The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-05-20
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g The Consequence g!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY ALICE MACK. -
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THE doctor looked into the! woman's
brave eyes and slowly pronounced
her sentence.
1.-THE operation must take place with
in few days Or"
"Or what?"
1T may be too late to operate at ALL"
"And-I will get through it safely?"
Il hope so.'
"You are not sure You think there
is a risk?"
There is always risk in every
operation" he answered, evasively.
"Tell me the truth, doctor; can
bear it."
The old man looked into the desper-
ate eyes and put his hand gently on
the woman's shoulder.
You are brave woman. will tell
you the truth. This operation will be
a very serious one-in fact, there is
only chance that you will survive it.
But there is chance, and for the sake
of it you must not lose heart"
Couldn't I wait till next month
just for few weeks longer? 1t surely
would not make any difference if it
was postponed till then"
my child,' the doctor answered, "if
We postponed it for a few weeks, for
even one week, you will lose one chance
of recovery. Besides, you will suffer
such agony that your life will be I'M
bearable. Let me advise you, and
make up your mind to go through it
immediately ..-e. -.--.<.. s,.> :!
''1mmediately?"'' @rt' a. IT
within the next few days. You
must go into the hospital tomorrow to
be prepared for it."
Then he explained the arrangements
he would make for her, and after lis
tening in a daZed, half-stupid fashion,
Elizabeth said "good-by" to him, and
YEARLY went out in the cold and dark
ness of the evening.
She drove along in a hanson with
tears running down her white cheeks,
and her heart rebelling at the cruel
hand of Fate that had so unsparingly
dealt her this blow. Had she deserved
it? Was this trial sent to her because
she had set one man upon pedestal
and worshipped him to the exclusion
Of the whole world? Or was it because
she, like fool. had thrust away with
laughing eyes the happiness that had
been held out to her, and the gods had
guessed it was only freak, and were
furnishing her because she insolently
played with the best thing they had
to give? Six months ago, when David
Moore had started to tell her how dear
she was to him, she had stopped him
with laugh, and had warned him that
it would be wiser to wait till he re-
turned from abroad before he decided
that she was the 'only woman in the
world" She did not know why she
had done it; why, when her heart was
craving for his love, she had coquetted
and warded him off. But right deep
down she knew that it was for his own
sake to give him fair chance Of see
ing other younger, more beautiful
women, before she let him tell her that
she was the best of ALL
III be back in six months. Eliza
BETH" he said, holding her hands
tightly, and looking into the sweet
gray eyes. "1'll come straight to you.
You will listen to me then; you will
then believe that I am in earnest"
And so he left her.
And now the six months were at an
end; for that morning telegram had
come telling her of his arrival in En-
gland and to expect to see him to-
night.
She had lived every hour of her life
In these months for David; everything
she did was for his sake-was to please
him. And now, when the time had
really come. and he would be with her
In few hours, she must gather up
her strength and send him away with
out word of love, without sign of
regret
It. was because the pain had, vaeed
so f1ercely through the, night that she
determined to go to doctor to beg for
something to give her relief, for the
time at least. She had gone, and had
had her sentence pronounced.
Although he had not actually SAID 50.
Elizabeth guessed that even if sir did
survive the operation she would always
be a weak, delicate woman And in her
great love she decided to sacrifice even
one hour Ct joy-she could never bea1
to be dag on David, she must send
him away again without explaining the
reason.
When she arrived at the house W here
she lived in Kensington, shs trrf1ed
down tho lamps under their red shades