The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-09-11

hSfoE hhu WIG 10 lmmufc. his ma
grant treason against the sex was the more
objectionable, inasmuch as he had abund.
ant opportunities of changing his condi-
tion, had he but chosen TO avail himself Of /
them. To most Of those who questioned |
him on the subject he replied that he was
welded to his profession and that any /
other union would be fat bigamy; but TO
his friend Harry Everett, in a moment Of
after dinner confidence he told s very |
different story:
My medical cousin Alice was the wo-
man who ought to have been Mrs. Bis. |
toury, and an admirable fellow practitioner
she would have made for me. The way
in which she once cut splinter out of my |
thumb did equal honor to her hand aud |
her heart; aud when she was only thirteen
she bought skeleton with her unele's |
birthday gift Of five dollars "a fact) aud
artieulated It IN a manner that was really
mastery. But in an evil hour she became
tainted with fancy for homeopathy, aud
after that Of course all was over between
us. "Such is life.n
The doctors agreement to engage
night-watchman quieted Hsrry's appre-
tensions for the time being; but few
weeks later he returned to the attack once
more --"I say, doctor have you got that
night-watehman yet?'
"Yesi some time ago
"Well, be don't seem to do his duty
then, for I've passed this way at all hours
Of the night and have never seen him"
Are you quite sure he can be trusted ?"
"Wait and sec ~ replied tho doctor,
oracularly?'
And Everett waited, but did not see.
The invisible watchman remained as ever,
and Harry, out of patience with his old
friends seeming intatuatiou, had almost
decided to take some decisive step on his
own authority, when a new complication
introduced itself into the drama. This
was nothing less than the temporary retire
meDt Of the doctors veteran man servant
-popularly known as "0ld Sam"--whose
health had begun to give way so manifestly
that his master insisted on sending him
into the country for three months holi-
day, replacing him with another man, who
had volunteered as promptly as if ne had
been keeping his eye on the place for a
year past. The newcomer was a grave,
smooth-faced taciturn man, who moved
as noiselessly as a shadow, and seemed a
living combination of the two proyerbinl
requisites Of good seryant-silenee aud
obedience.
But although the doctor and his friends
highly approved of this model domestic
there was one man who did not. That
was Harry Everett, who lost no time in
announcing his opinion. "Look here
doctor. | don't want to be always both
ering you about this robbery idea; but III
fact that that new fellow of yours is NJ
to some mischief. was coming homl
pretty late last night when caught sigh
Of him standing at the garden gate, talk
ing TO q couple Of men. One Of then
happened to turn his face to the lampligh
as | passed, and | knew him at once for
noted thief who goes by the name o
Badger Bill"
"lndeed2 Arc you sure Of that?"
"Qaite sure. You know never forge
a face I've once seen.
"Oh ! In that case, it's time for Inc {
act"
The last word was so curiously empha
sized, that Harry, who was not wanting il
shrewdness, began to suspect that his per
sistent warning to the doctor had beer
superAuous after all, and that the old gen
tleman was quite equal to the emergency
This suspicion was confirmed one even
ing about a week later, when the docto
dropped in upon him unexpectedly, say
ing :-''Giye me some dinner, my boy
You've no engagement for this evening,
know; so Tn going to be very benevolent
aud find you some amusement myself
Have you ever read ''The Count Of Monte
Cristo 7" because you're going to see q
chapter Of It dramatized tonight, and
my cook naturally seized the chance OF
getting leave for an evening OUT" conse
quently the whole house will be under the
sole charge of that worthy man-seryant Of
mine, against whom you're so unaccouut-
ably prejudiced. It's quite possible that
the two honest gentlemen with whom you
saw him talking the other night, may be
kind enough to enliysn his solitude with a
visit; and So"
Harry sprung to his feet, aud cut a
caper worthy Of dancing dcrviah, snap
ping his fingers by way Of accompaniment.
Capital first rate ? | see il all now
But come now, Doctor; why on earth
couldn't you tell mo before that you we're
up to the whole game, instead Of letting
me make fool Of myself by preaching to
man as smart as any six Of me 2"
"Neyer mind, my boy" said the doc.
tor, laughing "Your warning was kindly
meant, all the same. Eat your dinner
you'll want il before the evenings over,
can promise you--and then wen have our
| talk"
Dinner over, the doctor liz one Of his
Incompatible cigars which we're his sole
luxury, aud proceeded to cxpound his plan
of action. "Pve locked up the outer room
that opens into my mysterious chamber,
which puts two strong doors between il
aud the robbers My estimable servant
will warn them of this-they viii try the
window instead---hell let them in by the
garden door and give them the ladder that
lies beside il to mount by Wen hide in
the stable, which--thanks to my keeping
my brougham elsewhere-has been unused
so long that no one would dream Of sus-
pecting ii but | can open the door easily
enough. Aud then"
"And then" broke in Harry, eagerly,
"wc'll so for them the minute they appear
It'll be a fne chance to try my new re-
yolyer."
aBetter leave il at home, said the doc
tor, quietly; Eve shall want no weapons for
this job.
"Wby, are you going to mesmerize the
fellows n asked Everett, completely mys-
tefed.
await and see" chuckled the doctor.
ave needn't be there till eleven, for my
honest domestic will make sure, before
giving the signal, that | am not coming
back; and besides, an experienced burglar
seldom begins work ill after midnight.
The only thing to be sure Of is that nobody
sees US getting in"
But 10 this fortune favored them; and
as the doctor had forciold, the lock Of the