The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-26


There was oreaking and shooting OF
bolts as he finished speaking. and the door
being cautiously opened, discovered an
angular woman Of some IS years, whose
nervous face cleared directly as she saw her
master.
"Pm asking your pardon for keeping you
80 long, sir, " said she. but one never knows
who's who. and. Judging by the noises and
runnings, there's been rare doings round the
corner tonight"
Her master, smiling at her devotion,
drew his onair to the fire and, having care
fully filed large clay pipe, fell 60 smok-
ing with an air Of great JOY ment and con-
tent.
He had been sitting thus for some time,
nursing his woes and slipping glass OF hot
cognac which he had prepared, when he
was disturbed by a loud, imperative knock
ing at the front door, whereat he snatched
up one OF the Ruttering candles and
marched down tho narrow stairs to ouen 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 ami exaggerated them.
Are you the surgeonP 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 me" said he, taking off his
| laced coat and standing pale and erect be-
4 fore him.
"WellF inquired the stranger. when he
had flushed
Sound as bell and as hard as oak.n
| Not likely to die suddenlyF' suggested
| his visitor.
mo. should think that that would be
the last thing to happen TO you," replied the
puzz Ell surgeon. "Why, what is the mat
ter with you9 Do you feel illY'
| mo; l feel hale and strong, capable of
| enjoying life with the best. I've never had
an illness in my life. 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
moro authority as to the time than anybody
else"
al have no intention of committing sui
eide. Nevertheless, at midnight my time
expires. Pm 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 resolute
tones: LAS you shall Judge If you care to
hear"
"By all means" said Mostyn, heartily. as.
| replacing the candle, he poked tue fire and
| drew up q chair for his visitor.
"Twonty years ago" said the latter, ac-
cepttug the proffered seat and leaning
| toward the surgeon, my circumstances
we're very different from what they are
now. Young and strong, l had at the death
Of my parents rejected the bread OF depend.
| ence offered mo by relatives, aud FULL Of
hope, had come to London to make my
| fortune"
ut proved to be harder work than had
anticipated, and in a very short while
| was reduced to the verge of starvnti n One
dreadful hight, OF which this lis the twen-
tieth Anniversary, was half crazed with
poverty and despair. For two 1 had
| not tasted food nor did l see tic sigh est
prospect OF obtaining any.
'As l crouched shivering in the gaIret
| which served me for lodging, l think |
must have gone little bit mad"
'Well" said the surgeon. who had been
listening with much interest.
Have you ever heard of compacts with
| the evil oneW demanded the stranger
| II have heard Of such things" replied the
! surgeon. on whose spirits the occasion and
| the visitor were beginning to tell.
| II made one" said the other, hoarssly
''Slnce then every thing has prlspered with
me. l married the woman l loved. We
have a large family. l have kept my secret
to myself. Tonight at IL o'clock my time
| expires"
MosLyn rose, and, taking great care not
to extingutsh the flames, snutfed the can,
dies
LAS 1 supposed my death would be a
strictly natural one" continued the
stranger. II thought would 1nsult sur
| geoD, Ia order TO see whether my heart was
| sound or whether l was to die, as | have
said, in perfectly natural manner. owing
to its disease. A Waterman whom l met
directed me to your door"
Half an hour passed and a neighboring
church clock slowly Uoomsd the hour of II.
One hour more. The surgeon glancing at
his companion, to ses what effect the sound
| had upon him, saw that his eyes were closed
| and that he bresthed heavily.
| Rising cautiously to his feet he felt the
pulse Of the stroug sinewy wrist which
| hung over the side Of the chair, and then
returning to bis seat, sat closely regarding
him, not without casting certain uneasy
glances into the dark oorners OF the room.
For a few seconds, it seemed, his eyes
closed. When he opened them the fire was
out, and the figure IN front of him still sat
In the chair, though its head had now fallen
on its breast.
Full OF a horrible fear he glanced bur
| riedly at the clock and saw that 1t was Just
upon the stroks Of O'Clock; then he sprang
| to the side or his guest aud seized the wrist
nearest him. AS he did go be started back
with q wild cry of horror, for some slip
perry thing, darting swiftly between his
feet. vanished in the gloom of neighbour
| ing corner.
| Ere he could recover himself the man in
front Of him stirred uneasily, and, rising
unsteadily, Razed stupidity at him.
What's the matterP he asked at length
in dazed tones.
! "MatterP shouted the still trembling sur
geon. why, it's four hours past midnight
and you are alive and we'll"
| AS ne rose to his feet the old church clock
slowly struck the hour of 4, appearing to
both the listeners to do so with aa emphasis
/ as unusual as it was welcome.
| AS the last stroke sounded the stranger,
who could even now hardly realize his posi-
| tion, threw up the window ami extended
his head.
How came I to sleepr he inquired. clos
ing the window and turning to the surgeon.
~ drugged your drink. 1t was the only
thing l could do. You were in such a
strange state of affairs that you would
either have died or gone mad if had not
done so.n
the stranger extended bis hand and
caught the young surgeons In a mighty
| grasp.
1T has been a strange business :" said he.
what could it have been that was in my
garnet that night, and what could have
taken the agreement9"
Rats" said Mostyn, smiling. Zone of
them frightened me terribly just now; but
it would not have done so if had not been