Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-08-06

to further examine the contents of the
young mans pockets, and to transfer the
portemonnaie, letter or two, hand
some gold watch and chain and a scarf +
pin, to his own.
"'What are you doing?' timidly /
asked.
"'Mind your own business, he said,
do as l tell you and hold your tongue.
I'll go for the doctor myself; but first of
all we must get him into the house.
Here, catch hold of his feet.
'.Then, without listening to my pro-
tests, my husband raised in his arms the
slim, helpless form of the young man,
and with my assistaBcssA = ,rried him
along the path, under the shadow of the
high wall and trees, into the house, and
laid him on a sofa in the little breakfast
parlor by an open sash window that
looked upon the lawn.
"'Light a candle and pull down the
blind, get some water and brandy; he is
not quite dead, said my husband, whilst
examining the mans pocket-handker-
chief. No initials, nothing to identify
him by. Good! Now / will go for the
doctor; you stay with him. Put little
more brandy to his lips from time to
time, loosen his necktie-so, and now,
mind, when return with the doctor, if
there have been any signs of conscious
ness, or if the poor fellow speaks at all,
keep it to yourself; don't say word.
you can tell me when the doctor is gone.
The man is not dead; but he will die, |
think, and if he does die without speak
ing-well, we shall lose nothing by our
hospitality; it's worth risking. Mind,
now, what 1 tell you, he added, with
fierce look at me; IF you don't I'll be
the death of you
'Then he went out through the front
door and gate, ostentatiously in hurry,
and l heard him running down the silent
road turned to my patient, and found
him still breathing, but quite uncon-
scious.
Terrified and bewildered, l hardly
know how long it was before l heard
hurrying footsteps again on the road;
and presently, having let himself in by
the latch-key, my husband appeared
with stranger, the doctor--a seedy,
needy looking man.
Rapidly examining the patient, he
said, with his finger on the pulse;
"'About twenty minutes since he was
seized, eh? HIM, your younger brother,
you sayP'
eyes, answered my husband prompt
ly, with significant look at me, as I
started at his reply.
"The doctor had his ear on the mans
chest, while my husband continued with
assumed emotion:
"'My youngest, my favorite brother.
Dear sir, pray tell me-ah! | fear by
your face; but say, is there no hope?'
''The doctor shook his head.
"'Oh, will he dep
"The doctor bowed his head, and my
husband buried his face in his hands for
a moment.
81 was aghast, perplexed beyond
measure, and was about to speak, when
another fierce look checked me.
"When the doctor had moistened the
patients lips once more with brandy, he
said with professional gravity:
"'It is my painful duty to tell you
that you must prepare for the worst
"'Ah, | feared son said my husband
My poor brother was supposed to have
disease of the heart; it was the opinion
expressed by physician two years ago.
"'This is not the heart, said the doc
!, tor, feeling the pulse again. This i!
, cerebral hemorrhage-apoplexy, in fact
! He is all but gone; nothing can be done.
= "Then there was slight convulsion
) and the doctor continued:
, "'I fear | can be of no further use pro
fessionally; but can l help you to d'
what is necessary now or do you know
any
"'No, we know no one in the neigh
!, borhood; we are strangers here, inter
rupted my husband. 'We are iron
Cornwall, and have come to live in Lon
don, and have only been in the hous
three days. My brother came to sta
with us yesterday. He has been out al
day. The moment he came in he tainted
% and then-and then / ran for you. Wi
:, ;; there be any need for an inquestP
-" Indeed, said the doctor, I'm afrai
there will
"'Oh, how very distressingr went o
!, my husband. Can we not be spare
- this painP'
=, "The other paused, and then sal
y slowly, with II peculiar expression on h
81 - face:
"'Well, surely, surely with what yo
w tell me, and with what l have seen
m the case, might perhaps certify, and
10 spare you the distress OF an inquiry
"'Thank you, thank you thousar
or tim S, said my husband earnestly, us
saw bim press a couple cf the sovereig
on he had lately taken from the dead mar
as pocket into the doctors hand.
w Every well them answered til
ge functionary; 4 will manage it, and
m, all that is necessary. | will send sor
rs one Immediately. Good night.
nd "When he was gone ] summoned ,
m courage to ask the meaning of what h
en- heard.