Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-18

1t. / was limited in funds, but man.
aged to get along by living near them.
| could not exist in the same house
stiflcd me. But | could live near them
and help them and in time perfect my
discovery.
"My secret Is already out, Miss
Belle" he added after pause. 81 am
dcvoting my time and life to the dis.
covery of positive cure for lcprosy,
that most dreaded of all diseases that
ever scourgcd wicked world. l am
on the right track. In fact, I have
about perfected it, so that | will be
ready to announce the results to the
world In a year. There is only one
thing that bothers me. am expert
mcnting with this continually"
Experimenting with whom?"
The words were so hollow and un-
natural that I turned my eyes from
the doctors face to that of Miss Stet-
son. | was startled at the sight. Her
face was livid-palcr than that OF any
corpse. A look of horror shone from
her eyes.
Whom are You experimenting with.
DR. Squircs:" she repeated in the same
strange voice.
with why-my dear Miss Belle.
have ] divulged any family secret? ?"
stammercd the doctor. "Did you not
know? l thought your father knew
that you knew that
THAT Charles had lcprosy in his sys-
tenn that he was a leperT' she said
slowly.
Your father knew It; his father
knew IT, Charles knew it when he met
me. l understood that both families
made no secret of it among them
selves"
"No, 7 never knew what the disease
was. Father never told me. Oh. can
| it be DosSihlc"'
She swayed In her saddle and il the
doctor mad not caught her she would
have fallen to the ground. l could
hardly contain myself. The news near
ly made me desperate. This accounted
for everything. | was all wrong in my
conclusions. The doctor was. after all,
masters life in his possession and try
ing hard 10 help him.
you must let me give you some wa.
ter, Miss Belle" the doctor said as he
stcadied her in the saddle. "Dismount
moment. and let me battle your fore
head"
mo, thank you. doctor will be all
right in moment The suddenness Of
the news startled me-"
81 know it. know it, and I was a
brute to tell you. should have been
more thoughtful. shall never forgive
myself. But, Miss Belle. believe me, l
thought you knew it all. He should
have told you"
NO. no: l am glad ne didn't. How
could l have been the same to him?
How can in the future:"
She shuddcred and covered her face
with her hands.
Don't go on so. my dear Miss Belle"
tho doctor said in low. winning voice
'There is hope for Charles yet. You
forget that am close upon the great
reeds, Charles will be new man, free
from all faint Of leprosy."
But you could not eradicate the
germs OF the disease from his body;
they might not show themselves in
lin. but in future generations they
would come out"
I'VE can only hope for the best" he
inI Ill
may not accomplish? 1t has done Won
ders in the world already, and there
are new worlds that it is conquering
every day. We must look forward
hopefully for results that it would be
daring to predict now"
His words were intended to be en-.
couraging, but she did not raise her
head. From the slight shuddering of
her delicate body knew that she was
sobbing.
DO not yield to this weakness, Miss
Belle" he added a moment LATER "r
tell you l will cure Charles. can do
it, and | will do it. If not s~~ his sake,
l will do it for yours"
a faint smile was visible through
her tears as she looked at him and an.
swered slowly:
You are good, doctor, to sacrifice so
much for either or both of us. Cure
him by all means for his sake not for
mine. | could-no, could never mar
ry him; ! would be afraid"
Again she covered her face and sob.
bed.
Not If I cured him entirely?" he
asked in voice that had a curious
tension to it, Not if assured you
positively that the disease would never
show itself while either of you lived?"
NO, no; | could not. 1t would be a
sin, crime. And yet loved him So
! loved him. loved him.
There was an awkward silence. The
tears stood in my own eyes, but those
OF the doctor were dry and exultant.
The confession, | knew, pleased him.
These words from her lips would give
him the clear field. He could honora-
bly, try to win her love- With Charles
no longer possible rival, what was
there to prevent him from winning
beautiful bride and a princely fortune?
a few moments later they gathered
up their reins and rode away. She was
pale and beautiful; he was strong and
robust-and exultant.
CHAPTER Xr.
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