The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-11-22
THE DOCTORS STORY

factnring village of about 1000 inhab-
itants. There were at this time three
other physicians in the town, and du-
ring my four weeks stay 1 had been
favored with but few patients
boarded with an elderly lady Whose
grandson cared for the garden and sta
bic. My boarding mistress was precise
and methodical in everything, and was
model of panctuality, 50 l one day
set my watch, and the clock in my lit
tie office, ten minutes fast, in order to
be prompt at meals when at home.
On the evening Of that day, just De
fore the clock struck 10, my telephone
bell rang. had only the day previous
had the instrument put in, and hast
ened to answer my first call. "Come
Immediately to MillviIle, No. 20 High
street. Take the ten o'clock train"
"It is too late for me to catch that
train, but / will drive over with my
team if that viii do. What is the case? ?"
l Gsked.
No reply.
"Hellop' / called again, but all was
still. Then 1 rang up the central Of
fee.
"Please connect me with the parties
who called for DIR. Wildes," said.
"No one has called for DIR. Wildes, y
answered the voice of the operator in
the central Office.
'You must be mistaken, for have
just been talking to some one through
the telephone who wants me-" was my
reply.
''The wires must be crossed some
where. I will see if | can find out
where the trouble is, sir" came in a
sleepy voice from the central.
pat on my hat and started toward
the stable, meeting Jimmie with Lam
tern In hand.
81 was just coming after you, Doc
tor" ne said. "Your horse seems to be
dreadfully lame, and / can't find out
what ails her foot"
sent the boy to livery stable near
by to procure a horse and carriage for
me, and was bathing and bandaging
my own horse when heard the whis-
tie of the 10 o'clock train. Then re-
membering that my watch had been
too fast, muttered very unorthodOx
expression as thought Of the l6-mile
drive must take in the cold March
night.
had hastened indoors and put on a
heavy ulster, when / heard the boy
drive up to my door.
Again / went to the telephone and
ringing up the central" inquired If
be had ascertained who had called DR..
Wildes-
AZ can not find that any one has cali
ed for you this evening"" came the re-
ply over the wire.
SuspectiDg that somebody might be
trying to play joke on me, / stepped
10 the door and had the horse and car
riage returned to the livery-stable.
/ seated myself in an easy chair by
the fire, and after reading q short time
/ fell asleep. woke just as my clock
was striking u, and as the last stroke
ceased my telephone again rang
hastened to reply, and received the
call, ''Come to Millville on the mid
night train, to No. 20 High street"
"Who wants me ?" asked, as knew
not soul in Millville.
received no reply, although rang
several times, and putting on my over
coat and cap, seized my medicine case
and hurried to the railway station, .
few rods away, where the night train
stopped on being signaled. Before l
o'clock / had reached Millville and
found the place to which 1 had been
summoned
1t was an old-fashioned house, which
had been modernized by the addition
of bay windows in the front, from one
of which shone faint light.
/ FASTENED up the steps, but before
my hand could touch the door 1t was
opened from the inside, and passed
Ia. A very old lady, with pale face
and snowy hair, silently pointed into
the next room.
Ientered, and found l was in good
sized apartment that seemed 10 be half
parlor and half library. A leather-cov-
erei lounge was drawn up before an
open fire, and upon it lay man of per-
haps 60 years An ugly cash was In
the right side of his head, which, with
the partially dried blood upon his face,
formed picture at which shuddered.
l bent over him and felt for bis pulse.
His hand was cold, but In his grasp he
held peculiarly shaped key, which /
saw plainly in the light Of the fire. His
lips moved, and, without opening his
eyes, he said:
"The second bunch of grapes; thesee-
ond bunch of grapes"
"The man is delirious" thought,
as stepped into the hallway.
Madam I called. as ! peered
around in the darkness, please bring
me q basin Of warm water at once"
heard no sound except my own
voice. could family see by the light
of the fire that shone from the library
that there were three or four other doors
leading from the hall. One after an
other I tried to open them, but they
were all locked fast ran back into
the room from which / had just come.
The ieather-cDvered lounge was still
drawn up in front Of the fire, but the
man was gone Hooked wildly around
the room, but no sign Of him could be
seen. drew MY hand over the lounge