The Delawarean. [volume] (Dover, Del.) 1859-1927, 1900-04-14
Robert Hardy S
Seven Days.
CONTINUED tom 1hird Paqe.

Cs
Hardy woke and begged her husband
to lie down and get little rest. He
did so, but was aroused about 10
o'clock by the doctor coming in. He
had just finished a visit near by. He
saw the light and was anxious. as the
case was an extraordinary one. to come
In He examined Clara's face very
keenly and then sat down by the bed
for an instant. After giving certain
medicines he found that he was in
need of another article, which was ut
his house.
II will go and get it, DOCTOR It's not
far, and l think little fresh air will
do me good and help me to remain
awake BETTER" said Robert.
He went down stairs, and the doctor
followed him as he went out into the
hall and flung on his overcoat. Mr.
Hardy turned before he opened the
door:
"Doclor, tell me the truth about my
girl? What is her condition."
tIt isAserious, but more than that
cannot say. There is possibility that
by means of slight operation the dis
astrous Consequences of the shock to
her eyes IAay be averted, and it is pos
sible thatS the other results which l
limited mag be altogether different. 1t
is not in laedical power to decide with
certainty
So NJ Hardy went out into the night
with a glimmer of hope in his breast.
1t was showing again, and strong
wind was blowing, SO he buttoned his
big coat close up, drew his hat down
over his brows and, leaning forward,
walked as rapidly as he could against
the wind in the direction of the doc
tors house. The streets were almost
deserted The lights at the corners
fiickered and showed pale through the
lamps.
AS he turned down a narrow street.
intending to make short cut across a
park that lay near the doctors, he was
suddenly seized by three or four young
men, and one of them said in tone
which betrayed drunken debauch:
"Hold up your hands and deliver!
You've got plenty of chink, and we
haven't! So no squalling, or we'll
shoot you for it,
Mr.. Hardy was taken completely by
surprise. But he was a vigorous. ath-
letic man, and his first impulse was to
shake himself loose, to knock down
two of his assailants next to him and
make a run for it. His next glance.
however, showed him the nature of
the group of young men. They were
not professional robbers, but young
men about town who had been drink
ing late and We're evidently out on a
lark and were holding him up Just for
fun
Mr.. Hardy guessed exactly right
What could he do? Two of the young
men were known to him, the sons of
the Bramleys who were we'll to do
people in Barton. Mr.. Hardy's next
impulse was to discover himself to
them and beg then to quit such dan
gerous foolng and go home The three
other young men We're in shadow, and
he could not tell them. All this pass
ed through his thought with flash
But before he had time to do anything
police officer sprang out of door
way near by, and the group of young
men, dropping their hold of Mr.. Hardy,
fed in different directions.
The officer made pursuit and after
a short run captured orr of the young
men, whom. after vigorous resistance,
he dragged back to where Mr.. Hardy
stood, eXclaimng:
"Here's one of the rascals, sir.
heard 'em when they held you ND.
We've been looking for this gang some
time now. Just identify this one if he
is the one that Just now grabbed you,
SIR"
Under the light of the lamp the DO
iiceman dragged the form of his vic
tim and roughly struck up his hat. At
that instant Mr. Hardy looked into his
face and cried out:
"Georgel Is it your"
And the son replied as he started
back:
Father
The two looked at each other in ST.
lence, while the snow fell in whirling
fakes about them.
And this was the end Of Robert Har.
dy's third day.