St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-02-04
A DOCTORS STORY
[Original.1


Mercedes Marcel, young woman of
the Spanish type. Miss Marcel had
ravishing black eyes, wealth of hair
of the same hue and a supple figure.
She had great influence over the pa
tents she nursed, often lifting them
over their low points solely by her
magnetic influence. For this reason
l recommended her whenever she was
disengaged.
l sent for her to attend Mrs Brier-
ly, and as usual she gave great salts
faction. The patient, however, did not
seem to gain after having reached a
certain point. Indeed she seemed to
retrograde. Several times it occurred
| to me to ask, as is my custom with my
| patients, how she liked her nurse, but
as Miss Marcel was always in the
room with her when l called and as
| l had heard the nurses praises SO Of
ten sounded by others it did not occur
to me to send her out in order to make
the inquiry.
One day while visiting Mrs. Briefly
I noticed that she was following the
nurse about the room with her eyes,
and when Miss Marcel's back was
turned she quickly drew me down and
with her lips close to my ear whis-
| pered:
'If you don't take that woman
away, l shall die"
Miss Marcel" l said, Ego and get
me some hot water"
The nurse stepped to the electric but
ton and was about to push it when l
said, Go yourself"
81 have signals for some of the or
binary wants of a sickroom," she
said. Il press the button twice, and I
get hot water quicker than l can go
for it,
Every nice. You needn't press the
button l wish to be left alone with
my patient. Go out and don't return
until l call for you"
She obeyed me- l turned my back to
her as she went out and saw her face
in a mirror She gave the sick woman
one of the most peculiar glances | ever
saw, such a glance as hypnotist
would give one he was endeavOring to
master.
"Now," | said to my patient when
the door was closed, why did you not
tell me this beforeY
Because she always remained in the
rooy, whom Won yvarn bnrp and I have
no charge to make against her"
What, then, is the trouble?"
''There is something in her that is
wearing the life out of me. Don't ask
me what it is, for l don't understand it
myself"
'Never mind Don't talk about it.
She shall not enter your room again"
But
"But what?"
"She will ruin me-"
"Ruin you? How? You are nothing
to her, and l will see that she doesn't
get at you"
did what I could to make the poor
woman feel easy and left her. Her
husband was coming in asI was going
out. l told him that l was about to
change his wife's nurse.
"You surprise me. have never met
a more agreeable woman" he said.
"You mean seductive? a faint suspi-
con coming over me at his warmth.
He turned pale.
"Brierly," l said, 81 shall at once
commence inquiries as to Miss Mar
cells antecedents. If you are especially
predisposed toward her, suspend judg-
ment till | make my report"
Within an hour | had hired detec-
tive to learn all that he could about
Miss Marcel 1t was six weeks before
he made his report. When l received
it, Mrs Briefly had become GONZALES
cent and was no longer under my care
so l went to her husbands office.
"NIr. Briefly" said his confidential
) clerk, lis out of the city"
His addreSs|
81 will forward any communica-
tom
His address," said sharply. "Ther(
> is something wrong. Tell me at once OF
5 l will report to the police that he has
absconded."
The man made excuses and all that
but, seeing tkat | was not to be trit1eC
| with, told me that l could find Brier
! ly at a certain hotel. | went there
and sent up my card. Briefly cam
down with a scared look on his face
| Without commenting on how or wher
! | had found him | drew the detective
report on Miss Marcel.
5 Father, Jacques Marcel banker, Paris
! | embezzled funds and served ten years Il
+ the galleys Mother, previous to her hus
bands arrest. had eloped with a Spanisl
gentleman, taking with her the little glr
| Mercedes; afterward came to America
The child was brought up in the circu
ring subsequently worked in a hospita
; and became a trained nurse; nothing def
J mite as to her character.
l watched Briefly closely as he rea(
the report and saw him shudder. Thel
all his reserve broke away, and 1t
gave me his confidence.
Doctor" he said, "how can l eve
repay you? You saved my wife from
this woman, and now you have sa7et
me. I came here preparatory to elop