The daily Alaskan., 1906-07-02
A Puzzling Disease
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doctors consulting room. The doors were closed behind her.
 Good morning, Alice. What can l do for your Doctor. wish you to tell me the symptoms of some unusual disease"
 "What for?
 "I am In love with a recent graduate Of the College of Physicians. He is in love with the science of medicine. l wish him to become interested in me through my disease"
 You little fraud~
 ''This is world of fraud, doctor"
 "You mean a world of fraud for wo' men,"
 Certainly; we have not the power to gain our ends openly"
 You are at least frank"
 Come, doctor; there's a dear, good man, tell me what wish to know"
 Do you love him very much"
 Yes"
 And will die If you don't get hlmT" Yes"
 'llen l must SdNe you.
 Going to a rosewood desk, he wrote something, folded the paper and hand ed 1t to her.
 These are the symptoms of a dis ease that no physician can determine, for there Is no such disease, unless it be love"
 Thank you, doctor. I must ask you to wait awhile for your fee for I have not cent. Besides, think doctors should be paid in proportion to the value of their advice. If your disease succeeds l will pay you double; if 1t fails will pay you nothing"
 But how will you pay double if you have nothing to payr
 You are very stupid, doctor. The man wish to impress Is rich"
 You villain"
 You villains accomplice! After all, the chicanery is not solely with our sex"
 "Oh, yes, It Is. It emanates from wo- men and Is catching with men"
 "GoOdby, doctor. Thank you"
 The girl passed out by a side door. A few weeks later pr. COrdis re ceIved a call from physician who had been his pupil and was a great favor lte with him, young Dr. Thorax.
 Doctor" said ThoraX, T wish to consult you about a patient of mine whe has symptoms nowhere to be found in our medical works, a very puzzling case" And pr. ThOruX pro ceeded to give his former preceptOr the symptoms the latter had laid down for the young girl,
 These symptoms" said Dr. COrdls after peruSing them, would be best studied by a careful and constant su- pervision of the patient You must get the young woman into position where you can be with her night and day" But that could only be done by mar riage."
 Well"
 q am not thinking of being mar ried."
 "Then you have only to turn over your case to some one else"
 But l can never be satisfied till l have found the correct diagnosis"
 Doctor, you must settle this matter for yourself"
 Dr. ThOrax went away much pug zled. For the first time In his life he began to think of a woman with refer ence to possessing her, and when such an idea takes root in a mans head It grows like u mushroom. His fascina- ton for the study of the peculiar dis ease of Miss Alice Bland and this new Idea were like two bumblebees alter nately buzzing in his bonnet. No soon CT did he get rid of the one than he was beset by the other.
 pr. Cordis' health gave way under strain of too much work, and he went abroad. He returned quite reco 'ered and took up his practice. One morning be received a card, Mrs. Henry B. ThOrax," and in another moment re celved the lady.
 Good morning, doctor. have come 10 pay luS OLIi'
 Bill? Do you mean to insult me by offering me money for
 You did it all. l only planned It. told you that if it succeeded l would pay you double"
 You mean the man you shared would pay me double"
 Exactly"
 "Yery well. Physicians never make each other any charge"
 "In that case l have to thank you for the deception you practiced in my favor" Deception! I decelve|
 Certainly. You carried out my scheme to secure a husband admira- bly,"
 'I did not. l remained neutral l told Thorax that he could only find out your disease by marrying you"
 If you had told the truth you would have revealed my plan"
 That would not have been acting honorably toward you"
 Nonsense. That's mans boasted logic. Would you respect the conf, dence of a man who told you he was about to rob another of his moneyT