Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1903 — A Doctor’s Mission [ARTICLE]

A Doctor’s Mission

BY EMILY THORNTON

Author of “ Roy Russell’s Rule,” “The Fashionable Mother,” Etc.

CHAPTER lll.— (Continued.) A few days after the promenade on feck Dr. Elfenstein was summoned by Hiss Nevergail to attend her aunt, who warn eery ill, owing to the violence of fee storm. Portioning out a sedative, fee young physician turned to give it to kis companion, and in handing it, their Angers met, and at the touch his heart kaped so forcibly into a delightful thrill feat it caused an instant feeling of questioning as ho its canse. Their passage across the Atlantic was n> unusually propitious one. It was with Belief to both the physician and anxious niece as they saw the termination of the voyage, for in spite A: their united efforts, Mrs. Nevergail’s strength was raptlljr departing. •.•>. I)r. Elfenstein had an unusually tender end sympathizing heart. He could not •ee so young a girl in such trouble and not in everything possible lend a helptag hand. He cared for her as a brother, and the eloquent look of gratitude that flashed npon him,’ as, after seeing them both safely in the Liverpool home of their eonsin, Mr. Rogers, Ethel placed her Sand in his, at parting, and faltered out Her thanks, ns he bade her farewell, never expecting to see her more, was a reward not soon to be forgotten. After leaving his fellow voyagers, oqr :Aero lost no time in pursuing his own Jonrney. Before a week had rolled by ftis way was made perfectly plain, and a pleasant home was provided. He found ly inquiring of Levi Terkins, the land--Iml of the hotel where he stopped, that the place had just been excited, and almost stunned, by the sudden illness of Dr. Jennings, the only physician for aailea around. He had been rendered Beipless three days before, by a paralytic stroke, and as all feared, would never again be able to attend to his professional duties. > Instantly, on hearing this news, the yonng man had visited the house of the •M gentleman, and showing his letters of •ecommendation, and his written credentials, he had offered to attend to the sick in his place, .which offer was accepted, and in a few days the stranger had all fee calls for medical advice that he could jrttend, and the result was that he bought fee practice of the old nnd worn out man,' •nd became his accepted succes.or. Dr. Jennings lived only two days after Elfenntein's arrival, for a third severe shock Bud him at rest from his earthly labors terever. The funeral was a large one, and after fee day, with its many excitements, had passed, Dr. Elfenstein again visited the lonse where the dead had so recently min, and asking to see the daughter, Mrs. Stewart, he offered to rent the cottage tarnished for a year, provided Mrs. Clum would remain in it, as formerly, in the capacity of housekeeper. This offer relieved Mrs. Stewart of what had been an anxiety, and as Mrs. k’lnm was delighted to still retain her Borne, all due arrangements were, immediately made, papers drawn up and signed, and one week from the day of his arxaral we find “Earle Elfenstein, M. D.,” npon a sign, boride the door of the prettiest cottage in the place, and that young disciple of Galen busy night and day attending to the large practice so suddenly thrown upon his hands.

CHAPTER IV. Sir Reginald Glendenning was out of ftnmor one sunny morning in May. The daily mail had been handed him, as usu*l, just as he had commenced his breakiMt, and one letter that ho had then seceived had discomposed and made him •■riy and violent. “What luck is this?” he muttered. “■Alter my not going to the funeral of say sister, and thus, by my absence, ■bowing that 1 had not overlooked her plebeian marriage, to think that these people have forwarded such a letter as this to me is absurd! I do not care if it was written by her before her death. TTtey might hare known I did not wish te- Take charge of her husband's niece, tersootli! She may go to the almshouse ter all me! 1 will not have a thing to do with her. So saying. Sir Reginald turned to his Vknry, tossed the offensive letter into a i drawer of his bookcase, locked it, and patting the key in his pocket, rang the leU furiously for a waiter, ordering him te bare the groom bring to the door a 7««ng horse named Tempest at once, as te intended to ride. Springing upon the lack of the handsome Sir Reginald Glendenning dashed away, just as nephew, Robert, a young man about iuty years of age, appeared upon the deserted piazza. H« was in personal appearance very teN. with a magnificent figure, dark eompinion, handsome features and large, •|(*klui black eyes, while his whole air PMtiayed the pride that he had so richer inherited from his own immediate fam“Belle!" he exclaimed, as his sister, iv teuutifnl brunette, followed him. “See mm worthy relative dashing down the eaninge way at that breakneck speed, ■sends! if I were to ride in that savage way he would rate me soundly for it for next three days. 1 wonder what ■wws that letter could have contained to tefnrinte him as it did. Do you know, he te always terribly provoked when he aMas like 1 that.” “I do nit. neither does Annt Conafausc*. 1 should like to read it though, vmfld not you?” “Yea; I wonder where he put it?” “I* the drawer of his bookcase, where Bn keeps letters not answered. I wish 1 smM unlock it, but the key has gone tees tee carriage way in the old gent's packet,” replied the unfilial girl. “Well, tin oe you express a wish to roe M. perhaps I can aid you. See! this key tete* aa though it might fit any lock.” tebtetend the young man. readily enoqgh tedteng into the suggestive mood of *his Laughing, the young girl tamed quirk % with Urn, and both glld& with

stealthy steps towards the library and their uncle’s desk. The key fitted; a fact Robert well knew, as it was not the first time it had been tried by the unprincipled nephew, and the following letter, written with a hand evidently feeble from sickness, was eagerly read, then as quickly returned to ita hiding place, and the drawer relocked, as they had found it. On the envelope was written, “To be sent to Sir Reginald Glendetining, Bart., after my death.’’ "Sir Reginald Glendenning: “My Dear Brother—You will doubtless be surprised to receive this letter from one who has been so many years separated from her family, In consequence of having married, secretly, the man of her choice. Allow me merely to say that when you read this, the sister that you once loved will have passed away, and, therefore, she trusts that all hard feelings that her marriage may have occasioned will be buried forever. Brother, I write to you now in order to crave a favor at your hands. My only child died in infancy, and just twenty and a half years ago, I, with the consent of tny husband, took charge of n little girl of gentle blood and some pleasant future ■prospects, and gave her the love of a true mother. On her twenty-first birthday she will be at liberty to open certain documents laid aside for her, and then will came into possession of her own property, for same little awaits her majority. Until then, after my death, she will be friendless nnd alone. Now, I ask if you will care for her until that date, October fifth is reached? Can she not be in some way of service to you, and thus compensate for her board and trouble? Do this for me, m.v dear brother, and be kind and care for my beloved Ethel, and my dying gratitude will be yours. . “Your affectionate sister. “GERTRUDE.” ‘‘Of all impudent proposals, that is the climax!” ejaculated Belle, indignantly. "Take her into his own family, indeed! The minx don't come here, if I can help it. She is no earthly relation to him!’’ “Your opinion will not be asked, sister mine,” returned her companion in evil deeds; “and you must remember that you are-supposed to know nothing of the contents of that letter. But do not be alarmed. Our relative looked too much like a thunder cloud to be cajoled into receiving her here.” Need we stop now, after relating such a s-cenfi, to describe the wholly heartless characters of these relations of Lady Constance Glendenning? Indulged from infancy by their own parents ns much as by the Lady Constance, whose whole affections had centered upon them, in consequence of the cold manner of her moody, passionate husband towards herself, it is not to be wondered at that they developed with each year selfish and unamiable dispositions under her foolishly fond sway. As for Lady Constance, her naturally amiable disposition had grown hardened. Life wlith her violent tempered husband had proved anything but pleasant, and as ; she finally saw his ugly features of character being imitated by these children under her charge, she became morbidly indifferent and cold to such a degree that her nearest relatives cou'ul scarcely recognize in the proud Lady Constance Glendenning the once light-hearted and gay young cousin, whose society was so much sought in former years .by the three brothers before their father’s death, when life had been so different for each. This morning Lady Constance felt unusually dispirited. Her apathetic heart had been moved the night before by a singularly vivid dreanl, in which she had met once more her never forgotten early lover, and the face qf Sir Arthur had appeared in that midnight hour with all the realness of life, while she seemed to hoar him wail iu despair; "Oh, Constance, Constance!” Starting from this dreary sleep, she tossed restlessly until mprning, and then after rising, found that Ihe impression made upon her mind had not in the least vanished. She sank upon her knees, and weeping bitterly, moaned: "Oh, Arthur, why was I so unfaithful to thy precious memory? Why did I' forget thee so soon, my own, my own? Wretched guilty woman Jhat I have been to wed for a title and initeritance, 90 unfeeling and heartless a man as I, alas! have done! Oh, heaven, forgive this, my sin, and grant me peace with thyself after my weary life is ended!” Long and bitterly she thus wrestled with her own heart, never stirring from her lowly posture until she was sutjdenly aroused by a horrified scream from lips she knew to be Belle’s, while a strange call in tones of anguish for "Aunt Constance” caused her to rise and open the dpor, where she, too, was startled to see the whole household assembled in the halls, and then the first knowledge of some awful calamity fell upon her heart.

CHAPTER V. Leaving Sir Reginald to his wild ride on that lovely May morning, we will go bacJt a day or two in our story, and again reek Dr. Klfensteiu. In many of his visits, which were all professional, he had, by dropping some leading word, striven to discover the public mind in regard to the murder committed in their midst twenty-five years before. To his surprise, he met everywhere a decided reluctance to talk upon the subject, as the Jaw had acquitted the only one suspected, but the gloomy looks and wise uhakes of the head be ao often met told him well that tba yonngwr brother Fitzroy was still held guilty in the opinions of the general mass of tha inhabitant!. f Sorry to aee that his friend was still so hardly thought of, Earle Klfensteiu dropped the subject. Jumping into hfs gig, he drove away to the village, resolved to go through the extensive grounds of the “Hall,” as strangers were in the daily habit of doing.

Glendenning Hall lay next to his own cottage home, and stopping at the gate lodge, he asked permission of the keeper to drive around the premises. This permission wae easily gained, and the son of the gatekeeper, an intelligent boy of fourteen, volunteered to ride with him, to explain the places on the route. So climbing to big side, Sandy began at once to chatter of all that came into his young head. "You are the new doctor, I know that well,” he remarked; “so it is all right for you to know how to get to the Hall, in case you r.re sent for in a hurry. Ft is quite • ride, you see, before the mansion conies even in sight. This front part of the house is where the family live, and is of stone, very handsome; but all that wing, or part, that runs back, is very old, deserted and almost falling to pieces.** ••There was a murder committed here once, I have been told, my boy. Which part was that done in?” "It is not on the front, but on the right-hand side, where the blind is half open. That was Sir Arthur’s room, abd is now occupied by Sir Reginald. It is in the second story; but the balcony railing that surrounds it, you see, is not so very far from the ground, as the house sets sqJow at that end. The body was swung from that balcony to the ground, by means of a fope tied under the arms. The rope was dangling there, the next day, in the wind. See! this path leads to a beautiful lake; you can see the water plainly through those parting tree boughs. There the body was supposed to have been flung, to hide it for a time; but it must have been carried away the same night, for it never has been found.” •That is very strange!” quoth the doctor. "Where could the murderers have hidden it?” “No one can tell. People think his brother did the deed, as they had quarreled the night before it happened; but when he was tried it seemed to be proved that he did not.” "Yonder is a curious looking building,” remarked Earle, pointing to a square brick tower that stood beyond, yet attached'to. the deserted wing. "What may that be?” “It is called ‘The Haunted Tower.’ Please drive fast past that, doctor, for I shiver whenever I think of it, even, much less pass near it!” returned Sandy. "Why?” "Because it is a fearful place. It is haunted!” was the whispered reply. "Who says so?” “Everybody. No one likes to take this path, even in daylight, such terrible things appear at those windows at the top of the tower on dark stormy nights.” "Who, for one, has seen these things?” “I have; and so has every person who lives in a house with windows facing this way, or who is out much nights. You see, that tower is very tall, and soars way above the trees. I saw it myself the last time we had a terrible storm. I was staying with Jim Cqlgrove all night. Jim lives just below you, in the village. It was about ten o'clock and we were in his room. When we were ready for bed, .Tim put out the light an* I ran to the window to see, if it still stormed, when, suddenly, a bright light caught mv eves, in the top of the tower, and, looking up, I saw the most frightful object eyes ever beheld, dancing inside, plainly seen through the windows!” The boy stopped here, while his eyes seemed dilating with horror at the remembrance, and his lips grew palS. "What was it like?” "Oh, I don’t want to describe it! I can’t, really! Jim looked out when I screamed, and was as frightened as I, so we both jumped into bed, quick, and covered up our heads to shut out the sight. It was terrible,- doctor, terrible!” Dr. Elfensteifi said no more, but inwardly resolved to be on the lookout for the specter of the Hauuted Tower. Yet, while he resolved, he laughed at himself for putting the least faith in this boy’s unlikely story. "It is a wild tale these villagers have invented, in order to excite strangers, and draw attention to this quiet, rural place. I do not believe one word about the ghost, yet, for the joke of the thing, I will look this way about ten, some real stormy night, and see what is to be seen.” As if to keep the thing ip remembrance. Earle saw that the sun was sinking. even then, into a bank of clouds, and he concluded tha* a thunder storm would burst over them that very night. One thing, however, Earle Elfenstein noted, the present ba'ronet’s apartments were on the same side of the building that connected with the ruined portion, while the tall old tower which seemed of more modern build, stood just back of the whole, while its large windows on each of the four sides, could be distinctly seen by the whole village inhabitants, as it rose so far Above thq houses, and even above many of the numerous trees that filled the grounds. (To be continued.)