Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-09-17

He felt sure there was something wrong,
and was walking forward to knock at
the door, when it occurred to him that
If he knocked he should let out of the
house any person there might be in it
before he could effect an entrance. To
discover really what she was doing he
must surprise her; but how was he to
do that? He had nc latch key; even if
he had most probably the door was
bolted inside. He tried the windows
on the ground floor; they were all fas-
tened. He felt fairly nonplussed. AS
last resource he resolved to go back
of the house, get over the garden wall,
and see If he could not gain admittance
through some of the windows.
He went to the back. The terrace,
though not very long one-there were
only twenty houses IN twas all built
on the same plan, and SO, from the rear
at least, it was rather difficult to distin-
gtish the houses from each other. But
as John Gamble lived at No. 4 he was
able to discover his house by counting
the fourth from the end. Having in
this way identified it, he scaled the gar
den wall. AS it was only about five feet
high he contrived to do this without
difficulty. Once over, he made his way
through the garden to the back of the
house. He began trying all the win
dows to see If any of them had been left
unfastened. To his delight, the kitch-
en- one was unattached. He raised it
cautiously. Scrambling upon the Sill
the house had no basement story-he
| sat there for moment wondering how,
in his present somewhat unsteady con-
dition, he could get in without letting
the window drop or making any other dis
| turbance, when he recollected there was
table just below the window. He put
In his foot and felt it. Considering him.
self now secure, he slipped down upon
it. AS he did so the table went from
| beneath him, and he fell heavily and
with terrible clatter on the floor. The
| table had not been exactly under the
window, and his weight coming. upon
it sideways, had upturned it. Consid-
erably shaken and confused by the fall,
| he arose, and listened to hear if the noise
had disturbed the inmates. Apparent
~ it had not, for he could hear no foot
steps. To make sure that no one should
leave the house before he got out of
| the kitchen be hurriedly CROPPED his
way through the door to the bottom of
the stairs. The fall seemed to have in
creased the effect of the drink he had
taken, for, in spite of all his efforts to go
quietly and cautiously, at every step he
collided against something or other.
Getting up stairs gave him still more
difficulty.
At length he reached the lobby of the
first floor. He stole as noiselessly as
possible to the drawing-room door and
listened earnestly If he could hear any
sound within. There was none, but
the room was still lighted. He felt now
in an awkward position. He began to
doubt if his suspicious were, after all,
well founded. If they were he would
know how to act; but if, as now seemed
likely, they were not, how could he ex-
plain to his wife his present position and
condition? While he stood hesitating
what to do the door of the room was
suddenly flung violently open, and DIR.
Shelton sprang upon him. Had John
been prepared for such an encounter
he would probably have been more
than match for the doctor; but he was
taken by surprise. Nevertheless, he
made strong resistance. He struggled
tiercely and desperately, but couldn't
for moment hold his own. He felt
the contest was going against him, but
just as he raised his voice for help his
antagonist lifted him bodily from the
ground and threw him headlong down
the stairs. He fell on the landing with
terrible force, and at once became I'M
conscious.
How long it was before he recovered
consciousness John could not tell.
When he did, however, he found HIM
self half stripped in bed and covered
with bruises and wounds. At first he
could not comprehend. how he came
there. The shock of his fall had driven
all the events of the night out of his
head. He lay for time wondering at
his position and trying to remember
what had happened, but in vain. At
length, through the hazardness which
still obscured his vision, he saw the
face of DR.. Shelton bending over him.
The sight of it brought back every
thing to his mind. He gazed on the
man with loathing, and then, turning
his eyes away, he thought with agony
of his lost wife and the children she
had disgraced. DR.. Shelton interrupted
his thoughts.
"How do you feel now, Mr.. Gamble ?"
he said gently. 81 am very sorry for
what has occurred. Can I do anything
for you?"
"You scoundrel!" said John, passion
ately. "How dare you come here. How
dare you show your treacherous face
here?"
"Now, now, that's really too bad" said
the doctor, soothingly. II may have
been too hasty with you, but you were
more to blame than I. But we'll not
talk of that now. Here take this; it
will revive you. You're not so much
injured as you think. It's more the
shock you had than anything else that's
troubling you"
"Shock, indeedl" cried John glaring
at the doctor. "Shock, indeedp The