The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-13
p STRANGE COMPACT.

row unsavory streets of the metropolis,
and the lungs and eyes of such unfor-
Inmates as CHANGED to be abroad. 1t even
invaded the small wooden sanctums of
the night-watchmen, interfering with
slumbers to which the inmates were both
by age and office entitled. Across the
river, in the dingy ill-paved lanes of the
borough, the fog seemed at its worst,
light warmish haze being the only indica-
ton of the presence of those shops which
still remained open, and round which
small ill-clad urchins with the most I'M
mistakable intentions persistently how
cred.
"a sweet night for footpads," muttered
young DR.. Mostyn, as he disengaged him
self from chance rencontre with post,
and felt his way along by tapping with his
stout stick at the housewalls, a proceeding
by which he had already severely damaged
the legs of three of his suffering fellow
creatures, and poked large hole in the
kitchen window of fourth. and now,
he continued, talking to himself for the
sake of company, "for home and supper
and fire All, and patient or two, per-
haps. Who knows?"
At this cheering prospect his spirits
rose, and he banged nightly at the wall
with his stick in consequence, until at
length coming. to a small street on his
right, he turned smartly down, and having
made sure of his own door, Knocked
brskly at it.
"Who's there ?" cried shrill female
voice in responce.
cts !, Bet" said her master. "Open
the door, my good girl"
"Not if 1 knows it." was the cheering
reply. "You take yourself of. young
man, whoever you are. There's two bull
dogs and three men with loaded guns
standing by me, to say nothing"
"Open the door, Betp roared her mas
ter through the keyhole. Don't you
know me2"
as it o'clock, or is it 11?" propounded
the damsel; because, if it's IL o'clock,
my eyes deceive me; and if it's 8 O'Clock,
your voice deceives me; for the doctor
said he'd be home at ii and not before;
and, considering the fog, I should say
good deal arter"
"Open the door," said the surgeon
sharply. I'm back already because my
patients dead. Come; open at onceP
There was a creaking and shooting OF
bolts as he finished speaking; and the
door being cautiously opened discovered
an angular woman of some ive-and-thirty
years, whose nervous face cleared directly
she saw her master.
Pm asking your pardon for keeping
you so long, sir" said she; 'but one never
knows who's who; and judging by the
noises and trimmings there's been rare do
ings round the corner tonight"
Anybody been here, Bet ?" asked thesur-
geon, as. ten minutes later, he sat down to
a carefully grilled chop.
Not soul, replied his handmaiden.
"And a nice person you would be to
open the door, if an accident had arrived.
"Oh, should have opened 1t at once"
said Bet with decision Directly they
used the word accident 1 should have
opened it and CHANGED it"
Her master, smiling at her devotion,
| drew his chair TO the fire, and, having
carefully filed a long clay pipe, fell to
smoking with an air of great enjoyment
and content. Then, thinking it extremely
, unlikely that he would be disturbed at
that late hour, he dismissed his retainer
| to her quarters in a neighboring house,
and, being left to himself, lapsed into
| brown-studv.
| 1t might have been the fog, or it might
| have been the unexpected death of his
| patient; whate yer the cause, his thoughts
| took very gloomy direction indeed, and
| he shook his head despondinglv as he
| thought of his future prospects. His mood
| was not made more cheerful by the room,
which was large and dark, and panelled
with oak, and ornamented with battered
| oil-portraits of dead and gone worthless,
with whom h claimed some kinship more
or less remote, who seemed to stare at him
tonight in a particularly ghostly not to
say wooden manner. Besides all this he
l., IL L I
magnificent castle-in the air-and placed
her in it, than an anything but airy land
lord called for the rent, and the dream
was spoiled.
He had been sitting thus for some time,
nursing his woes and slipping glass of hot
!. cOgnac which he had prepared, when ne
was disturbed by loud, imperative knock
ing at the front door; whereat he snatched
up one of the guttering candles and
marched down the narrow stairs to open
| it, The feeble light of the candle, when
| he had done so, showed him tall, strongly
| built man of middle age. whose naturally
! fine proportions were increased by the fog
which chung to them and exaggerated them,
| The surgeon noted that he was richly clad
and also that the embossed hilt of a sword
| protruded from the skirts of his coat, while
his face, from some powerful emotion, was
pale and drawn.
Are you the surgeon 2" asked the new
conner abruptly.
"At your service, was the reply. "Come
in"
The stranger obeyed, and waiting until
the surgeon had secured the door, followed
him upstairs.
Examine mel" said he, taking off his
laced coat and standing pale and erect be-
fore him.
"Unfasten your shirt" said the other,
falling IN with his strange humor and COM
mencing careful examination.
"Well?" inquired the stranger, when he
had finished.
Sound as a bell and as hard as oak"
"Not likely to die suddenly?" suggested
his visitor.
mo. 1 should think that that would be
the last thing to happen to you" replied
the puzzled surgeon. "Why, what is the
matter with you? DO you feel i'll ?'
"No; feel hale and strong, capable of
enjoying life with the best I've never
had an illness in my life. But for all that
shall die at midnight"
! "Of course" said the surgeon, somewhat
! provoked at all this mystery. "if you are
/ going to kill yourself, you can speak with
more authority as to the time than any
body else"
al have no intention of committing sui
eide" was the stern rejoinder. "Neverthe-
less, at midnight my time expires. The
| manner of my death is unknown to me