Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-24
completely as though it had never exist


circumstances as they had been relate
to me. There was, reflected, one Gil
cumstance common to all three Of th
robberies they.were. There had been q
the time some unusual amount OF con
fusion, all leading opportunity for
theft to take place without immediat
detection. The Dowager Lady AS dia
monds had been stolen during her illness
or about the time of her death. Tn
countess of B., had lost her diamond
during the excitement of weddin,
breakfast at hotel. At Colonel c.
house there had been ball on the nigh
when the bracelet was lost. Was Their
anyone, asked myself, who, by chanc
or intention, had been present at eacl
place at the time of the robbery? An.
occasional waiter, for example, or servan
of any kind? I could not find tina
there had been. Yet, If the thief wa
not one of the household, how was
that stranger should in three separat
instances fix on an establishment wher
the circumstances were favorable to
robbery of valuable property? In tw'
cases there had been illness and hast.
summoning of doctors. That led t.
another thought: was it possible tina
some experienced thief or gang of thieve
had laid themselves out to track tn
broughams of fashionable West Ent
physicians, on the chance of finding hal
doors left open, and property somewha
loosely guarded?
1 had not thought of such thing
seriously before; but it seemed now t.
be an idea worth following up. Oncs
more I resumed inquiries. Who was
the doctor summoned in the case of the
Dowager LadyA.? easily ascertained
It was one of the best known men, at
that time in London. He and his broug.
ham would be familiar to every thief who
frequented West End throughfares.
next inquired at Colonel C.'s. To my
satisfaction I learned that the same doc
tor had attended in this case. "Here,' y
I said to myself, II begin to see day
light" Shortly afterward I made fur
ther discovery. The coachman who
drove the famous physician to Lady AS
on the night of the accident, and to Col
onel C.'s on the night of the ball, had
only been in his employ few weeks;
and on the date of the Earl of RS we'd
ding the man had driven the carriage OF
the guests at the breakfast.
The clew I felt was becoming strong.
The thief, grew convinced was con-
federate of the grave faced man in spot
less black who drove the fashionable
doctor from one house of sic kness to an
other. I resolved to obtain an interview
with the doctor, and after explaining my
suspicious, plan some mode of detecting
SO consummate a rascal. Circumstances
occurred to make me resolve to carry out
my purpose without deley.
Ny journey took me to one of the
somewhat somber looking streets that
run down to the Thames, from the
Chelsea side, between, Chelsea bridge
and Battersea bridge. The name "Gide-
on West, NJ. d., Physician and Surgeon"
inscribed on brass plate told me when
I had reached my destination. DR.. West,
I was informed, was still out, late though
it was; and the time of his coming home
was most uncertain. was determined,
however, not to return without seeing
him, and after assuring the tired looking
servant that I should certainly await DR..
Vests return, even If I had to spend
the night on the doorstep, was shown
into the consulting room, where good
fire was still burning on the hearth.
Seating myself in an arm chair with a
nigh screen behind me, I settled down
to my vigil, however long it might be.
had often noticed the house; for who
did not feel some interest in so famous a
medical man as Gideon West? Why he
had chosen such house did not learn
till afterward; but I knew it was an old
fashioned rambling sort of place, with
room built on here at one time and
there at another time Windows had
been blocked up at one place, and win
dows had been set in at another! In
fact, it was house that seemed to defy
a stranger to explain upon what rule or
what want of rule it had been SO con-
structed.
Those who first heard of Gideon West
as one of the most famous physicians in
London asked in establishment how he
could live in such ramshackel looking
building. Perhaps they forget that even
famous physicians were not born famous.
Gideon West, when he entered on his
professional career, was anything but
famous, and he was as poor as could be.
Father and mother were dead, brother
and sister he had none. An almost for
gotten god-mother had, to his surprise,
left him the old house at Chelsea. This
was about the time he received his dip
Iona. Thereupon Gideon West married
for love, girl without penny, settled
himself in his new possession, had the
brass plate affixed to the door, and awaited
the patients who were to prove his skill
and make his fortune. It was a weary
waiting, but the young bride had unlim-
tied trust in her husband, and Gideon
West never for an instant lost faith in
himself Slowly, and very slowly, a
small practice grew upon his hands; but
the struggle not only braced Gideon
West for the battle of life proved too ter
rible for the frail young wife. But
there was no complaining, no repining,
no word to tell of doubt, much less OF
despair, and Gideon West battled on
He knew as though it had already come
that he should at last prevail. He had
measured his own strength and felt that
he could trust it. But-and it was that
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