Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-04-13
The Doctors
Revenge
BY CLAIRE SMITH
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


murmurs of the doctors voices in the
next room. His only daughter, Olga,
had been i'll for weeks of a mysterious
disease, which had slowly wasted her
until there seemed no chance of saw
ing her life. 0fga was seventeen, and,
since her mothers death, she had been
! the apple Of his eye.
The consul was just about to rush
distractedly into the room where the
, consultation of specialists was being
held, when the door opened and they
| filed in.
"You can save herr" cried the con-
sui eagerly.
| "There is only one man can save
her." answered the senior doctor.
That is Arnheim."
1.-THE Jewish specialist of the East
SIDE" explained another.
But when they got Arnheim on the
telephone, they listened to brief mes
sage which, when repeated caused the
consul to explode with anger.
Go to him!" he exclaimed. why
should | go to him? Isn't my daugh-
ter'S life worth more than the lives of
all the thousands of wretches who
swarm in these parts? Tell him to
come at once, and I'll pay him double
what he could make in a month"
But the doctors could not get into
communication with Arnheim again,
and finally, fretting and fuming, the
consul ordered his automobile and
was driven down to those parts which
he had rightly characterized as "un-
savory."
The East side of most middle west
ern cities is. the least pretentious in
appearance, and the squalor of the
streets through which NJ. Basilieff
passed sent his memory whirling back
among the slums of Minsk. He had
secretly instigated the Jewish mas
sacres which had sent fifty thousand
homeless men and women flying to
America for refuge, after their chill
dren, fathers, mothers, friends had
been slaughtered before their eyes.
Among these had been Arnheim, then
a poor lad with penchant for medi-
cine which he could not crafty until
he reached the free shores Of America.
That. perhaps, explained the doctors
gruffness; but how was Basilieff to
know that?
The consul got out of his carriage
and entered the house in which the
doctor lived. When the consul sought
to pass into his office an attendant
politely restrained him.
Say that l am M. Basllieff, his inn
perial majesty's consul here" ex-
claimed the visitor angrily
Everybody must take his turn" re.
piled the attendant, suavcl3.
At last, when his turn came, he was
shown in. Doctor Arnheim, bland,
civil, but sharp, babe him sit down.
Arnheim listened in silence.
when can you Gomez" pleaded the
consul.
"Now." answered Arnheim.
Twenty minutes later the two men
were standing in the room where the
sick girl lay. Around her were
grouped the famous physicians, help
less in the presence of this rare dis
ease. The consul left Arnheim there
and went back to his library.
When at last the doctors, entered
again he came forward almost humbly
to meet them; and instead of his old,
arrogant demeanor, there was SUBJ
in his inquiry:
"She will live" said Arnheim, quiet
".
1t was explained that the operation
would have to be performed almost
AT last the day arrived when the
'risis was past, and the consul took
Arnheim by the hands and, in Rus
sian fashion, kissed him on either
heck.
Il do not know how to thank you
IF to remunerate you, except with
hanks and gratitude" he said. But
'ou must name your fee, Doctor Arm
eim. No matter what you ask, 1t
hall be yours" ~
well, NJ. Basilieff," the doctor an
wered, "since you wish to remunerateI
he as best you can, let there be no fee
q this case"
The consul was almost indignant.
"You must be remunerated."
II have been remunerated," replied
he doctor.
DO you remember the massacre att
tinsk sixteen years ago, M. Basilieff?"i
sked Doctor Arnheim, strange light
oming into his eyes. "You were gov
rnor of Minsk. They said you could
ave stopped it."
"Wcll?" inquired the consul haught-
".
MY little son was slain by your
Oldiers." said the doctor. II vowed
be reyenged on you For fifteen
ears have borne the load of hatred
my heart. Now 1t is gone. A life
Or life-your daughters for my
on's-the living for the dead. Good
forming"
Next moment he was gone.