The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-08-23
In TIE SHADOW OF DEATH.
THE TALE OF A LONDON DETECTIVE

van Thayer.
1t was a hot, sitting, July after
noon The sun beat down in unre
strained fury upon the roofs and sid
walks, and scorched the grass in thu
park till it took on dirty brown
aspect Even the sparrows, which
were in the habit of frequcnting thu
cutters across the way, had retired tc
seek protection from the excessive
heat in the dusty foliage of the trees
The atmosphere was close and Cypress
i've: nothing was stirring in the street
the entire quarter of the city in which
my lodgings were situated seemed
wrapped in dreamy slumber, 1t was as
though everyone were dead and no one
left to go to the funeral
| had evidently been asleep, for the
French novel | had been reading had
fallen on the floor and the hot ashes
from my pipe had burned "A hole in my
trousers. These, however, were not
the only evidences, for as ! removed
my feet from the table twinge of OK
quisitc agony shot up my right leg and
a thousand red hot needles seemed to
be thrust all at once into the bottom of
my foot.
This served to bring me wide awake
at once, and as | slowly rubbed my
foot back and forth upon the floor to
restore the circulation, my ear caught
the sound of footsteps ascending the
stairs. Presently Mrs. Rawlins, my
landady, knocked at the door and
handed me note. somewhat soiIcd in
appearance, and explained that it had
been left by dirty street urchin with
the request that it be delivered to me
at once. The note contained only a
few lines scrawled in lead pencil, and
ran as follows: "Mr. Cigrande Come
to st. Bartholomew hospital as quick
the doctor says | can't live: but before
| die | must see you, for have some
thing very important to tell you. Your
life may depend on it. To night will
be too late. y
There was no name signed. 1t had
been written in bed, and by a woman.
Holding the paper to the light looked
for the water mark. | recognized it
instantly as the paper used at the hos
pital. There was no doubt as to the
genuineness of the note.
Looking at my watch | observed that
it lacked ten minutes of five, and
hurrying down stairs hailed cab that
happened to be passing at the moment,
and was soon rafting in the direction
Of West Smithfied.
Arrived at the hospital dismissed the
cab and entered the building. In the
great hall at the head of the staircase
met the surgeon conversing with a
short, thick set man dressed in a
shabby tweed suit He held his hat
in his hand and | noticed that while
MS hair was almost white his mus
tache and eyebrows were quite black,
which combination produced rather
not TO say startling effect.
He stopped speaking as | approached
md eyed me narrowly from beneath his
shaggy brows. | nodded to the surgeon
Who exclaimed as | came up: ''Hello, !
Jigrande! So you received the note
Ill right? I'm glad you've come; she
las asked for you half a dozen times. |
Step this way, please - and excusing
himself abruptly to his visitor he led |
he way down the hall.
Something peculiar in the glance of
he stranger gave me as we separated |
.aused me to look back when we had |
cached the end of the hall. He was
directly opposite the full
ength portrait of Henry VIII, at the
lead of the staircase and regarding me
With a look of mingled rage and hate
which | shall never forget. Seeing
hat he was observed, he turned and
hastily descended the stairs.
"Who was that MANI" | asked the
urgeon. Don't know" he replied.
He was inquiring for one of the
PATIENTS in fact, the same one that
ent for you. Queer looking customer,
wasn't he?"
"Yes, did he see her?'
Il believe SO. One of my assistants
him. I" "'Did he ask you if
he had received, or expected to re-
Give. any other visitor?''
"Why, yes, - replied the surgeon,
he did ask just that question"
"And what did you say?''
The surgeon smiled. ''Oh, | evaded
he question. If she had sent for any
ne but yourself | should have given
lin direct answer, but its just as
yell not to talk about detectives
BUSINESS it might cause him serious
rouble. y
"A very good rule TO follow" l re-
lied. "but in this case it was of no
Use. The man in tie tweed suit knows
II about it.
"Then you know him?"
"No: never saw him till now, but
G recognized me and that amounts to
he same thing
The surgeon paused before door on
be left of the long corridor. This
) the place If you have time, stop
nd smoke cigar with me in the of
ce when you go down. L
In the snowy cot-bed lay girl eigh
cen, or perhaps twenty, years old.
he was asleep, and | had entered so
uietly that she had not awakened.
rev a chair To the bedside and gazed {
tteptively at her face. Nature had
intended her for handsome
oman. but long association with pow
rty and life in the slums had left its
ark ON what otherwise would have