The daily Alaskan., 1917-01-23
An American
 Surgeon
He Was Needed Because
 He Would Not Tell
By HORACE BRADFORD

1 ' . '
 am a surgeon, and my home is in Florence, Italy. When a young man l studied at a college of physicians and surgeons in my native country, Amer lca, but, possessing a taste for art, con- cluded to change my profession. Con- ing here to Florence, I studied art for awhile, but soon saw that I did not possess the talent necessary to make an artist. Having fallen in love with this delightful city, l remained, hang ing out my shingle as q surgeon.
 One night I attended a ball at the Pitt palace. It was my first appear ance among the aristocraCy of Flor enCe. and l was much interested in watching the people there, few of whom I had ever seen. A young girl with a gentleman attendant on each side of her walked by me. The ap- pearance of the three told a story. The man on her left was young, hand some, in every way attractive. He on her right was past middle age and dis agreeable looking as the other was en- | g2Sing. As they passed me he gave thS younger man a malignant look. The girl appeared to be much trou- bled. It was plain that her heart was with the man on her left that she was constrained to choose the man on her right and that the two men hated each other on her account.
 Everywhere" 1 remarked to my self, "the stream of life is troubled. To be rich, to be prominent, does not render one immune from that which is disagrecablc. Happy love has eyi- dently come to this young girl, to be interfcred with by one who, judging from her expression, has some claim upon her. How I should like to know the StOryr
 As 1 thought the last words 1 little dreamed that within a few hours a climax would come in the drama be- ing enacted by these three persons and that I would come upon the stage for minor part. When l left the palace l went directly to my rooms and to bed. An hour later l was awakened from a sound sleep by a violent knocking. l arose. slipped on a gown and opened the door, Two gentlemen in evening dress stepped Into the room.
 You are the American surgeon, ] believer" said one.
 ! "At yOur service" l reDlipd.
 You are wanted to attend a man dangerously wounded" said the other. You are chosen partly on account of your standing in your profession, but principally because you are not one of our circle. We do not like our affairs to be known. I must ask you to per init me to blindrold you"
 l objected to this, but one of the men put his hand to his hip pocket and drew forth a small pistol with mother ot-pcarl mouutings, while the other produced a stiIe,to. I picked up my bag of instruments and suffered them to tie a handkerchief about my eyes. They led mc out to the sidewalk, told me to raise my foot, and l stepped into a carriage.
 "Driye Q roundabout way" l heard one of the gentlemen say.
 "No," iutcrposad the other. He may bleed to death. We must go as quick ly as possible"
 There was no need to make turns, for l had no idea where they were taking me- In what l supposed to be | ten minutes the carriage stopped. l was helped out and soon by the ln- creased warmth of the air felt myself to be in a building Then [ mounted steps, and at last the bandage was taken off my eyes. l was standing beside a bed on which lay-mirabiIe dictu-the young man had seen walk ing on the left of the girl at the PittL I knew too well the danger of show ing any sign of recognition.
 "Signor Dottore," he said with fec ble voiac. "I have been stabbed on the left side-here," UncOveriug Tt is near the heart
 It was near the heart, but had for tunateIy just escaped that organ. Aft CT an examination I assured the pa tieut that if he kept perfectly quiet till the wound should heal he would recover. But l thought that. consid- CriHg it's close proximity to vital or gan. surgeon should remain with him until a healing should be estab- lishcd.
 Then" saii one of the men who had brought me, you must remain. We do not care that two surgeons should be introduced here just now"
 But my practice-my patients"
 "An damages to your practice shall be literally paid for"
 I made a virtue of necessity and as sented.
 Meanwhile I had bandagad the cut and when I had finished turned and looked about me. I was in one of those old palaces, as they are callCl in Flor ence, belonging to some influential fam fly. The furniture, at least me of 1t. must have been several huEircd years old. The bed on which t&e wound ed man lay was Canopied. On the walls were paintings, some of which 1 recognized as masterpieces of the if teenth and sixteenth centuries. There was no one in the room except the two men who brought me and the patient. I directed that a large lounge of an tique pattern should be made con- fortable for me to sleep on, as 1t would