The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-12

man--an EngIiShman! you coward, you
miserable, dastardly coward!'
He stood before her like stopped clock.
What was a man to do with a woman like
this? He said nothing. There was no
sound in the room but the gurgling OF Jane
upon the floor and the cries OF the little
| boy in the bed. These cries suddenly
! ceased, there was a choking sob, and then
| silence. Mrs. Thorburn turned to the be d;
| her sons head had fallen back on the Pill
.low-he had tainted. She dashed to the
| cupboard. fetched little bottle and mols-
tened the boys lips with the contents. A
| little color came into his cheeks, his eyes
| opened, and he began to moan. Jane WIS
still gurgling on the floor, while Richard
| watched the scene with vacant eyes. The
| rules of burglary as he knew them did not
| deal with cases such as this Suddenly the
mother turned toward him. Man" she
cried. hes dying; go, go; run TO DR..
| Deans
DR.. Deani" repeated Richard. foolishly.
Yes. yes, at Shelton-the first house in
! the village; run, man, run. He's dying!
! Oh, can't you see he's DYING?
Richard turned, dropped his bag of tools
upon the floor, and was out of the room
and down the stairs in three strides, had
unclaimed and opened the front door, and
was running down the road to Shelton be-
fore his brain began to work. He had gone
nearly quarter of a mile before it struck
him that this was not strictly burglary.
| He sIackened his speed for a moment
/ Then, That's a fine woman,' he sad
! aloud "a blocmin' fine woman" and this
| thought occupied his mind for another mile
! or more. He was only half mile from
| Shelton when he noticed cottage by the
/ side of the road-noticed the gate of that
cottage and a bicycle cleaning in the
moonlight by the side of the gate. He
stopped, his head buzzing and humping
| from the unaccustomed exercise. Here was
a bicycle-he'd go quicker on bicycle, not
that he was much of dab at it; but still
he seized the machine, and, dragging 1t into
| the middle OF the road. essayed to mount.
Suddenly large man came running to the
gate, flung it open, and rushed toward
Richard. With last frantic effort the bur
I glar sprang into the saddle, wobbled wildly
for three yards, and crashed into the ditch.
| He struggled to his feet, trampling the BIZ
! cycle into spillikins as he did so, and start
ed to run, but the large man was too quick
for him.
Stop. you scoun irel," he shouted. and
seized him by the c,llar. Richard wrenched
himself free, and the two men faced one
from the cottage.
What are you playing at?" said the
large man, edging gradually nearer.
''Playin' at said Richard; "playin' at?
/ m fetchin' doctor"
The large man stood still. "a doctor?"
said he. Who wants doctor? Where do
you come FROM
THE Cedars,' said Richard. with happy
flash Of memory.
The Cedars? Mrs. Thorburn? Are you
her MANI
.Yus," said Richard
every good" said the large man; "and
whom were you going to fetch?"
''Dr. Dean" was the answer.
do you know him."
''Yus"
The large man moved another step near
Ell. Now, my man." said he, cheerfully.
you will kindly come along with me. II
you come quietly it viii be all the better
for you, but I'm afraid 1 must give you in
charge. Don't move, now"
what for?" said Richard, angrily. I'm
goin' for doctor. tell ZEE"
''Yes. you've told me quite enough You
say you're Mrs. Thorburn's man; Mrs.
Thorburn's man is lying i'll in that cottage.
You say you know DR.. Dean-well, am Dr.
Dean. And. now, will you come quietly?"
You are DR.. Dean?2 said Richard,
| thickiy.
Yes. / am DR.. Dean, very much at yoTr
service. and magistrate as well as doc-
TOR. my friend
Then. If you're DR.. Dean. you come
alorg to the Cedars.''
NO, no; you come along to shelton
but l tell zee you're wanted -
And l tell you. you're wanted. Now, no
nonsense. my man; come along with me
quietly"
Richard leaped back and drew his revolt
yer. Look ere" he said. fiercely; you
come back with me, or I'll blow your bra ms
out. The boys dyin'. tell 'ee.''
The doctor had gathered himself together
for spring; but at these words he started.
The boy?" he said.
''Yus, the boy
We'll" said DR.. Dean, after a parse,
you seem to know something of the fam
lily. TN come with you; but give me that
pistol-not necessarily for publication, but
as a guarantee of good faith
Hanged II WILL" said Richard
''rhen / won't come said the doctor
Then I'll blow your brains OUT re-
peated Richard. weakly.
Much good should be then" said DR..
Dean.
This point OF view was new to Richard.
Pe pondered for moment. then: "'Ere's
the 5loomin' pistol he said, land now
come along"
by Joye, you're speaking the truth after
all. OF you're cleverer than you look"
said the doctor. pocketing the weapon.
Come on. well have to run for it; you've
smashed my bicycle. confound you. l
think I've got everything in this bag that
Will be necessary. Come on and they
started TO run side by side along the lonely
road.
The doctor was in better training than
Richard-he reached "The Cedars" fit and
cool: the burglar. who it must be admitted
had run the distance twice at full speed,
was almost at the last gasp. Mrs. Thor
burn was at the window over the porch.
rs that you. DR.. Dean?" she cried
1T is, madam said the doctor; you
want me?"
Yes. yes; come upstairs at once" and
she disappeared. The doctor turned and
looked at his companion critically. You
told the truth" he said. 81 leg your
pardon. You had better come IL and SIT
down; you seem fatigued. / will leave the
front door Open SO that II you feel in need
Of walk''-he paused. and then. with
meaning you can take your hook"
Richard followed him blindly through the
hall and sat heavily down at the foot OF
the stairs. The doctor ran lightly up TO
the front room and entered. Richard
could hear the faint sound of their talk In
spite of the buzzing OF his weary head. He
was not conscious OF any consecutive tram
of thought, but he found himself at last
repeating over and over again, n wonder
'ow the little varmit is7" He iuse and
walked unsteadily upstairs; he went on
tip-toe to the door and peered In. The
boy was awake but quiet. and evidently
not in pain. Jane had gone. Mrs Thor
burn and the doctor were talking together
at the foot of the bed. and there in the
middle OF the room lay his bag with the
tell-tale tools partially exposed. He
formed plan. He would switch OF the