Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-10-14

''No. 1 amt quite made of stone" ="
rejoined, bit hurt. "But L shall
inspect all who go out or come in"
"Quite right, and I wish you sue
cess, for there's no telling the suffer-
ings these coiners occasion"
\ We then descended and the doctor
left, after telling the old Irishwoman
he would call as he want home on the
parish undertaken and give the neces-
sary orders for the funeral. -
Well, / needn't lengthen out my
story.
Irented the parlor (by compulsion)
of the landlady and established a
watch night and day upon who and
what went out and entered the house.
Jim Bradley came and went, OF
course, unmolested, and chaffed me
considerably when we met, while with
out the slightest demur he let me visit
his room whenever I pleased.
What did it mean?
l also made call now and then on
the widow
Poor thing, she was always crying
and SO meek and full of grief as she
moved about the room where her cof.
fined husband was, for she wouldn t
leave it, that the sight was pitiable.
The medical attendant dropped in
once to inquire how I got on, and
shook his head on hearing of my want
of success
''I fear if the dies are really here, "
he said, "the fellow you call Bradley
is too deep for you"
"Not if L know it" I said. 81 have
applied at headquarters for permission
to make better search, and Ill take
up the flooring"
Il fancy that's the mostlikely place.
What is that?" be asked.
"Only the undertaker's men, - said,
putting the door open. Its the poor
fellows funeral to-day"
Indeed ALI, they hasten these
matters with the poor"
Just at the moment the wretched
coffin and its bearers passed along the
passage, followed by the weeping
widow leaning on the old Irishwoman.
They were the sole mourners.
The doctor respectfully removed his
hat, and we looked in silence until it
had gone by.
"Poor-poor thing!' my companion
remarked, with sigh; then, giving
me his card, and asking me to call if
proved successful, he went away.
Well, the hours crept by, and the
silence of the house began to surprise
me. Bradley had gone out early, and
hadn't been home since. Ny assistant
came in about eight, but neither the
widow nor the landlady returned.
Iwaited and waited. Eleven o'clock
struck.
began to get suspicious.
Had been done?
turned hot and cold; then seizing
the candle, darted upstairs. Bradley's
room was as usual; but the attic-the
sight of it made me feel ready to drop.
"Done-cleverly done!" L cried,
waving my candle around.
Yes; bitter the humiliation-I had
been duped! had been the victim of
sensibility and clever trick!
There was the mattress, ripped up;
and there, where the coffin had stood,
was hole in the floor, where the plank
had been removed. That had been
the place of concealment. ',-
But where were the dies? Where
why in the coffin, of which, no doubt,
the dead man had been one of the
| bearers.
''Nonsenser' ! CALCULATED "The
man must have been deadl 1t isn't
likely he could deceive Ithe doctor-a
kind-hearted fellow, but keen one;
I'll go to him!"
Leaving my assistant in charge,
hastened to Jude street, with his card
in my hand
The red danger signal" indicated
the house, and, knocking, I asked to
see the doctor.
The servant, showing me into the
surgery, went in to summon him.
| In few moments he appeared-that
is, gentleman appeared; gentleman
of about sixty, with silver gray hair.
Il beg your pardon, said; "it is
Doctor Alexander 1 wish to see"
Alexander! My name, sir, is Lind
say, and 1 am the only professional
man in this house-nay, in the street.
There must be n mistake"
'Impossibler' l cried "See, sir,
here is his card"
"Humph!" I have never heard the
name in the neighborhood," he re-
marked, perusing it. wait mo-
ment-if you will allow me L will
see"
Taking down one or two thick vol
umes from the bookshelves, he ran
over the lists under the initial A.
NO." he said "As thought this
name is not here. [ fear the title of
doctor must be assumed, aud he is
not certified medical man.
/ then told my story.
"Sir," remarked DIR. Lindsay, un-
able to suppress smile, 81 fancy
you have not only been duped by a
dying man, but also by his medical
attendant.
7