Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-11-04
4 RECORD-BREAKING RIDE.

s'Messrs. Gearup & Co.:
Gentlemen: / beg to acknowledge
the receipt of your favor OF yesterday y
date asking me to ride one OF your
Special New Hellespont Bicycles in
the South Eastern Mile Championship
Race to be held in this town on Sat-
urday next. In declining to comply
with your request, l cannot refrain
from expressing my astonishment at
the extraordinary offer by which 1t Is
accompanied. To endeavor to tempt
an amateur rider with monetary
bribe is, as / should have thought you
would have been aware, a very serious
matter; and it will hereafter become
my duty to consider the propriety OF
bringing the case under the notice of
the National Cyclists Union.
Yours faithfully,
RICHARD DINGLE."
/ despatched the above on Tuesday
night, and before noon on the follow
ing day received a reply-paid tele-
gram from Messrs. Gearup worded as
follows: Our letter sent under misap-
prehension; will fully explain in few
days. Meanwhile, obliged IL you will
defer communicating with N. G. U.
Kindly WIRE"
My answer to this was Very well;
will wait one week." and, when had
handed the form to the messenger, /
dismissed the. matter from my mind
with little laugh, and spent the next
half-hour in the examination Of the
high-grade Gravelotte machine which
had just been delivered to my order,
and on which l hoped to achieve the
victory in Saturdays race.
/ had only recently started as
medical practitioner in the rising wa
tering place of Beaverton, and so far
had not found the duties of my profess
sion interfere to any appreciable ex-
tent with the pursuit of my favorite
amusement-cycle racing.
During the particular week of which
am writing my services were re-
quired for the first time on Friday
morning, by tall. bearded man Of
gentlemanly appearance, who informed
me that his sister, who, with himself,
had just arrived for brief seaside
holiday, had been taken suddenly ill.,
III l could come at once he would be
extremely obliged, and would escort
porarily occupied. To this l assented,
and we left the house together.
"You have capital outbuildings here,
Doctor" remarked my visitor, who
had given the name of Selhurst, as he
glanced at the large wooden shed
which ran along the side Of the house.
YES I said, "and they are very
useful. My space indoors is rather
limited"
cycles do take up lot of room"
he replied. You will excuse me for
mentioning it, doctor, but am rider
myself-somewhat of an enthusiast
and am glad to meet a man of whose
doings on the track l have often read
with admiration"
We walked on in silence for a few
moments, then Selhurst inquired, sud-
denly:
'Have you ever studied mental dis
orders, DR.. Dingle?"
ooh, yes; not specially, though"
'Ah! 1t is in that way my sister suf.
fers''
'Tndeed?"
Yes; she has never been herself
since the death of her little girl, which
occurred under exceptionally painful
circumstances. about month ago. The
poor child was always a weakling.
and. acting under medical advice, her
mother let her accompany me on my
last business voyage to Australia
Alas! she died on the way home, and
we buried her at sea-"
"Your sister is widow, I presume,
Mr.. Selhurst?"
Eyes; her husband has been dead
two years. She is Mrs. Gray
What form does her arrangement
take?"
"A most curious one-she fancies
that her child Is still alive
II am afraid the case is serious. Has
she been under treatment before?'
mo; / was always hoping she would
get better, and, indeed, she seemed so
before we left London. She has acted
as my housekeeper since her husband
died. you know; but this morning she
is very Wild fear the excitement of
yesterdays journey down here must
have upset her. All, here we are; you
shall Judge her condition for yourself"
We entered two-story house on the
outskirts of the town, and, leaving mo
In small sitting-room on the ground
hoor, Selhurst went upstairs. l heard
him unlocking a door rather noisily;
then he descended and asked me to
follow him.
He conducted me to room immedi-
ately above that in which l had been
seated. and murmuring, "She seems to
have been asleep" left me to contem-
plate one of the most beautiful women
i have ever seen.
She was lying on a couch near the
window, fully dressed in deep mourn
ing. The morning sunshine played on
her rich, auburn hair, and accentuated
the extreme pallor of her exquisitcly
chiselled features.
The next moment she opened her
eyes; then, before could utter word
sprang up, and running to the door,
opened 1t, and having surveyed tho
landing, came back to where / stood
and said at once:
you are doctor, believe? am
not Ill, but want your help. That is
why let him-Mr. Selhurst-summon
YOU"