Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-09-19

surgical instruments and all, to the hotel,
to attend man who had just been wounded
by a despcrado.
"lIe's likely Young fellow" said the
messenger, "aud Rob shot him down with
out mercy. lie don't live hyar, but comes
down occasionally lookin' after some gal, |
| b'licye."
The crowd in the bar.room drew back as
the doctor entered, and he saw q figure
stretched out on the counter.
! "lle's got to pass in his checks this time,
| Doc" said a man who leaned over the bar.
''Just open his jacket, will yer, and SEQ
where Black Rob's lead visited i'm
With hands already accustomed to tho
touch of blood, All. Wood drew aside the
gray jacket, and saw the shaStliest of
wounds in the right breast Then he looked
at the victims face. lie was young man
about his own age, and quite handsome.
lie was unconscious, a. we'll, and breathed
heavily. The pulse hern!ded speedy death,
and when the doctor looked up, it was to
shake his head.
''Doc, we'll make up purse for you if
you save i'm, said sxfooter. approach
ing the physician "an' by huxley. we'll
give you plenty to do besides
Nothing can save him. The right lung
is terribly shattered; he is dying now
The last word still quivcrcd our hcro's
lips. when the wounded man moved spas
medically on the counter, gaspcd once
then he waS dead
81 wonder vino he was" said the doc
tor. 81 never saw hin before to-day.'
81 think lie called himself Irons, but
that wasn't his true name When man
comes from the States he gets Il new handle.
Bat want to see You privately, Doe
The last sentence was spoken in low
tone, and Alf Wood followed the speaker
from the bar
IL war the first to open his jacket" said
the bordcrman, IAN this is what | found
i'll the inside pocket Its letter what will
likely tell suthin about him. | never did
run much to rc,dn' wri,in' So saved it
for you, Doe. who do.''
w ''' '".5'ii'H7 t'iI 'uti lboh tue ktltT,
which had been carried long time by the
murdered boy-lor boy the man on the
counter sccmel-and glanced at the chiro-
graphy. ''Tis a letter from woman" he
said. "Somc loyc-al;,r. no doubt. which
will tell Us but little | cant decipher it in
this dim light
Take it with You. Doc. You kin rc,d
it Tonight in the S1lanty. an Tomorrow you
kin tell me what she said to i'm, if you
think its any Of my business"
The doctor thrust the letter in his pocket
and walked toward his Office.
Rob Murrell's victim WAS dead, and the
outlaw WAS on his way t2 the mountains, to
recount his exploit to groups Of men who
would no doubt apphnd it.
The shutters wit, which Alfred Wood
had thonghtIully provided his dolnicile were
closed when he entered his Office, and his
first thought was OF the letter.
''l.itc here is wearing the Sarb of true ro-
nance, he said seating himself ut the table,
and smoothing the crcascs Of the dead mans
letter. "On bio ,dy breast they find
love-lettcr, and
lie paused abruptly, for the chirography
owned Il familiar shape and hastily taking
in the signature at Il single glance, he sprang
to his feet with violence that overturned
the chair.
"lIeavcns! it cannot be-" he cried.
"Ethe Grey is not in this country! | have
not seen her acknowledged lover die vic
tim Of desperate. No; will not believe
all this"
For moment he stood speeches. in the
middle of the floor, staring at the letter,
then he slowly walked to his trunk, from
whose rcccsses he drew package tied with
faded blue ribbon
Then he compared the chirognphy of
several letters in the pack with that of the
one which had startled him.
ETHEL Grey, | believe it now," he said,
reluctantly forced to conclusion. "The
boy at the hotel was your lover. You must
be near, and oh, girl, have you forgotten
Alfred Wood?'
Then the scenes Of the past rushed before
his eyes, until he tried to shut them out
with his hands.
"Ethel, have been told that You were
dcad," he said. ''But no, you live Life
now"
A rap on his door startled him, and broke
the sentence.
Quickly snatching the letters from the
table, he threw them into the trunk, and
then stepped to the portal.
Opening it, he peered out.
The night was dark, but he saw several
horses in the thoroughlare, and tall man
stood on the stoop.
"Doc," he said, familiarly, 1--WE want you
to go with us"
"Who needs me?"
Somebody who's pretty badly hurt.
Quick get your instruments; we've got a
horse out here for YOU"
Not liking the appearance of the man,
nor those burly fellows who sat bolt upright
on their horses, and perhaps spurred to
action by the ominous clicking of a revolver,
Young Wood turned and secured his case of
instruments.
.Ready?" asked the man at the door, I