The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-17

i',Iii s-~sVe fell.
You've brought that bookg she said.
! huskily.
Brought it?' / answered "Of course.
| IL Is what said-the key to the mystery.
ana may act as the title deeds of that old
She said no more. but sank into a chair.
and sat back watching me while opened
the lanthorn, took a couple OF candles
from the sdeboard and lit them at the
smoky flame.
How stupidr' muttered. We've left
the fiat candlestick. but pom my word
when | stopped at the door | didn't feel
ready to go and rake 1t out of that dusty
No. painted my wife; at was horrid.
Let's go to bed
Bed, Not yet" l said. excitedly. I'm
going to have a look first In this book
MY wife uttered a low. despairing sigh.
won't stop long | said. opening the
cover and looking for the owners name,
nut finding none. though on one side Of
me hrst page the date. in n particularly
clear. round hand March 20. I7s5.
ihere. l cried, that's something as
10 70 the time that house has been shut up
Wait a moment"
i turned over the leaves by scores unit;
reached the pen about three-parts OF
the way through. but there was no date
visible until l turned back about a score
OF IeaNes. when | came upon one in the
lett-hand corner-"October lS1g''
Here my wife had quite recovered her
sell, and drew her chair up to mine. her
shock from which she had suffered
Il don't see any name" | said as 1
turned over leaves at random: but it's
plain enough what il is-a physicians
everyday book. Here they are, notes OF
the cases he has attended. with the names
OF patients and their ailments, and the
prescriptions administered.
These, as II seemed by n rapid glance
went on Tor about ten years. when quite
a change came over the little paragraphs.
which, 50 far as / could make out. dealt
with experiments in chemistry, one In a
rev words expressing disappointment at
something which had been sought for not
having been discovered
My word, this will he Interesting I
Salu' out we must leave ii tonight. Let's
nave look at the last pages. though
| turned to them. and we read several
W-th increasing eageruess, dwelling long
upon the last. which told OF Increasing
weakness and the despair of man who
seemed to have given up the last wears of
his life to the experimental search for
something which was to prove an infalIi-
bic cure for certain of the ills of human
nature, and the gradual awakening of the
seeker to the fact that he had been a
dreamer.
There it was, all recor,Ied-I can
not recall the words-but the gist OF IL
his practice, which had dwindied to
nothing. and in his infatuation forsak-
en- friends and relatives, living almost an
tirely, alone. We read. too. that. findiag
bought it for laboratory, and quietly
had II connected by a tunnel under the
pathway from cellar to cellar and then
mad the windows and door bricked up 50
tnat ne could pursue his studies in COM
piete seclusion. retiring whenever he
liked. ~
Lastly, in the poor dreamer's own hand
writing was the record of his feeling
that his life was nearly at an end. and
OF his preparations for the final act
cannot recall even the brief note
which recorded this. but it was some
word for word but | m-not sure. How
ever, here it is, as nearly as | can recol-
lect:
Tomorrow is my birthday-ninety-
three; and il is forty years since | gave
myself up to the pursuit of an aIluring
phantom. perhaps from vanity. but
Heaven knows | had the welfare of the
world at heart | believe | shall have
strength enough left to build up the wall
again that | once had broken through.
and for which L have nightly taken
bricks from the store. brought in by the
builder. who at my wish repaired the gar
den wall of my dwelling house. The bag
IF cement | have ordered will suffice for
Ihat-if | have sufficient strength-h 1
have sufficient strength. 1t will not be
noticed in the dark cellar perhaps when
am missing and they search, for they
will see only a wine-bin with a rough
wall at the back
Two days-but ii is done. Sleep. How
soon?"
'.Ha.'' l said. closing the book; enough
for tonight. Complete seif-lmmolation.'
When he felt that the end was close
at hand sighed my wife. How terri
BILE, How strangei"
why. it is 3 o'clock." I said, sharply.
and the candles are half burned down.
Here. quick. Wait till I've locked up the
-g.r -,
You are not going to take that book
Ip with you. dear?" said my wife. look
ng at me aghast as 1 lifted it from the
able.
Indeed. but 1 am" I said ct shall
'ut IL in the deed-box."
I'm our bedroom? No. no: don't. dear:
t is too dreadful. Lock it up in the closet
lere."
VERY we'll" said. and locked the
Iusty old folio in the oak closet by the
REPLACE.
A very short time after We were in
leep sleep, and in dreams | was seeing
venerable grey-bearded old man toll
omely building himself up, as it were.
n what was to be his tomb. After that
seemed to see him go and lie down to
AXE his final sleep. with his clasped
lands upon his breast and his dim eyes
overed with dust, gazing blankly up to-
ward Heaven. while he lay motionless,
eaf to the elamor outside. the shouts.
he rattle of Wheels. and the roar of the
lob who had come to break into the
Ouse to make a discovery of the murder
aid to have been done.
Yes. yesr' 1 cried. excltedly, but with
nj moving.
oh. pray. pray wakei" cried my wife.
Don't you hear? Can't you see? Fire!
re-
was awake now. to spring out of bed
nd, following my wifes example, hurry
n some clothes. We needed no light. for
ruddy glow seemed to be coming down
rom above, and before L was half-dress-
d someone was laundering at our
nocker.
threw up the window. to find the
assage filling, and n couple of engines
or a "A a
galnst the posts and bars.
Yes. yes," l shouted Where Is the
re2"
Next door. SIR cried man. upon
hose brass helmet the glow was shin
lg. Come down; we must run the hose
p on your roof
/ hurried down and admitted the fire
len and police. one. who seemed to be
le leader. saying:
THE place is going it like a furnace,
nd you'd better get out your plate and
ny vaiuableS YOU want to save. The po-
&c will help you
| was almost stunned by the news. con-
Used as | was by being awakened from
aep sleep, and it was some minutes be-
IRE ! could realize that the blank house
as on fire. apparently from top to bot
IN. and a great sheaf of flame and
noke roared out from the roof.
In less than an hour We were gazing at
10 fire from a house a few doors lower
1 the opposite side. where in a neighbour
way we had been taken in. to see that
IT place and the adjoining one beyond
ere all involved and our household
,ods were shrivelnG up in the flames
ITS horrible, DEAR I said: but don't
ct You have all our important papers
nj the insurance policies"
Yes. dear; all in the deed-boX. / saved
at once
Good girl" l said; land that book as
FL WHY that tindery old curtain must
we ignited from the spark left upon the
uff when it fell and put the candle out.
zen it must have slowly smouldered till
burst into flame Never mind: we have