The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-11-17

him, not wffhoas casting certain uneasy
chances into the dark corners Of the rooEn.
His PIPE vent ont: the fire burnt low. and,
seen through the hare Of fog and smoke,
the mOtieniess figure in the chair seemed
suddenly 20 loom large IN front Of him and
then 70 be almost obseured BY the dark
EFss.
For d few seconds IL seemed bis ayes
ci0eed. When he opened them the Ere was
os1s, snd the figure In front Of him still
saf in the chair, though It's head bad row
fallen on its breast. Fuli Of . horrible fear,
be glanced hurriediy 1t the clock and saw
that il was Just upon the stroke Of {, then
be sprang TO the side OF his guest and seized
the wrist nearest 70 him. As he did 50. he
started back with . Wild cry OF horror,
for some slippery shing. darling swiftly
between his feet. vanished in the gloom Of
leighboring corner.
Ere he could recoyer himself, the man
I'm front Of him stirred aneasiEy, and rising
unsteadily to his feet gazed stupidity at
him. What's the matter 70 he asked st
length, in dazed tones.
'sMafterls' shouted the stfIl trembling
surgeon. why. it's four hours past Maid
NIGHT and ron are alive and we'll
With violent start. as he remembered
his position. the stranger glanced at the
mantel shelf -Four o'clock" said he-
= o'clock Thank God there was no COM
pactl Then another fear possessed him:
rs the--is the clock right7"
ITO the minute said the surgeon,
standing gravely by with averted head, as
his visitor, needless OF his presence, fell
upon his knees and buried his face In his
hands.
As he rose 10 his feet the old church clock
slowly struck the hour Of four, appearing
10 both the listeners TO do SO with an en-
phasis as unusual as It was welcome. AS
the last stroke sounded the stranger, who
could even nov hardly realize his position,
threw up the window and extended his
head. The fog had disappeared, the air
was crisp and clear and the distant rumb-
ling Of the early market carts betokened
the Beginning OF another day.
How came I 10 sleep?p he inquired,
closing the window and turning TO the sur
geon.
"I drugged your drink. It was the only
thing could do. You we're in such q
strange state Of alarm that Won would either
have died or gone mad il / had not done
so.r
The stranger extended bis hand and
caught the young surgeons in q mighty
grasp. You ran fearful risk. Suppose
that / had died. Ny death would have
been attributed to the drug. and you would
have been accused of murder"
II CHANGED ii, said Mostyn simply.
There was no time for consideration.
III has been strange business" said
the other. What could IL have been that
was in my garnet that night, and what
could have taken the agreement"
Rats" said Mostyn. lone of them
frightened me terribly just now; but ii
would not have done so If had not been
in very excited condition. The same
state of mind, perhaps, though In miider
form. that you were In on the night you
wrote your agreement
There were rats in the room, / remem-
ber," said the stranger: but never once
thought of them. You have saved my
reason, il not my life.n and he again
grasped him by the hand. "You shall not
find me ungrateful."
Nor did be; for, aided by his influence,
the young surgeon rose rapidly TO fame
and fortune, which he shared in the most
liberal manner with the girl for whom bis
poverty had long kept him waiting.