Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-14

and with his back to the table, where the
young man had again sullenly seated HIM
self In the round shining surface of the
mirror the room was repeated in sharp
clear miniature. The bottle was still CUR
CLING out its crimson stores into the broad
silver wine-strainer, when the Doctor, cast
ing his eyes upon the mirror, observed John
draw swiftly from his breast-pocket little
fiat black vial and pour a dozen drops of
some thick fluid into the half-full glass
which stood beside his uncle's plate
He took no notice of what he had seen,
nor did he look round, but merely said
John, I'm sorry to trouble you, but we
shall want some brown sherry there is
hardly enough for to-day. Get it before we
sit down to the real business of the even
ing.
The moment John Hardness left the room
the Doctor, with the quickness Of youth,
slipped the wine, recognized the taste of
laudanum, threw open the door leading in
to the surgery, dashed the wine down a
sink, then shut the door, and reflled the
glass to exactly the same height.
Here is the sherry, governor. Come,
take your wine"
! The Doctor tossed it off
al feel sleepy" he said" strangely
sleepy"
ooh, it is the weather Go into that
green chair and have a ten minutes napp
| The Doctor did so. In moment or two
he fell back, assuming with consummate
skill all the external symptoms of deep
sleep. A deep apopletic snoring breathing
convinced the Doctors adopted that the
laudanum had taken effect
A moment that hardened man stood
watching the sleeper's face then, falling
on his knees, he slipped from the Doctors
finger his massive seal-key.
The instant he turned to run to a cabinet
where the Doctors case-bOOk was kept, the
old mans stern eyes opened upon him with
the swiftest curiosity but the old man did
not move limb nor a muscle, remaining
fixed like figure of stone.
Hes saie," said the coarse, unfceling
voice " and now for the case-book, to fix
it against him if any thing goes wrong"
AS he said this the lost man opened the
case-book and made an entry. lie then
locked the book, replaced it in the cabinet,
and slipped the key-ring once more on the
Doctors finger. Then he rose and rang the
bell softly. The old servant came to the
door
"The governors taken rather too much
wine" he said, blowing out the candles :;
awake him about twelve and tell him Pm
gone to bed. You say Pm out, if you dare;
and mind and have the trap ready to-mor-
row at half-past nine. Pm to be at Mrs
Thatcher's"
When the door closed upon the hopeless
profigate, the Doctor rose and wrung his
hands q" Lost, lost !" he said but will
still hide his shame. He shall have time
still to repent | cannot---can not forget
how once loved him."
Sternly the Doctor set himself to that
task Of set-devotion-stern as a soldier
chosen for a fOrlorn hope. Tomorrow"
he said " will confront him, and try if
can touch that hard heart"
When the servant came at twelve the
Doctor pretended to awake. "Joe," he
said, "get my chaise ready tomorrow at
quarter to ten mind, to the moment
Where's Mr.. John ?"
"Gone to bed, Sir. Goodnight"
He makes them all liars like himself"
room door.
Glow is your missus 2" said the young
doctor, as, driving fast through Crossford
the next morning, he suddenly espied Mrs.
Thatcher's serveut standing at the post
office window.
The old coachman shook his head
"Nery bad, sir sinking fast"
John Hardness made no reply, but lash
ed his horse and drove iercely off in the
direction of the sick woman's house
at all goes WELL" he said, half aloud.
{" / had half mind to stop the thing yes
terday when | saw her but these fellows
press me so with their bills, and the gov
ernor's so cursed stingy. | really must
press it on. It's no crime. What is it p
Only sending an old woman two or three
days sooner to the heaven she is always
whining for. Yet she was fond of me, and
its rather a shame but what can a fellow
do that's so baggered /"
| So reasoned this ia len man, stepped in
the sophistries which sin uses as narcotics
to stupefy its victims.
| Arrived at the door he threw down the
reins, tossed back the apron, and leaped
out He was excited and desperate with
the brandy he had already found time to
take. All at once, as he passed his fingers
in vain through his whisksrs and shook his
white great-cOat into its natural folds, he
glanced upward at the windows. To his
surprise, but fly no means violent regret
he saw that the blinds were all down.
"By the Lord Harry !" he muttered, 81 if
the old cat hasn't already kicked the buck
ct Vogue la galere, thatll do. Now
then for regret, lamentation, and a white
cambria handkerchief"
He pulled at the bell softly. In mo-
ment or two the door was opened by a ser
want, whose eyes were red with crying
At the same instant Miss Paget stepped
from room into the hall. She had hand
kerchief to her face.
oh, John, John," she Sobbed "my
dear, dear aunt"
"Then she's really gone" said Hardness,
with well-feigned regret. Here, Lefty,
come into the back parlor and tell me about
it. Why, | didn't think the old lady was
going so soon."
Not there, John, not there" said Lefty,
as she stood before the door.
"Pll go up and see her at once"
No, no, John, you must not. Not yet"
why, what's all this fuss about, Let
ty ?" said Hardness, angrily. One would
think no one had ever died before. OF
.I | md oil