The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-02

AZ ~ Wal 4 0f0Ary n1Qnt IN In0 Nlns0E ~
IT.. Outside ! heavy foQ 1l,sd M mar,
row, unsavory streets of the metropolis and
the lungs and syss OF snch u~nfortunates 40
CHANGED TO b abroad, says tho New York
Recorder.
IA sweet night for footpads," muttersd
young Dr.. Mostyn, AZ he disengaGed him
self from Il chance rsncontrs with q post
and felt his way along BY TAPPING with his
stout stick 1T tho house walls. u proceeding
BY which he had already severely damaged
the legs Of three Of his sufering fellow
creatures and poked ! large hole ii tho
Kitchen window Of the home Of tho fourth
''And now" he continued, talking TO him
Ing TO himself for the sake Of company,
's'for home and supper ana = IRE. Alb, and
patient or two, perhaps. Who knows9"
Al this cheering prospect his spirita rose.
md be banged nightly at the wall with
his atick In consequence, until nt length,
coming TO a small street in his right, he
turned smartly down, and having made
50, . Of his own door, knocked briskly at ".
who's there?' y cried a shrill female voice
In response.
its I Bet" said her master. Open the
door, me good girl"
tLsSwW ~ = A $50 w. y INh UNsS
reply. You takes you self Of, young man,
whoever you q 9. There's two bulldogs
and three men with loaded guns standing BY
me, 10 shy nothing"
Open the door" snid the surgeon sharply.
I'm back already because my patients
dead. Come, open at once"
There was q breaking and Z shooting Of
bolts az ho finished speaking. and the door
being cautiously opened, discovered an an
gulnr OF some 35 years. whose nerv-
ons face cleared directly a. she saw her
master.
~ am asking your pardon for keeping
you 80 long, SIR said she. ''but one never
knows who's who. and judging BY the
noises md trimmings, there's been rare do
ings round the corner tonight"
Her master, smiling at her devotion.
drew his chair TO the fire, and having care
fully filed a long clay pipe. fell to smoking
with an air Of great enjoyment and CON
tent.
He had been sitting Thus for some time,
coenao which be had prepared, when he vas
disturbed By. a loud imperative knocking
at tho front door, whereat he snatched up
one OF the onttering candles and marched
down the narrow stairs to open it.
Line l60Dl6 llRlt OF Cu0 CAH0l0 Wl00 ne
had done 80 showed him a tall. strongly
built man Of middle age, whose naturally
fine proportions were increased by the fog,
which chung 70 them and exaggerated them.
Are you the surgeonT' asked the nav
conner abruptly.
"At your service" was the reply, "Come
The stranger obeyed, and, waiting until
she surgeon had secured tbs door. followed
"Examine mo" said he, taking off his
laced coat and standing pale and erect be-
"Well?" inquired the stranger when he
had finished.
Sound as bell and as hard as oak"
mot likely to die suddenly" suggested
mo. / should think that that would be
the last think to happen to you," replied
the puzzled surgeon. why, what is the
matter with you? Do you feel ill?'
mo; ! feel hale and strong. capable OF
enjoying life with the best. I've never had
an illness in my life. But for all that I
shall die at midniRht."
'Of COURSE said the surgeon, somewhat
provoked at all this mystery, ''if You are
going to kill yourself you can speak with
more authority a. to the time than any
body else" $@
4 have no intention Of committing sui
eide. Nevertheless, at midnight my time
expires. I'm past all help" said the other.
sadly, moving toward the door; then paus.
ing. as the surgeon took up one of the can
dies to light him down. he said. In ~Tesolute
tones. A you shall judge II you care to
hear"
by all means.'' said Mostyn. heartily. as,
replacing the candle, he poked the fire and
drew up a chair for his visitor.
Twenty years ago." said the latter, ac-
cepting the profered seat and leaning to-
ward the surgeon, my circumstances were
very different from what they are now.
Young and strong, I had at the death OF
my parents iejscted the bread Of depend
ence offered me by relatives. and. full OF
hope. had come to London to make my for
tune."
1T proved to be harder work than I had
anticipated. and in q very short while I was
reduced to the verge Of starvation. One
dreadful night. of which this is the TWEEN
tieth anniversary. ! was half crazed with
poverty and despair. For two days I had
not tasted food, nor did I see the slightest
prospect Of obtaining any.
A l crouched shlvering in the garrett
which served me for Q lodging I think
must have gone . little bit mad"
We'll" said she surgeon. who had been
listening with much interest.
Have you ever heard Of compaots with
the evil one9" demanded the stranger.
Il have heard of such things,'' replied
the surgeon. on whose spirita the occasion
and the visitor we're beginning to tell.
! A1ou0 OACs A# BH4u tub Quiet, QO0THGlv, |
"Since then everything has ptosr cred with
me. ! married the woman / loved. We
have q large family. I have kept my secret
to myself. Tonight at u my time ex-
pires."
Mostyn rose. and. taking great care not
to e~xtlnRuish the flames, snuffed the candles.
A ! supposed my death would BIO a
strictly natural one,'' continued the stran-
ger. Il thought l would consult a surgeon
in order to see whether my heart was sound
or whether was to die, as ! have said, in a
perfectly natural manner, owing to its dis
ease. A watchmen whom / met directed
mt TO your door,"
Half an hour passed and q %neiQhborinp
church clock slowly boomed the hour OF II,
One hour more. The surgeon, glancinp at
his companion to see what effect the sound
had upon him, saw that his eyes were
closed and that he b, eathed heavily.
Rising cautiously TO his feet he felt the
pulse OF the strong, sinewy wrist which
hung over the side of the chair, and then
returning to HIS seat, sat CLOSELY regarding
him. not without casting certain uneasy
Rlances into the dark corners OF the room.
For = few seconds, IL seemed, his ewes
closed. When he opened them the Are wal
out, and the figure in front of him still sat
in the chair, though its head had now
fallen on it's breast.
Full of a horrible fear, ho glanced hur-
riedly at the clook and saw that it was lust
upon the stroke Of fous; then he spranR to
the side OF his guest aud seized the wrist
nearest him. An ha did un hA utnrt,,a hack