The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-09

and the best OF it Is. the doctor has
nut her to sleep IN there-said he
couldn't wait, the pain was too severe
She'll come round In about an hour, and
then we can begin 10 think about din
ner. l suppose. I'm hungry. We've got
10 thank the banana peel for this"
"Fribleigh," l said, ITS no use back
ing out now. OF course this Miss
Mortimer won't start out and come here
at the invitation of an unknown man.
TO see an unknown woman who has met
with an unknown accident. You must
go there and introduce yourself. and de
scribe this poor lady. and at least see II
you can't find out something about her"
Fribleigh grumbled at this He said
he quite expected the gruff man at the
other end of the wire 10 kick him down
the front steps. But anything is better
than this inaction-and growing hunger"
he said.
Before he went Fribleigh took the pre-
caution 10 copy from the directory the
addresses OF both James Patrick Morris
and James Parsons Morris. in case"
he said. Miss Brightie should prove
obdurate."
| remained at the doctors office and
watched. "a well as the doctor would al
low me, the progress Of the patient to-
ward recovery Of consciousness
What happened TO Frbleigh in his
quest cannot say in detail.
lie told me afterwards that he could
hear the loud gruff tones OF old Morti-
sner. when the butler took a hastily
written note of Standardization in to
him.
! suppose he managed 10 persuade the
Mortimers that he was not an imposter,
and 10 give them a recognizable de-
Of dtrf- fnr
in about three-quarters of an hour. after
the doctors female attendant had an
swered one ring at the telephone and de-
livered a message requesting him 10 keep
his patient there. a cab drove up to the
door, and young lady and elderly man
entered.
I recognized the grun voice that
asked. rs Mrs. Morris here?" IL was
the voice Of old Mortimer.
Miss Brightie, it now appeared, had
some slight acquaintance with Mrs.
James Parsons Morris-had exchanged
mods with her. AS matter OF common
human kindness. the Mortimers had
sent word TO Mrs Morris faily Of her
whereabouts and her safety. from like
motives they had come-father and
daughter-to comfort and assist her until
her own husband, son and daughter could
arrive
This was all very we'll -excellently
well-and | felt at liberty 10 depart
leaving the lady In the hands OF friends,
as I felt sure. But where was Frib-
leigh?
oh" said Miss Brightie. your friend
Mr.. Finney-"
"Fribleigh." 7 corrected her.
"-- beg your pardon. didn't quite
catch his name In the hurry and con-
fusion. Mr.. Friby asked us 10 tell you
that he had gone on to dinner"
saw how it was Fribleigh was 700
hungry TO prolong his humane efforts
any further. I knew just where ] should
be likely 10 ind HMM a certain Ger
man house of entertainment where ne
and had medtatcd frankfurters and
heer for that very evening But / was
vexed with him. and determined to lei
him alone.
However. Friblcigh. f. seemed. was
not going 10 let me alone. At haif-past
eleven that night | was violently a"ak-
ened TO read a note which said come
here al once Bring money. Fribleigh.
Frlblelsh had ended his day In the
police station.
When 1 got TO him. with all the money.
I could ind, he told me that banana
peel had brought him 90 more harm than
even he could have though possible. lie
had been routed out OF his own rooms a.
10 o'clock BY a detective. And the charge
was grand larceny.
Mrs. James Parsons Morris had been
taken 10 her home and was doing fair
Is well, when IL occurred TO Mr.. James
Morris TO ask her what she had done
with the hundred dollars she had drawn
from the bank that afternoon. The
question had brought on recurrence OF
the fever symptoms. Mrs. Morris had
not the faintest idea what had become
of her pocket-book IN which she had
the money In her feyerish condition
it never occurred 10 her that tho mar
who had found the MOrtimers for hei
must have her pocket-bOok. which con
| tanned Miss Mortimers card.
Without loss of time Mr.. Morris haC
communicated with the police who hac
! in the meantime heard OF the accident
| from a patrOlman who had come ON th'
scene Just after Mrs Morris, FriDlelgt
| and | had driven off IN the hack. ina
gave them n chase 10 the Doctors OF
| flee. The doctor had not heard OF M
name. but no knew that my compan
ions name was something like Fin
! ney Frimmey or Frilby and that W
had telephoned for assistance. tn
scratch pad on the telephone desk guid
! ed them to the last number rung III
| that day-the Mortimers-and finally
| the Mortimer. 10 whom Fribleigh ha'
infinitely introduced himself giving n.
business and his place of residence a.
rected tho policemen knowing jus
what they were doing-to poor Frlo
leigh.
F'ribleigh told me all this. curslng hi
luck and banana peel. And the wors
OF II was" he concluded. that there wa
tbot informal nocket-hOok I'm the inside
pocket OF my overcoat.'
So ii was-dollars. latchkey, samples
cards and all, just as Fribleish ha'
found them.
I pass over the horrors OF the police
court and hasten to the bright dawr
that ended all this nightmare for Frib
leigh II came with Miss Brighti'
Mortimer.
No one had asked Miss Mortimer e
appear as a witness She came. sh'
said. as a matter Of strict Justice.
"Mr Frilby"-she had not yet quit'
got his name-"pulled my card and some
other out of that pocket-book when h
came 10 our house that night. lie lait
the pocket-book down on chinonie'
while he was talking 10 papa and me
and when he went. papa had to call hin
hack 10 take II. I don't believe he ever
knew there was money In II.
That evidence-that and his obvi
ouslv good character. and the genera
improbability of the charge-savef
rribleirh. Indeed Mrs. Morris apolo
eized handsomely for her husband
over hasty recourse 10 the law.
And then at last and after all. thai
niece Of banana peel did bring good lucs
10 Frlbleigh. for so he became acquaint'
"a with Rrghtie Mortimer