Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-09-14

possible, the cure Of this man. who wac
my enemy, II had an enemy In the
world. His life and mine could not run
parallel without great grief and hurt to
me, and to one dearer than myself. Now,
that better chance was thrust upon me
In his favor, I shrank from Selling 1t with
unutterable reluctance. I turned heart.
sick at the thought of 1t.
Yes, l wished him to die. Conscience
flashed the answer across the inner
depths of my soul. as a glare Of lightning
over the sharp crags and cruel waves OF
our island In a midnight storm. l saw
with terrible distinctness that there had
been lurking within sure sense Of satis-
faction In the certainty that he must die.
I took up my note book. and went away
to my room, lest Jack should come In sud-
denly and read my secret on my face.
thrust the book into drawer In my
desk, and locked 1t away, out Of my
sight.
1t seemed cruel that this power should
come to me from my mothers death. II
she were living still, or IL she had died
from any other cause, the discovery OF
this remedy would never have been made
by me. And was to take 1t as a sort
of miraculous gift. purchased by her
pnngs. and bestow IL upon the only man
I hated. For I hated him; l said so to
myself.
But 1t could not rest at that. fought
a battle with myself all through the quiet
night, motionlcss and In silence, lest Jack
should become aware that l was not
sleeping. How should I ever face him,
or grasp his hearty hand again, with such
a secret weight upon my soul? Yet how
could I resolve to save Foster at the cost
OF booming Olivia to a lifelong bondage
should he discover where she was, or to
lifelong poverty should she remain con-
ccaled? II were only sure that she
was alive! 1t was for her sake merely
that I hesitatcd.
The morning dawned before I could dc.
eide. The decision, when made. brought
no feeling Of relief or triumph to me.
As soon as 1t was probable that DR..
Senior could see me, | was ut his house
at Fulham; and In rapid. almost incoher-
ent words laid what believed to be my
important discovery before him. He sat
thinking for some time. running over In
his own mind such cases Us had come
under his own observation. After a
his face. and his eyes frightened as he
| looked ut me.
~ congratulate you, Martin" he said.
"though I wish Jack had hit upon this.
I believe 1t will prove a real benefit to
our science. Let me turn 1t over little
longer. and consult some of my col
leagues about II. But I think you are
right. You are about to try 1t on poor
FOSTER"
"Yes." I answered. with chilly sensa.
ton In my veins.
ut can do him no HARM" he said, "and
In my opinion 1t will prolong his life to
old age, IL he Is careful Of himself.
will write a paper on the subject for the
| Lancet, II you will allow me-"
"With all my heart" l said sadly.
The old physician regarded me for a
minute with his keen eyes, which had
| looked through the window Of disease
into many a human soul. I shrank from
the scrutiny, but I need not have done
80. He grasped my hand firmly and
| closely.
"God bless you. Martini" he said. God
bless your
l went straight from Fulham to Bell
ringer street. A healthy impulse to full
al all my duty, however difficult. was In
Its first fcrvid moment OF action. New
erthcless there was subtle hope within
me founded upon one chance that was
left-it was Just possible that Foster
might refuse to be made the subject Of
an experiment; for IN experiment It was
| I sat down beside him, and told him
what I believed to be his chance Of life
not cOncealing from him that l proposed
to try. II he gave his consent. mode OF
treatment which had never been practic
cd before. His eye. keen and sharp AZ
that Of lynx, seemed to read my
thoughts as DR.. Seniors had done.
martin Dobree." he said, In voice SO
different from his ordinary caustic tone
that 1t almost startled me, ~ can trust
you. put myself with implicit conh'
dence into your hands"
| The last chance--dare I say tho last
hope?.-was gone. stood pledged on my
honor as a physician. to employ this dis.
covery, which had been laid open to me
by my mothers fatal illness, for the ben
eft of tho man whose life was most
harmful to Olivia and myself. l felt
suffocated, stiied. ! opened the win
dow for a minute or two, and leaned
through 1t to catch the fresh breath Of
the outer air.
II must tell YOU" I said, when I drew
my head In again, shat you must not
expect to regain your health and strength
so completely az to be able to return to
your old designations. But II you are
careful Of yourself you may live to sixty
or seventy"
life ut any price" he answered.
"rhere would be more chance for you
now." l said, III you could have better
air than this"
"How can II" he asked.
BE frank with me-" answered. "and
tell me what your means are. II would
be worth your while to spend your last
farthing upon this chance"
Els II not enough to make man mad, y
he said, ITO know there are thousands
lying In tho bank In his wife's name, and
he cannot touch penny Of It? 1t Is life
itself to mo; yet may die like dog In
this hole for the want OF 1t. My death
will lie ut Olivia's door, curse her!"
He fell back upon his pillows. with
grOan rs heavy and deep as ever came
from the heart of wretch perishing from
sheer want. ] could not choose but fee
some pity for him; but this was an op
pOrtunity ] must not miss.
1T IL Of no use to curse her." ! said
"cOme, Foster. let us talk over this mat
ter quietly and reasonably. Ii Olivia b'
alive. as l cannot help hoping she Is
your wisest course would be to come L
some mutual agreement. which wOul'
release you both from your present dim