The Winslow mail., 1913-01-25
Sf~orfe Experienced IL, THE Life
of a Doctor.
Copyright. by ". 9. Chspman.)
By A. T. MEAD

FRAY sE DOWN, nurse, ne Sald.
"Has DR.. Herslet told you the ma
ture of the operation?'
YES" / replied. "He says it is
serious one"
Exactly. Well, couple Of years
ago [ received a severe blow on the
head and DR.. Herslet believes there
is pressure on certain portion of the
brain. Since the time of the accident
| have suffered from epileptic fits. To
save myself from the horrors of a
lunatic asylum [ prefer to take the
chance of the surgeons knife. / re.
turned home a fortnight ago. When
with my regiment I received the blow
which I have just mentioned. ] was
supposed to be dead, but was taken
prisoner instead. I have much to live
for, should the operation prove sue
cesSful. If not, there are certain
friends whom 1 would just as soon
have believe that I perished in India.
But l must not talk too much as the
slightest excitement brings on fit.
Here is the key of my portmanteau.
| Perhaps, nurse, you will go to my
room and unpack some of my things"
I 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 photograph. / took the photo
graph up, and the well-known face of
my late patient, Leonora Trefusis,
was before me! My mind reverted to
i 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 | seen
1t before? Like a flash of truth, or
what seemed to be the truth. became
clear. The man / was about to nurse
had only just returned from India,
where he had been wounded and tax
en- prisoner. Was it possible that
had found Leonora's lost lover? But
[ must make sure; | must not be rash.
| returned to the sitting room
Il have unpacked your things" ]
said to the patient. by the way,
would you mind letting me know your
name.
my name is Captain Clifford, Y was
the reply.
I left the room without speaking
further. It was nearly 10 o'clock, but
I resolved to go straight to Leonora
to11
| dressed hurriedly and was descend
ing the stairs when the front door
opened and DR.. Herslet entered.
Have you seen the patient, nurse 2"
he asked.
Eyes" l answered. 'T have unpack
ed his things. I am going out to see
Miss Trefusis; | have some important
news for her"
Il am afraid | cannot spare y.
now," he said. "The operation is to
be performed early in the morning
and I want to talk the case over with
you. Come into my consulting room .
] followed him down the hall and
entered the consulting room.
'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 ?" I asked.
Certainly; but what has your news
to do with that?"
Everything. You engaged yourself
to marry Leonora on a condition She
promised to wed you only because she
believed her old lover to be dead"
(Which he is. ] did say to her that
if such thing should happen as that
the dead should return to life, |
should in honor give her up. But |
was never sufficiently interested to
even ask the name of the gentleman,
] preferred to avoid the subject
"You can scarcely avoid it now,"
said. Dir. Herslet, Leonora's old
lover exists; he is alive and in this
house now. His name is Captain Gif-
ford Go to Leonora, If you do not be
lieve 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
DR.. Herslets cold eyes gazed at me
steadily. The mans nerves must have
been made of steel. for he never
f1inched.
Il will investigate your story" he
said. 'In the meantime, I do not in
tend to allow you to see Leonora to,
night. While l am absent you shall
remain here" Without waiting for a
reply, he left the room, and locked the
door after him, At the end of an
hour he returned. His face was as
cold and impassve as ever.
. Il have verified the truth of your
tale,'' he said 81 visited Miss Tref-
usis, and for the first time since our
engagement l allnded to her old lover
She wept. / asked his name and par
ticulars about him and was shown his
photograph. My rival lives; he is up
stairs. Tomorrow ! am to perform a
critical operation upon him. Think
what you have put into my power A
swerve of the knife means death. But