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

Copyright. By w. q. Chapman.l

Loie Petrie came to me from Eng.
land. bearing testimonials from sew.
.ral of London's foremost physicians
regarding her ability as q graduate
nurse. l availed myself Of her serv.
ices in my private hospital. and she
Justified the good impression she
made upon me at our flrst interview.
She was clever. painstaking and alb
solutely Trustworthy. and I learned to
rely upon her In the handling Of the
most dificult cases. Her health. how.
ever. was not all that II should have
been, and two months after her Q
sagement she was taken Ill with a
form OF nervous malady. I treated
her successfully. and she acknowledg.
Cd that, al I suspected. she had suf-
fered from the ailment formerly. and
this was q second attack Of the old
trouble. Il was then that she related
20 me q rather singular story. which
have endeavored to set down as fol.
lows, a. nearly a. possible In her own
words:
Early In the winter Of last year
when living In London. ! was sent to
nurse q patient by the name OF Leo.
nora Trefusis. She was a girl Of nine.
teen. and the victim OF nerve distress
IN an acute form. The illness was
brought on BY an unfortunate love
affair. Two years before she had
been engaged to q Captain Clifford
OF the British army. Then the news
reached Leonora that her lover had
been killed during an encounter with
tribesmen In India. His body was
never recovered, and the blow COM
pletely Frustrated the young girl. The
nervous breakdown which required
my services took place. / got her to
conide her sorrows to me, and she
often spoke Of Captain Clifford and Of
the love she still bore him.
by and by Leonora began to get
well. and soon afterward, to my aston.
ishment. I heard Of her engagement
to DR.. Herslet. one Of the ~cleverest
surgeons In Harley street. | had
nursed patients for DR.. Herslet, and
never imagined that he was a marry.
ing man. He vas hard and dry In
appearance, not more than thirty-fve.
but looking considerably older. Hers
let was a brain specialist, and no man
living had studied the anatomy OF the
brain more thoroughly. All that mod
ern science knew he had acquired.
J respected Herslet, but at the same
dine | feared him. for no was a silent,
cold sort OF individual whose manner
sepelled one. When he became en-
gagged 10 Leonora | felt sorry for the
girl. Once / ventured TO speak 10 my
patient on the subject.
do you really love this man whom
you the going to marry?" | asked.
She looked at me sadly and shook
her head. II do not" she said slowly.
Il am going 10 marry DIR. Herslet sim
ply because my father wishes II. Yet
he knows that all my love Is given to
The man who lies In an unknown
grave. DR.. Herslet understands that
II such an impossible thing happened
as that Dick Clifford should come back
could rot marry him. Dick will
never come back, OF course, and !
shall be married TO DR.. Herslet in
two months from now You will stay
with me until the wedding Is over,
will you not. nurse?"
readily promised. for had grown
to love the girl we'll. On a certain
day not long after this conversation |
happened to be alone, when the door
Of the oom I was in opened and DR..
Herslet came In.
Il have a very critical case in my
hospital just now. nurse" said he. Il
want your assistance, rs the case Is
one OF life or death. You must leave
Miss Trefusis tomorrow and come TO
me-"
Il cannot" I replied. "Leonora is
better. but she Is still dependent on
me-"
Nevertheless" he returned coldly,
you will come to my house tomor'
row evening. The operation will take
place on the following morning. |
am going to %trephine. II / am not
successful, the patient will 60 mad;
trephining Is the only chance for him.
VIII arrange the matter with Miss
Trefusis."
That evening Lenora came to me.
You will have to leave me, nurse
she said. 81 feel terribly sad at the
thought OF losing you, but DR.. Herslet
is insistent and must have his way.
when he becomes emphatic l have to
opey him. But I want you to come TO
my room; / wish to show you some
.hing you have never yet seen-Cap-
'ain Chords photograph"
! followed her TO her room and h
handed mo the photograph Of a re-
markedly ine-loohing. pleasant-faced
man
1t 10 . good face" I said. after |
aaa examined the picture. 'the coun'
.enancs Of q brave man. ! am sorry
Tor you. Leouora."
Toward the eysuing Of the next day
went to DR.. Hsrslet's hospital.
which was next door to his own house.
having been taken to my room and
sven some ~refreshment, . servant
came to ask me n I wished to see my
patient. I ssssnted. and In my pro-
.sssional cap and uniform followed
. gtrl In the Aooe ~ n room On the