Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-07-14
A DOCTORS STORY.
BY D. NJ. NELL,

not Angelina, but my wife being
modest little lady, desires she shall
not be dragged before an inquisitive
public. Let, then. Angelina represent
the real woman.
Of course l had a rival; name,
Richara Somers; age, twenty-six;
general appearance, striking and hand
some; character, very bad.
Neither my affection for this gentle
man nor his affection for me would
have caused a confagration on any
river of which know. We dislik ed
each other heartily from the first.
Being a much handsomer man than
myself, he might have been danger
Gus rival. However, he saved me all
trouble. He committed a forgery
~hich was discovered sooner than be
expected. He was arrested for the
offense, tried and convicted. I was
one of the principal witnesses against
him. When the sentence was passed
upon him, he requested moments
conversation with me. I shall never
forget the look of hatred upon his
face as he hissed out:
''You have ruined my love and my
life. Remember that, and fear me!''
attached but little Importance to
his threat. I thought it simply the
bluster of self defeated and disgraced
Yival
Shortly after, Angelina and I were
1arried, and for two years heard
nothing of Somers. His sentence had
been comparatively light one-a year
AnI o;v L.,
trom prison, however, I neither saw
1or heard of him.
For so young man, had been
Jerry successful as physician, prin-
eipally due to my strict attention to
practice. No matter how late, OF dark
en-. stormy, might be the right, I
promptly attended to all summonses
to the bedside of suffering.
One night, a little while before the
hour of retiring, the door-bell rang,
and shortly afterward man entered
the room where we were sit
ting. He was not prepossessing. His
hair was short and thick, and the
general cast of his features villainous.
Without hesitation, put on my
loat and hat aud prepared to 60 with
him.
ga gentleman, "he said, chad broken
his Leg
thought it pity that, if the gen.
tleman were anything like his mes
singer, he hadn't broken his neck. I
did not tell my wife where I was
going, for it was distant part of the
town, and in anything but respect
III ,<rl, 1ovlnlI III - oh !
make the little woman nervous.
On our way, the unprepossessing man
was very uncommunicative. He an
Bwered my inquiries about the injured
gentleman in surly monosyllables. He
was apparently in no haste, for he
walked very slowly-more slowly, I
lhoHght, than was consistent with the
welfare of my patient.
At last we arrived at our destina-
tion. 1t was very dark-looking
house, in very dark street.
My guide led me up two flights of
very dirty and rickety stairs, that
ereaked objections to our weight upon
ihem. In the third story, we stopped
before door, which, to my surprise,
my companion opened with key
which he took from his pocket. Was
he afraid that man with a broken
leg would escape? I was still more
surprised when, on entering the room,
found it empty!
He motioned me to chair, and, re-
marking he would return soon, left the
room.
For the first time was somewhat
nervous and suspicious. The empty
room-the las. action of my guide
his carelessness, on our way, as to the
health of the supposed injured man
the lonely house and neighborhood-
Ill combined to make me suspect foul
play.
stepped to the door, only to find
1t locked from the outside-to the
window, only to find escape impossible
there. 1t was many feet from the
ground.
My suspicious were now certainties.
I was trapped. None of my friends,
aot even my wife knew where was.
] might be murdered in this den, and
my death remain mystery.
1 suppose 1 waited about an hour
before heard the key turn in the
door. Then, to my dismay, half q
dozen men entered.
When nature made the jail-bird who
had led me into this trap, she did not
break the mould. These men were of
the same pattern. All wore the same
hang-dog, murderous look. One of
them raised the light in the room,
which had been burning low. With
hardly glanee at me, they took seats
upon the /or, and began to play
Soorhe door opened, and another
man Altered. 1 hardly had hope as
looked at him, for saw the exulting
face of my enemy-Dick Somers!
At a glance he saw that recognized
him. With a malicious leer, he
stepped forward, and, quoting his own
words of two years before, said:
'sYou have ruined my love and my
life Ramembar that and faar met''