Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Black Doctor
Thelearnedcounselhasmademanytellingremarksinhisday,buthehascertainlyneverproducedsuchasensationwithsoshortasentence.Thecourtwassimplystunnedwithamazementastheverymanwhosefatehadbeenthesubjectofsomuchcontentionappearedbodilybeforetheminthewitness-box.ThoseamongthespectatorswhohadknownhimatBishop’sCrossingsawhimnow,gauntandthin,withdeeplinesofcareuponhisface.Butinspiteofhismelancholybearinganddespondentexpression,therewerefewwhocouldsaythattheyhadeverseenamanofmoredistinguishedpresence.Bowingtothejudge,heaskedifhemightbeallowedtomakeastatement,andhavingbeendulyinformedthatwhateverhesaidmightbeusedagainsthim,hebowedoncemore,andproceeded:
"Mywish,"saidhe,"istoholdnothingback,buttotellwithperfectfranknessallthatoccurreduponthenightofthe21stofJune.HadIknownthattheinnocenthadsuffered,andthatsomuchtroublehadbeenbroughtuponthosewhomIlovebestintheworld,Ishouldhavecomeforwardlongago;buttherewerereasonswhichpreventedthesethingsfromcomingtomyears.Itwasmydesirethatanunhappymanshouldvanishfromtheworldwhichhadknownhim,butIhadnotforeseenthatotherswouldbeaffectedbymyactions.LetmetothebestofmyabilityrepairtheevilwhichIhavedone.
"ToanyonewhoisacquaintedwiththehistoryoftheArgentineRepublicthenameofLanaiswellknown.
