Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1912-12-10

device | saw through the transom
light approaching. A chain was loosen
ed. key turned. the door was opened
and an i'll favored woman looked a
me over q kerosene lamp.
Doctor to see the sick woman"
said in businesslike tone.
What sick woman?"
THE one who telephoned."
This seemed to put an idea into tn,
woman's head. She doubtless knew
OF the telephone message, and I thlnl
1t occurred to her that 1t had reached
physician. Might 1t not be a goot
plan to avert any detrimental conse
quences by pretending that doctor
had really been called for?
There is woman here who q
sick. but she doesn't need a DOCTOR
she said,
Whether she does or she doesn't Il
her affair. When I'm called out to SEE
patient don't permit any one to put
me of. might be held for criminal
neglect"
! aggressIyely staIked into the hall
The woman asked me to wait minute
and went away. She had no sooner
gone than | heard tap at the front
door, and admitted James told
him to stand by the door and IL were
called to see patient to search fol
what he could find. The woman kept
me waiting so long that | called out
gruffiy:
"Hl. you. there. Do you expect me
to stay here allnight?"
I heard voices. and the woman came
back with a man. The latter looked
ugly. hut, seeing that I had been re-
enforced by James. said quietly:
"All right, doctor. My wife is sui.
fering with bad pain In her side.
Come this way"
l followed him. keeping hand on
my revolver in my oyercoat outside
pocket. / was conducted to a room
where a woman lay In bed groaning.
Her hair and eyes were black, and l
knew at once that she was not the per-
son who had called me. Besides, 1t
didn't require physician to see that
she was shamming pain. 10 give
James time to make discoveries, ask
ed her great many questions as to
her symptoms. felt her pulse and her
side, where she said she suffered the
pain; called for hot water, and when
they said there was no water heated
told them to heat 1t at once.
asked If there were enough persons
in the house to assist in an operation,
and they said there were but the two
women and the man. Hearing James
cough In the hall. | wrote prescrip-
ton and told the man to go out to a
drug store and get the medicine 1t
called for I thought for time he
would refuse. looked up at him with
stern surprise. and this decided him.
and he went out doggedly. followed
him into the hall and signed TO James
to turn the key after him. which was
done without making ii perceptble
sound. Then james and | approached
each other. and James whispered In
my ear:
There's door locked upstairs and
some one moaning inside
wait here" was my reply. and |
went back to my patient.
The woman who had admitted me
was In the kitchen heating or pretend
ing to heat the water. leaving me alone
with the one In bed. Taking some
ether from my medicine case. | poured
1t on a towel and held 1t over her face.
She struggled. but | held my ground,
and she was soon unconscious. | call
ed James, and. handing him my re-
volver. told him to go into the kitch-
en- and not let the WOMAN there come
out. Then ] vent upstairs and after
trying couple of doors found the one
that was locked. called out: I'm
the man you got on the telephone.
the troublef"
The reply came. 1--WE been kidnapped
and am held here till can be removed
to-
There's no time to hear the story
now" / interrupted. and In twinkIing
made up my mind between calling
the police and taking the woman away
on my own responsibility. Choosing
the latter course l gave the door a
rigorous kick; the lock or the wood
work about 1t was old and rotten. It
Dew open and woman stepped out
Into the hall. There was no light on
the floor and could not see her fea-
lures; but, having hurried her down
stairs. l saw that she was young and
comely. ! called to James to lock the
door leading to the kitchen and come
quick. He did so and in another mo-
ment the three Of US were in the auto
spinning away.
Where shall I take your" I asked
The lady.
Anywhere except where am
known" was the reply.
"Whyy'
II have escaped from a retreat. 1t
Is matter of property. They are try
ug to prove me insane. II they dis
,over where | am the matter will be
to the courts and they will
send me back"
I caught on to this brief statement
and resolved to take the lady to my
house. where lived with my mother
ind sister. 1t occurred to me that my
lecision not to call the police was for
.unate- carried my capture home
and. arousing my sister. turned the
prize over to her. Then went to bed
In an hour | had been summoned and
had found the person who had called
Tor me and had rescued her.
The next morning she asked me to
seEd for a lawyer. who came and took
are Of her case so skillfully that with
n a year she obtained full possession
II an estate of which others were try
ng to deprive her and at the same
time to keep her in an asylum was
.alied upon to testify before the court.
The only thing knew against her
sanity was that she had accepted a