Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-17

door OF the ieweller, Lennox's land
lcrd, while the two policemen cleared
a passage through the crowd, saying
In low tones, Stand aside. gentlemen,
please!-stanl aside" thus making
gradual way for four bearers, who, as
vas now plainly to be seen, carried
common wooden stretcher covered
with a cloth, under which lay what
seemed, from its outline to be hui
man figure
What's the matter here?" asked
t.orlmer, with a curious cold thrill
running through him as he put the
simple question.
One of the policemen answered read
lily enough.
AN accident. sir Gentleman badly
hurt. Down at Charing Cross Station
tried to jump into a train when it
had started foot caught thrown
Under the wheels and dragged along
some distance says he can't
F7e. sir"
who is he.--what's his manner"
"Lennox, sir---leastways, that's the
rs me on his Garland this Is the adj
dress Sir Francis Lennox, believe
1t Is"
Errington uttered a sharp eXclama-
ton Of horror,-at that moment the
jcweller came out Of the recesses of
his shop with uplifted hands and be-
wildered countenance.
IAN accident? Good Heavens! Sir
Francis! Upstairs!-take him up
stairs!" Here he addressed the bear
ers. You should have gone round
to the private entrance-he mustn't be
seen in the frightening away all
my custolners-her pass through
pass through, as quick as you cant"
And they did pass through, carry
ing their crushed burden tenderly
along by the shining glass cases and
polished counters, where glimmered
and flashed jewels of every size and
lustre for the adjoining of the children
Of this world slowly and carefully,
step by step, they reached the upper
fioor,-and there, in luxurious apart
ment furnished with almost feminine
elegance, they lifted the inanimate
form from the stretcher and laid 1t
down, still shrouded, on velvet sofa,
removing the last number OF Truth,
and two of Zola's novels, to make
room for the heavy, unconscious head.
Errington and Lorlmer stood at the
doorway, completely overcome by the
suddenness of the event-they had fol-
lowed the bearers upstairs almost me-
chemically, exchanging no word or
glance by the way.-and now they
watched in almost breathless suspense
while surgeon who was present gent
ly turned back the cover that hid the
ir jured mans features and exposed
them to full view. Was that Sir Fran
CHS? that blood-smeared, mangled
creature?-that the lascivlous dandy
the disciple OF no creed and selfwor
ship? Errington shuddered and
averted his gaze from that hideous
face,-so horribly contorted, yet
otherwise deathlike in its rigid still
ness. There was a grave hush. The
surgeon still bent over him-touching
here. probing there with tenderness
and skill,-but finally he drew back
with a hopeless shake of his head.
Nothing can be done" he whispered.
Absolutely nothing!"
At that moment Sir Francis stirred,
--he groaned and opened his eyes,
what terrible eyes they were, filled
with that look of intense anguish, and
something worse than anguish, fear
I, antic fear--coward fear--fear that
was almost more overpowering than
his bodily suffering.
He stared wildly at the little group
assembled strange faces, so far as he
could make them out, that regarded
him with evident compassion, what
what was all this-what did 1t mean?
Death? No, no! he thought madly,
! while his brain reeled with the idea
death? What was death? darkness,
humiliation, blackness-all that was
Observation-Disclosures! God! he
would not die! God!-whc was God?
No matter--he would live;-he would
struggle against this heaviness, this
GOODNESS pillar of ice in which he
was being slowly frozen-frozen-
-frozen!-inch by inch! He made
furious effort to move. and uttered
scream Of agony, stabbed through and
through by torturing pain
Keep still" said the surgeon
pityingly.
! Sir Francis heard him not He
wrestled with his bodily anguish till
the perspiration stood In large drops
on his forehead. He raised himself
gasping for breath, and glared about
him like trapped beast of prey
Give me brandy" he muttered
chokingky "Quick-quick! Are you
going to let me die ike dog?damn
you ALL"
The effort to move,-to speak, ---ex-
hausted his sinking strength-his
throat rattled.--he clenehed his fists
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