The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-08-02

Copyright. By w. q. Chapman.)
By A. r. MEAD

On the tWetftn VI NoSempeT, 1879,
.word the end OF q morning during
hitch I had seen many patients, a
Idv giving the name OF Mrs. Tanker.
Llle asked for an interview. She was
knitted and one glance told me that
be was not an ordinary patient. Her
res we're dark, restless and filled
i,h nervous force and determination.
or whole face was very much lined.
er cheeks sunken.
81 have come, Doctor Halifax" she
i'd. TO beg OF you to save the rea.
bn Of a miserable woman"
you allude to mental trouble?". I
neried.
YES: to heartbreak. shame and dis
hess. came up to the city last
Irht, wondering to whom / could
,rn for aid. A friend had once told
Il OF you, and I resolved to seek
bur sympathy"
II will give you my best attention.
RS. Tankerville." I said. "as soon an
have dispensed with several pa
ents who are waiting for me In the
lception room"
Having finished with my callers I
burned to Mrs. Tankerville. She
rs standing by m Of the windows.
Id | noticed with surprise that she
has reading a manuscript OF mine
hitch | had been preparing for a
edical journal and had left open on
le table. The paper dealt solely with
Ichnical subjects, and | wondered
hat she found OF interest in It. She
Nd il down when ! appeared and
hthout seating herself began to
Peak.
Doctor Halifax, / will tell you the
use of my trouble in a moment or
10. But, IN order that you may clear.
understand my position, I should
fst like 10 give you some particu.
rs OF my past life. ! married young:
had a husband who deeply loved
e. We had plenty Of private means
Id one child, a girl. Six years ago
y first sorrow came; my husband
Jed, After his death all my love
hs layished on my girl. Susanna, and
e was worthy of all the affection I
fstowed upon her. Between three
I'D four months ago came the begin
|ng Of that awful tragedy which
buses me to seek your aid today.
nsanna was invited to visit an old
flation OF her fathers, an extremely
ealthy and eccentric woman. Her
Pme was Stuart; and was unmarried.
Pd lived in a lonely cottage on the
~piskirts of Westchester, n. Y. Miss
uart was n confirmed miser, and Il
as reported that she had much treas
e hidden away. My husband was
PISS Stuart's first cousin, and she
fote expressing a strong wish to
axe the acquaintance OF his daugh.
Susanna wrote back that she
ould come II her mother was also
Vl'ed. but Miss Stuart refused, stat
that Susanna was her own blood
iation, but that I was not. Susanna
ereupon declared that she would
pay any further attention TO her,
thinking that my girl might bene.
oy 1t In the future, / insisted upon
going TO Westchester by herself.
10 mad been with Miss Stuart for
weeks, when one day the door
ehed, and Susanna walked in. l
rr'ed with amazement ut the sight
ner face. All the color had left
cheeks. her eyes were filed with
wa look OF terror. She came
raisht up to me and caught hold of
y hands.
hide me. mother she walled;
nioe me. have run away
nut why, my dear?' I asked.
nst have you run away from!'
something terrible has happened
answered. Cousin Jane and I
alone In the house last night.
went TO bed early. for / was tired;
you walked far in the country dur.
,ne day. | fell asleep and began
.'eam. The night was a moon
ohe' and the light of the moon
ueu into my room. In my dream
nan came into my room. took up n
OF mine. laid It down again,
49, hard at me and went out. A
n, "orror seized me, for II seemed
knew the man and that his
vas quite familiar. I awoke, and
was no n there-I called out,
N"ere was no answer. The room
imply save for myself. After a
dropped asleep again. In the
l rose early. and went into
laa N'asin's room. Mother, she was
N, one had been murdered In the
some one had stabbed her to
a ar'' l rushed into the yard
eb, 'poke to the man who came
ns. ana morning to help with the
y bo" work. I brought him into
d Use and he looked at the body,
% on at once to fetch the po-
d a doctor. The police came.
ma ut into my bedroom. They
d snife there. my knife. that /
e h,ausnt not q week before. and
hen was stained with blood.
9 loo, saw the blood and noticed
|enss on the policeman's face. I
tall " ose my reason. He turned
Old 70 the other policeman. and
Is aloa 'chin. the gardener. and ]
nv Tor a moment. snatched
feacbaa "a. I'M purse and q away.
"cu the ruffw~v 1870. .-hs