The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-08-16

MS face and figure were In the
shadow. He came forward and shook
hands.
Pray sit down. nurse" he said.
HAS DIR. Herslet told you the ma
ture OF the operation?"
Yes" I replied. He says It ia a
serious one"
Exactly. Well, q couple of years
ago l received a severe blow on the
read and DR.. Herslet believes there
III pressure on a certain portion OF the
orain Since the time OF the accident
l have suffered from epileptic dts. To
save myself from the horrors OF a
iunatic asylum I prefer to take the
chance OF the surgeons knife. re-.
turned home q fortnight ago. When
with my regiment I received the blow
which / have Just mentioned. I was
supposed to be dead. but was taken
prisoner instead. I have much to live
Tor. should the operation prove sue.
cessful. II not, there are certain
friends whom I would Just as soon
have believe that I persisted In India.
But must not talk too much as the
slightest excitement brings on a At.
Here Is the key Of my portmanteau.
Perhaps. nurse. you will 20 to my
room and unpack some OF my things"
| took the key and went into his
bedroom. which adjoined the sitting
room. A large portmanteau stood by
the door. ! unlocked It and began to
put away my patients clothes. At
the bottom OF the portmanteau
found a pile OF papers on top OF which
lay a photograph. took the photo
graph up. and the well.known face of
my late patient. Leonora Trefusis,
was before me! My mind reverted to
the man had just left. Surely. as he
turned from out the shadow and the
lamplight fell upon his features. / had
noticed something familiar about that
frank. open face. Where had I seer
IL before? Like a fash OF truth, or
what seemed TO be the truth, became
clear. The a | was about 10 nurse
had only just returned from India,
where he had been wounded and TAX
en- prisoner. Was II possible that |
had found L%eonora's lost lover? But
must make sure: | must not be rash.
| returned TO the sitting room.
II have %unpacked your things" |
said TO the patient. by the way
would you mind letting me know your
name.
MY name is Captain Clifford" was
the reply.
l left the room without speaking
further. 1t was nearly 10 o'clock, but
| resolved TO go straight TO Leonora
and tell her what / had discovered.
! dressed hurriedly and was descend.
ing the stairs when the front door
opened and DR.. Herslet entered.
Have you seen the patient, nurse?'
he asked.
YES" I answered. Il have unpack-
ed his things. | am going out to see
Miss Trefusis: / have some important
news for her"
Il am afraid | cannot spare you
now" he said. The operation Is TO
be performed early in the morning
and | want TO talk the case over with
you. Come into my consulting room"
| followed him down the hall and
entered the consulting
Now. nurse" he said, what do
you mean by saying you have news
for Miss Trefusis?"
do you not intend to marry her In
about six weeks?" | asked.
Certainly: but what has your news
to do with that?"
Everything. You engaged yourself
TO marry Leonora on a condition. She
promised 10 wed you only because she
believed her old lover 10 be dead"
(Which he is. l did say TO her that
II such a thing should happen as that
the dead should return to life, i
should in honor give her up. But
was never sufficiently interested to
even ask the name Of the gentleman;
I preferred to avoid the subject"
you can scarcely avoid 1t now"
said. DR.. Herslet, Leonora's old
lover exists; he is alive and In this
house now. His name Is Captain Gift
ford. Go to Leonora, II you do not be-
lieye me, and ask what her lovers
name was. Ask her to show you his
photograph. The photograph Is that
of the man upstairs. your patient"
DIR. Herslet's cold eyes gazed at me
steadily. The mans nerves must have
been made of steel. for he never
fiinched.
"T will investigate your story he
said. 'In the meantime, ! DO not In
END 70 allow you to e Leonora to-
night while I am absent you shall
remain here" Without waiting Tor a
reply, he left the room. and locked the
door after him. At the END OF IN
bour he returned. His face was as
cold and impassive as ever.
81 have verified the truth OF your
.o,a" he said. IL visited Miss Tref-
,s,. and for the first time since our
sngaeement I alluded to her old lover.
: went. asked his name and par
,,cr,ars about him and was shown his
nhotosraph. My rival lives; he Is up
s,sirs' tomorrow I am to perform q
sr,,,cai operation upon him. Think
40 Won have put into my power. A
,-srvs n the knife means death. But
have no intenuon Of committing
murder. shall operate upon Osp