Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-09-25

any person there might be in it before
he could effect an entrance. To discover
really what she was doing he must sur
prise her; but how was he TO do it? He
had no latchkey; even if he had, most
probably the the door was bolted inside
He tried the windows on the ground
floor; they were all fastened. He felt
fairly nonplused. AS last resource, he
resolved to 60 back of the house, gel
over the garden wall, and see if he could
not gain admittance through some Of the
back 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 real
at least, it was rather difficult to dis.
tinguish the houses from each other
But as John Gamble lived at No. 4, he
was able to discover his house by count
ing 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
much difficulty. Once over, he made
his way through the garden to the back
of his house He began trying all the
windows to see if any of them had been
left unfastened. To his delight the kitch.
en- one was unattached. He raised it eau.
tiously. Scambling upon the sill-the
house had no basement story-he sat
there for moment wondering how, in
his present somewhat unsteady condi-
ton, he could get in without letting the
window drop or making any other dis.
tuIbance, when he recollected that there
was table just below the window. He
put in his foot and felt it. Consi dering
himself now secure, he slipped down up
on it. AS he did so the table went from
beneath him, and he fell heavily and
with terrible cla,ter on the floor The
table had not been exactly underneath
the window, and his weight coming up
on it sideways, had upturned it. Con-
siderably shaken and confused by The
fall, he arose, and listened to hear if the
noise had disturbed the inmates. APP
parently it had not, for he could hear no
footsteps. To make sure that no one
should leave the house before he got out
of the kitchen, he 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
60 quietly and cautiously, at every step
he collided against something or other.
Getting up stairs gave him stillmore diff
ficulty.
at length he reached the lobby of the
first floor. He stole as noiselessly as
possible to the drawingroom door and
listened earnestly if he could hear any
sound within. There was none, but the
room was still lighted. He felt now in
awk ward position. He began to doubt if
his suspicious were, after all, well founed.
If they were he would know how to act;
but if, as now seemed likely, they were
not, how could he explain to his wife his
present position and condition? While
be stood hesitating what to do,
the door Of the drawing-room was sud-
denly flung violently open, and DR.. Skel-
ton 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 sur
prise. Nevertheless, he made a strong
resistance. He struggled iercely and
desperately, but couldn't for moment
hold his own. He felt the contest was
going against him; but just as he raised
him bodily from the floor and threw him
headlong down the stairs. He fell on
the landing with terrible force and at
once became unconscious.
How long it was before he recovered
consciousness John could not tell. When
he did, however, he found himself half
stripped in bed and covered with bruises
and wounds. At first he could not COM
pretend how he came there. The shock
of his fall had driven all the events of
the night out of his head. He lay for a
time wondering at his position and try
ing to remember what had happened.
but in vain. At length, through the
haziness which still obscured his vision,
he saw the face of DR.. Shelton bending
over him. The sight of it brought back
everything to his mind. He gazed on
the man with loathing, and then, turn
ing his eyes away, he thought with agony
of his lost wife and the children she had
disgraced.
DIR. Shelton interrupted his thoughts:
"How do you feel now, Mr.. Gamble?"
he said, gently. 81 am very sorry for
what has occurred. Can do anything
for YOU" =
"You scoundrel" said John, passion
ately, "How dare yon come here? How
dare you show your treacherous face
here?'
"Now, now, that's really too bad" said
the doctor soothingly, 81 may have been
too hasty with you, but you were more
to blame than |. But we'll not talk of
that now. Here, take this; it will revive
you. You are not so. much injured as
you think. 1t is more the shock you
had than anything else that's troubling
you"
SHOCK, indeedr' cried John, glaring
at the doctor. "Shock, indeed." The
doctor, however, took no notice, but
tried once more to persuade the outraged
husband to sip the draught. He pushed
it rudely away.
take your internal medicine away
from me-" he shouted. "Do you want to
poison me? Where is my wife?"
She'll be here in minute" answer
ed the doctor. Don't trouble yourself
about her."
81 don't intend to-" answered John,
iercely. "You can have her altogether
for all care"
Don't talk that way, man, you'll hurt
her feelings"
"She has thought great deal about
my feelings, hasn't she? Oh, Mary,
Mary" he then moaned, half uncon-
scious, apparently of the doctors pres
ence.
poor fellow, your brains wandering"
said the doctor, in kindly tone. "Do
take some Of this; it will do you a world
of good"
Take your poison away, tell your
shouted John. "Are you not satisfied
with one crime? Are you not content
with robbing me of my happiness, but
must also have my life?"
"IInon my snnl you'll nroynke me"