The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-13
Select MisfeHanp.
Doctor Macbride.

paraJlVe dnbJOH1yy anu uioeeoucu oNoiy
thing that came in his way. His dissect-
ing-room was in the courtyard OF the
Palazzo Garminali, Rome. But 1t was up
stairs in his library and alone "u
Scozzes " carried out his choicest manipu-
lations, and made the more delicate OF his
preparations of human muscles, arte-
ries, veins and nerves, which, when COM
pleted, we're displayed under glass shades
on q large table in the center OF the apart
ment. It was at this table, having just
finished the dissection of very small
hand-never mind to what kind OF
creature the hand, while it was q living
one, had belonged-that he was sitting
one evening in July, 1775 when 1t sud
denly occurred to him that he had ex-
hausted his supply of cochineal, with
which to tinge the melted wax, which he
proposed to inject on the morrow morn
ing into the venous system OF his "prepa-
ration"
DIR. Eneas Macbride proceeded to the
wellknown druggists shop kept by Sig.
Panciaroto at the corner of the Via de
Condotti. 1t was one of the largest and
handsomest shops in Rome. He made
his purchase and placed the packet of
cochineal in side pocket.
"Stayl' he suddenly exclaimed, paus-
ing on the threshold; 81 had forgotten
something. You must make me up, if
you please, that admirably efficacious
sleeping draught with the secret of the
formula of which only you and l are cog
infant, and which has given ease to 30
many of my patients. Will you prepare
it for me at once? 1 must take it with
me-"
"With pleasure, illustrissimo ed ex-
cellentissimo dottore," said the apothe-
cary, as he hustled from jar to jar and
bottle to bottle, pouring various ingre-
dients into glass vial. otis wonder
full sleeping draught, to be sure. have
tried it on my wife, who, poor soul, en-
dures sgonies from the toothache, and it
never fails in producing slumber. To be
sure, had you not positively told me that
the potion was quite harmless should
have been afraid to use it; for the sleep
which it brings about is 30 deep and 30
long as to be really like the sleep of
death"
He had soon completed his task, and DR..
Macbride, placing the vial in his side
pocket with the cochineal, left the far
msca. He crossed the Plaza de Spsgna,
in the direction of the college of the
Propaganda when, just as he reached the
spot where now is the monument, his path
was crossed by tall man, who was
wrapped in long, black cloak, and wore
his broad tapped hat slouched over his
eyes.
"It's all very we'll for you to SLOUGH
your hat over your eyes, my friend" said
DR.. Macbride to himself; shut l know
that hat and cloak very we'll, or l am
grievously mistaken. They belong to the
harmless man who lodges in one of the
garrets of the Palazzo Carminali. 1 once
nursed you through fever, my friend,
and gave you money to get your cloak out
of pawn. don't think that you would do
me any harm, although folks say that you
are spadacino-a hired assassin
Scarcely had he thus mentally expressed
himself when he heard, in low voice,
behind him, the single word, Eccolo u
"Here he is |" And Immediately he was
seized from behind by strong arms, q
heavy cloak was thrown over his head
and he was lifted from the ground and
carried some yards. Then he was thrust
forward on to what seemed to be some
kind of seat; the arms which had seized
him had relaxed their grasp, door was
was in rapidly-moving wheeled vehicle
kidnapped by two men, forcibly carried
which was standing wide, huddled into
the vehicle and rapidly driven away. The
whole proceeding, indeed, had beer
watched with interest by an individual
who was clad in long, brown cloak, and
who-there is now no indiscretion in say
ing twas the nameless man who livet
in one of the garrets of the Palazzo Car
ninali and whose profession was conjec
tured to be that of an assassin for hire
As he watched the carriage rapidly re
treating into the shadows, the namelesl
man was jingling some golden coins in hi
pocket and chuckling merrily.
"Ten ducats," he reflected" ten du
cats only for pointing out the Signol
Dottore to them. Aud they have sworr
not to do him any harm. OF course il
they had wanted to harm him they woulC
have come to me but l would not have
stabbed the Signor Dottore; no, not fo
one hundred ducats. Let us 60 ant
drink bottle of Chianti."
While the nameless man was thus con
graduating himself on the successful
result of his exceptionally bloodles
nights work, unseen hands had relieved
DIR. E leas Macbride of the heavy cloal
in which he had been muffled, and il
which he had been all but suffocated. H,
sat up to find himself indeed in the int
rior of what was evidently carriag
belonging to some person of rank. Tn,
blinds were closely drawn down, but
small lamp hanging from the roof CAV,
sufficient light for him to see that thu
opposite seat was occupied by two gentle
men very richly dressed, but whose counte
nances were wholly concealed by mask
of black silk, having deep fringes of tn,
same material. One of the gentlemen
fastened to inform him that he mus
submit to having his eyes bandaged, as tn
person into whose presence they wer,
about to conduct him was lady of rank
whose name and place of abode it wa
imperatively necessary to conceal. As b
pulled the bandage out of his pocket an
proceeded very adroitly to adjust it to tn
doctors eyes, his companion took occa
sion to remark that he and the other ger
tleman were fully armed, and should tn
doctor at this, or any other stage of tn
proceedings, offer the slightest resistanc
to any request which was proffered h
him he would be Immediately stabbed t
death. Upon this admonition DR.. Elea