Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-08-16
ThsAlBtHryOfaHanunCab
By FERGUS ". HUME
CHAPTER *

nsptts Of his long walk and still longer
drive Brian did not sleep well that night. He
kept tossing and turning, or else lying on
his back wide awake, looking into the dark
nes and thinking OF Whyte Toward dawn,
when the first faint glimmer Of morning
came through the Venetian blinds, he fell
into sort Of uneasy doze, haunted by hor-
rible dreamS He thought be was driving fn
hanson, when suddenly be found Whyte
by bis side, clad In white cerements, grinning
and gibbering at him with ghastly merri-
ment Then the cab went over precipice,
and he fell from great height down, down,
with tho mocking laughter still sounding In
his ears, until he woke with loud cry and
found It was broad daylight, and that drops
Of perspiration were standing on his brow.
It wns no good trying tosleep any longer, 90,
with q weary sigh, he arose and went for his
tub, feeling jaded and worn out by worry
and want of sleep. His bath did him some
good, as the cold water frightened him up
and pulled him together. Still he could not
help giving start of surprise when he saw
his face looking at him from the mirror, old
and haggard looking, with dark circles round
the eyes
"A pleasant life I'm going to bave OF It II
this sort of thing goes on" he said bitterly;
~ wish to G. | had never seen or heard OF
Whyte." 7 aarH ..'
He dressed himself carefully, however, for
Brian was a man who never neglected his
toilet, however worried and out of sorts he
might feel Yet, notwithstanding his efforts
to throw off his gloom and feel cheerful, his
landlady was startled when she saw how
haggard and wan his handsome face looked
in fha eaa r,ehino u,ornfn0 npbt
She was small, dried up little woman,
with wrinkled, yellow face and looked so
parched and brittle that strangers could not
help thinking IL would do her good II she were
soaked in water for a year, in order to soften
her a little Whenever she moved she
cracked, and one was in constant dread of see.
ing one Of her wien looking limbs break Oft
short, like the branca Of dead tree When
she spoke 1t was in hard, shrill voice, likea
cricket; and being dressed In faded brown
silk, what with her voice and attenuated
body, she was not Unlike that noisy insect
She cracked into Brian's sitting room with
The Argus and coffee, and a look of dismay
came over her stony face as she saw his
altered looks r"- .r....t ."'i 3
"Dear me, sir she chirped out in her
shril voice, as she placed her burden on the
table, ARE you TOOK badT .,-. .-
Brian shook his head 90 .i... .e5
"Want Of sleep, that's all, Mrs. Sampson"
he answered, unfolding The Argus -i.i
"AhI that's because ye amt got enough
blood in yer !ead," said Mrs. Sampson, wisely,
for she had her own ideas on the subject of
health. IF you amt got blood you amt
got sleep" D' "-'.9r '.'s"
Brian looked at her as she said this, for
there eseemed such an obvious want of blood
in her veins that he wondered II she had ever
slept in all her life. t
However, he said nothing, but merely init
mated that II she would leave the room ho
would take his breakfast. ..,.
IAN II you wants anythn' else, Mr. Fitz-
gerald" she said, going to the door. "you
knows your way to the bell as easily as 1 do
to the kitchen" and, with final chirrup, she
cracked out Of the room. .r5
Brian drank his coffee, but pushed away
the food which was before him, and then
looked through The Argus to see the latest
reports about the murder case What he
read made his cheek turn even paler than II
was, and hc could feel his heart beating
loudly.
.They've found clew, have theyr' he NUT
tered, rising and pacing restlessly up and
down. IL wonder what 1t can BET threw
that man Off the scent last night, but IL he
suspects NE there will be no difficulty In him
finding out where live Bahl What non.
sense am talking am the victim of my
own morbid Imagination There is nothing
to connect me with the crime, so need not
be afraid of my shadow. rvea good mind te
leave town for a time, but IL Lam suspected
that would excite suspicion. Oh, Madgel my
darling" he cried, passionately, ''if you only
knew what suffer, / know that you would
pity me-but you mist never know the truth
-'Neveri Neverr" and, sinking into a ohail
by the window, he covered his face with hii
hands After remaining In this position fol
some minutes, occupied with his own gloomy
thoughts, he arose and rang the bell A fain
crackle In the distance arinounced that Mrs
Sampson had heard, and she soon came intS
the room, looking more like a cricket thar
ever. Brian had gone into his bedroom ans
called out to her from there: I
II am going down to St Kilda, Mrs Samp
son." he said, land, probably. will not b
back all day." l'
(which 'opes It t'ull do you good, :, ar,
swered the cricket, 'for.you've eaten nothin'
an the sea breezes is miraculous for maxim
you take to your victuals My mother
brother, bein' a sailor, an, wonderful for Y
stomach, which, when . ad done meal, tn
table looked as II low cuss ad gone over IT.,
s.'i"A WHAT asked Fitzgerald. buttoning hi
gloves
a inw rtlSI" rel,iitAi the Lliuilasly, t!I sur
prise at his ignorance, s'as I've readsin vi
Writ, as 'ow John the Baptist was partial t.
eni, not that think they'd he very film
tbo, to ha sire o nd n sweet tnnth and at