Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-12-10
The Doctors Dilemma
BY Hesba Stretton
CHAPTER XXu-(Continued.)

CHAPTER XXII.-(Continued.
That same evening l received note,
desiring me to go and see him immedi-
ately. He was looking brighter and bet
ter than in the morning, and an odd smile
played now and then about his face as he
talked to me, after having desired Mrs.
Foster to leave us alone together.
"Mark!' he said, Il have not the slight
est reason to doubt Olivia death, except
your own opinion to the contrary, which
is founded upon reasons Of which l know
nothing. But acting on the supposition
that she may be still alive, l am quite
willing to enter into negotiations with
her. l suppose it must be through you"
"It must" 1 answered, "and it cannot
be at present. You will have to wait for
some months, perhaps, whilst 1 pursue
my search for her. l do not know where
she is any more than you do"
A vivid gleam crossed his face at these
words, but whether Of incredulity or sat
isfaction I could not tell.
''But suppose l die in the meantime?'
he objected.
81 do not know that might not leave
you in your present position" said at
last; 'it may be l am acting from an
SeuSe Ol uuly. ouI IL yOu
will give me formal deed protecting her
from yourself, | am willing to advance
the funds necessary to remove you to
purer air, and more open quarters than
these. A deed of separation, which both
of you must sign, can be drawn up, and
receive your signature. There will be no
doubt as to getting hers, when we find
her. But that may be some months
hence, as l said. Still l will run the
risk"
For her sake?" he said, with sneer.
'For her sake, simply" answered; 81
will employ a lawyer to draw up the
deed, and as soon as you sign it l will
advance the money you require. My
treatment of your disease l shall begin
at once; that falls under my duty as
your doctor; but l warn you that fresh
air and freedom from agitation are al
most, if not positively, essential to its
success. The sooner you secure these
for yourself, the better your chance"
Some further conversation passed be-
tween US, as to the stipulations to be in
sisted upon, and the division of the year
ly income from Olivia's property, for
would not agree to her alternating any
portion of it.. Foster wished to drive a
hard bargain, still with that odd smile on
his face; and it was after much discus
sion that we came to an agreement.
I had the deed drawn up by lawyer.
who warned me that if Foster sued for
q restitution of his rights they would
be enforced. But 1 hoped that when
Olivia was found she would have some
evidence in her own favor, which would
deter him from carrying the case into
court. The deed was signed by Foster
and left in my charge till Olivia's sigma
ture could be obtained.
As soon as the deed was secured, had
my patient removed from Bellrlngel
street to some apartments in Fulham
near to DR.. Senior, whose interest in the
case was now almost equal to my own
Here 1 could visit him every day. Never
had any sufferer, under the highest AMI
wealthiest ranks, greater care and sci
ence expended upon him than Richard
Foster.
The progress of his recovery was slow
but it, was sure. I felt that it would bt
SO from the first. Day by day 1 watch
ed the pallid hue of sickness upon his
face changing into a more natural tone
l saw his strength coming back by slight
but steady degrees. The malady was
forced to retreat into it's most hiddeI
citadel, where it might lurk as prisoner
but not dwell as a destroyer, for many
years to come.
There was no triumph to me in this
as there would have been had my patient
been any one else. The cure aroused
much interest among my colleagues, ant
made my name more known. But wha'
was that to me? As long as this maj
lived, Olivia was doomed to a lonely ant
friendless life. l tried to look into thu
future for her, and saw it stretch ou
into long, dreary years. l wondered
where she would find home. Could
persuade Johanna to receive her into he
pleasant dwelling, which would becom,
so lonely to her when Captain Care!
had moved into Julia S house in st. Peter
port? That was the best plan l coult
form.