The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-09-15

his room whenever 1 pleased.
What did it mean?
also made a call now and then OF
the widow.
Poor thing, she was always crying
aud so meek and full of grief rs sht
moved about the room where her oof
fined husband was, for she wouldn'
leave it, that the sight was pitiable.
The medical attendant dropped il
once to. inquire how / got on, ant
shook his head on hearing of my wan
of success.
'T fear if the dies are really here,
he said, "the fellow yon call Bradle.
is too deep for you"
'Not if / know it, 1 said. "I hav,
applied at headquarters for permission
to make better search, and I'll tax,
up the flooring"
Il fancy that's the most likely place
What is that?" he asked.
"Only the undertaker's men, L said
putting the door open. "It's the pool
fellows funeral to-day"
"IndeedI Ah, they hasten these
matters with the poor
just at the moment the wretcheC
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 i
had gone by.
"Poor-poor thingr' my companion
remarked, with sigh; then, giving
me his card, and asking me to call if J
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. My assistant
came in about eight, but neither the
widow nor the landlady returned.
WAITED and waited. Eleven O'Clock
struck.
1 began to get suspicious.
Had L been done?
1 turned hot and cold; then seizine
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 doneT' I cried,
waving my candle around.
Yes; bitter the humiliation-I had
been dupedl / had been the victim OF
sensibility and clever trickl
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.
'Nonsense!" 1 calculated. "The
man must have been deadl 1t isn't
likely he could deceive the doctor
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, L asked to
see the doctor.
The servant, showing me into the
surgery, went in to summon him.
In few moments lie appeared-that
is, gentleman appeared; a gentleman
of about sixty, with silver gray hair.
81 beg your pardon" 1 said; sit is
Doctor Alexander wish to see!''
Alexander! My name, sir, is Lind
say, and L am the only professional
man in this house-nay, in the street.
There must be mistake"
'Impossibler' 1 cried. "See, sir,
here is his card"
"Humphl" have never heard the
name in the neighborhood," he re-
marked, perusing it. "Wait a mo-
ment-if you will allow me 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-his
name is not here. 1 fear the title of
doctor must be assumed, and he is
not q certified medical man."
l then told my story.
'Sir," remarked DIR. Lindsay, un-
able to suppress a smile, 81 fancy
you have not only been duped by
dying man, but also by his medical
And 30 it proved.
The whole had been a clever trick
from the widow to the doctor and
parish" funeral.
Nevertheless, 1 might have remained
in doubt to the last, had not my ''pride
Of place" been 80 wounded that / did
not rest until l had tracked Jim Brad
ley again, and this time succeeded in
capturing him and his gang, and
among which 1 not only discovered
the young, disconsolate widow Of her
dead husband, but the doctor, the
greatest rogue Of the lot, as it was he
who, under his gentlemanly appear
ance, circulated the spurious coin.
To my satisfaction, / saw them all
sent off for a considerable term in
Portland, with small chance Of a
L was not, after all,
to be done.
A note of the Bank of England,