, it was plain. /
shall never forget how he used to
watch me and frown. Though was in
love, 1 was not quite devoid of reason,
and could find many excuses for the
mans apparent antagonism. Doubtless
he wanted a quiet time, as 1 did. Be
sides, the colonel might well have i'm
agined at times that followed them.
It had really reached that stage with
me that felt respondent when could
not see them. OF the colonePs wife 1
need say little-she seemed to be an
unusually modest, quiet, even timid,
woman.
For two weeks 1 had to be absent
from Kew on business.
"On returning, my first visit was to
the gardens-to the rhododendron walk.
They were splendid sight, but l saw
nothing Of them-I was looking for a
face. Just as reached the open saw
three figures coming from the direction
Of the grove of bamboo.
81 fancied 1 betrayed my feelings a
nttle-I could not help it. was
shocked, almost paralyzed, to see the
girl. upon whose image every fiber of
my brain had dwelt, supported by her
mother, pale, sickly, utterly broken
down in health.
"She looked at mech, what a pitt.
full look! Her eyes were unnaturally
large and unnaturally bright. Her
face had become thin; it's color had
deepened. She was plainly suffering
from some sort Of slow fever, a fever
that was consuming her strength little
by little.
Later in the day was at the rail,
way station, getting some books from
Smiths library. 1 saw the colonel al
the ticket office. He was inquiring for
a ticket to Holyhead. He did not see
me.
cit occurred to my mind all at once
that might see his wife and daughter
by themselves next day. Perhaps
should have a chance to introduce my
self in my professional capacity. That
night concocted all sorts of plans. In
the morning was in the gardens early.
As the time drew nigh that those whom
I wished to see arrived I was close to
their customary gate. They came in
somewhat late, and I followed them.
felt mean-very mean-in doing SO.
'TheJ made their way to the quiet