The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-07-29

| way in which the cigar burned. 1T
glowed fercely for little time and
then the light sank almost to invisible
ity. All this was with the slow regu-
larity of the ticking of tinepiece.
Jackson was an inveterate smoker and
he always puffed ut his cigar in pre-
cisely this manner, lighting a fresh one
as soon as one was consumed.
Gould you tell me-" he asked, chow
l can communicate with any of the
servants?"
sit is rather late" I answered, with.
out making any effort not to seem short.
81 realize that, but they have given
me such small pillows That 1 cannot
sleep. I wish to get some large ones"
| l told him how to find the colored
housekeeper's door, and reflected that
jackson was probably in dangerous
way. If had known him better and
| liked him, would have felt sorry for
him. AS it was, l contented myself
| with mental comment that when an
habitual tobacco consumer who had
sudden pains in the heart found him
self unable to sleep except with his
head high, it would be just as well for
him to be little careful. 1t didn't
concern me. however; the chances were
in favor of his living q long time, and
if he didn't-there would be no excuse
for my putting on mourning.
In an instant I confessed to myself
that this cold philosophy was the
merest assumption. Jackson's appear
ance had startled me very much; it had
seemed in some way the consequence of
II 1,nl 4 h. Il
to. He had been the subject of every
mental effort that 1 could command;
memory, logic, even imagination. ]
felt sure / had seen him elsewhere. 1t
could not have been in New Orleans,
for l had never visited that city. l had
tried to recall one by one all the people
l ever knew; the effort was as fruitless
as it was tatiguing. l repeated his
name Randolph Jackson over and
over. In some way it brought back an
encounter of a good many years before.
While l was student of medicine l
was witness in a case which attract
| ed a great deal of attention for awhile.
l was going home from the college one
night, when / heard n shot. / pressed
forward with the crowd and entered
proceeded. A demand for medical as
sistance brought me to the Immediate
scene of what had undoubtedly been a
| murder. 1t was the first time l had
ever come into contact with death in
| violent form, and all the circumstances
| impressed themselves vividly upon my
memory. A man was seated on a chair,
| his head thrown forward on his arms,
which rested on the table before him.
| When / made an examination a bullet
| hole stared at me from the base Of the
| skull. He was past all assistance.
The room was very poorly furnished.
| The walls had been newly white
washed, and a little shect-iron stove
stood near the wall on the left. There
was SO little in the room that it had a
distinct character, and every detail
stood out in the memory like cameo
The murdered man had been a good
deal of scapegrace; had made living
by odd jobs of writing for the news
papers, but was known to have re-
ceived a large sum of money from an
inheritance. Only one man had been
known to visit him in this room. He
was known through some extensive
operations on the board of trade, and
the dead man was known to have
claimed an interest in some of his deals.
They had quarreled quite bitterly once
or twice. This acquaintance was ar
rested, but there was not sufficient evil
dence to hold him. Very soon after
ward it was noted that he carried
through with ease some transactions
which had formerly been considered
more than he could support-but that
came from the gossips. The name of
this man was Jack Randolph.
And as sat on the porch repeating
the name of the colonel's guest over
and over in an offort to jog my memory,
it reminded me with sudden force OF
this name, Jack Randolph" 1t seemed
a very slight thing-the flimsiest of CO.
incidences. And yet how naturally the
average man would select some such
expedient in dcvising an alias. He
hates to give up all his name and, In
changing it, almost invariable clings to
some part of the familiar appellation.
He wants to outwit the world and at
the same time recall himself to himself
when he hears the name pronounced.
In this way Jack Randolph" would
very easily become Randolph Jackson.
determined to learn more about his
letter OF introduction, and with that
resolve arose and traced my steps to
my room. As passed Fred's door ]
saw a light. 1t annoyed me to find
him SO waseful, and l knocked. He
opened the door slightly, and on seeing
me bade me come in.
What In the world has been the
matter with you?" ! asked.
I'm glad you came" he said, ignor-
ing my question. IL wanted to ask q
favor OF you. am in lot of trouble. u
~ thought you must be-"
Eyes; am going to fight duel with
jackson, and ] want you to be my
second"
with Jackson?"
"It's about Mabel. He has follows(
her from New Orleans. Met her at
some reception there and has been try
ing to devote himself to her ever since.
don't know how he managed to gel
the letter Of introduction from fathers
friend, but he is clever. devilish clever y
4 And the poor boy sat down with his
face in his hsndA