Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-09-10

SONG of Il wood thrush. concealed my
self in a thick clump of bushes and
listened. The bird could not see me,
and for long time lay there with
my eyes half closed listening to the
sweet music of the dainty singer.
do not know how long l remained
there entranced by this private concert,
but suddenly the bird hushed its song
and flew away.
The noise that had frightened her
came from the hoofs of two horses,
which We're cantering down the road
Mt rapid pace. l peered through the
leaves of the bushes at the riders, and
instantly all my gentle thoughts fled.
The spell of the bird was no longer
upon me. All my evil. crafty nature
returned. The approaching riders We're
DR.. Squires and Miss Stetson.
Not a dozen PAGES from me a small
stream dubbed up from an under
ground spring. and it was quite Gus
tomary for riders 10 give their horses
a drink at this place. A wooden trough
had been sunk into the ground to re-
ceive the water and to form drinking
vessel for the beasts.
l was consequently not surprised
when the two drew up their horses just
in front of me and led them to the
spring. The doctor dismounted and
held the horses while they drank in
the cooling draft The two had been
engaged i'll conversation, and Judged
that she had been trying to extract his
secret from him.
Il do not consider it an honor to
keep yetr work so secret until YOU
have completed your discovery" she
was saying. '''rhen all the world will
know it, and there is no special inter
est in it for me-
But l have promised to tell it to you
before any one else hears of it." the
doctor answered.
How long beforc-one day or one
hour?"
There was u look of annoyance in his
face at her reply.
"Any number of days beforehand
you wish," he answered.
well, then, l wish to hear it now,o
she replied quickly, a bright smile re-
enforcing her words.
"Womans impatience," he muttered.
st has caused half the trouble in the
world"
THAT is unkind. l don't like such
reflections upon my SEX"
Nothing personal was intended, Miss
Belle. was merely uttering my re-
Elections aloud"
Well, please don't do so any more"
The doctor watched the horses drink
ing for few moments and then, lean
ing against the saddle of his black
steed, he said:
Can you keep the secret if 1 divulge
it to you!"
Can 1? don't think that question
is necessary"
NO, probably not. But want your
promise that you will never reveal it
to anybody" he persisted.
'Well YOU have it. 1 will never NEIL
ton it until you give me permission"
"All right, then. 1 will tell you all.
When l was young man, l went to
India as surgeon in the English ar
my. There l met so many lepers that
my attention was called particularly
to this disease. AT first they disguised
and alarmed me. Their rotting fingers
and toe joints, their running sores and
their emaciated bodies were so loath-
some that l could hardly stay in their
presence, but in time l got used to
them, as we do to everything. even
found myself plying them and Won
dering If something couldn't be done
to alleviate their sufferings and even
10 cure anu stuuip uur viz
ease. This was the beginning of ca
reer that l have studiously pursued
ever since. I spent all my time in
studying leprosy in it's worst forms.
l determined to find some remedy for
it. was limited in funds, but man.
aged to get along by living near them.
1 could not exist in the same house
with them. The thought of it nearly
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 Il pause. 81 am
devoting my time and life to the dis
covery of Il positive cure for leprosy,
that most dreaded of all diseases that
ever scourged n wicked world. 1 am
OH the right track. In fact, l have
about perfected it, so that I will be
ready to announce the results to the
world in year. There is only one
thing that bothers me. l am expert
menting with this continually"
Experimenting with whom?"
The words We're so hollow and I'M
natural that l turned my eyes from
the doctors face to that of Miss Stet-
son. l was startled at the sight. Her
face was livid-paler than that of any
corpse. A look of horror shone from
her eyes.
"Whom are you experimenting with,
DIR. Squires?" she repeated in the same
strange voice.
"With-why-my dear Miss Belle,
have l divulged any family secret?"
stammered the doctor. .'Did you not
know? l thought your father knew
that you knew that
THAT Charles had leprosy in his sys-
tenn that he was leperY' she said
slowly.
Your father knew it; his father
knew it; Charles knew it when he met
me. understood that both families
made no secret of it among them
selves"
NO. never knew what the disease
was. Father never told me. Oh, can
1t be possible.'
She swayed in her saddle, and if the
doctor had 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
a good man, holding the secret of my
masters life in his possession and try
ing hard to help him.