The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-10-11

feet. He stood now as though dazed
by the shock, trying to understand
what had happened.
Are you hurt??" inquired one of the
policemen.
The man, mumbling an unintelligi-
BILE reply, raised his hand to a scalp
wound from which the blood was
flowing freely.
At that moment two men forced
their way through the crowd which
a circle of policemen had some diff
Guilty in keeping at a distance from
the wounded cabman. One was a
middle-aged individual, who gave his
name as DR.. Thurston and offered his
services as a physician; the other was
a young man with keen gray eyes,
who said nothing, but exhibited a re-
porter's badge.
The physician at once turned his
attention to the cabman; felt him,
thumped him, pinched him; smelt his
breath; and then delivered his ver-
dict:
"No bones broken. The slight
scalp wound doesn't amount to any,
thing. The man has been drinking
heavily. He is simply drunk"
The horse had by this time been
embarrassed and the cab had been
lifted upon its wheels again.
The reporter stood by a silent and
apparently ~listless spectator of the
scene.
DR.. Thurston turned to him:
"Come along, Sturgis; neither you
nor 1 are needed here; and if we do not
hurry, S%prague's dinner will have to
wait for us. 1t is a quarter to eight
now"
The reporter seemed about to follow
his friend, but he stood for an instant
irresolute.
81 say, DOCTOR" he inquired at last,
"are you sur the man is drunk?"
He has certainly been drinking
heavily. Why?"
Because it seems to me-Hello, we
cannot go yet; the passenger is more
badly hurt than the driver"
''The passenger" queried the ply
sician, turning in surprise to the police
man.
what passenger" asked the police
man, looking at the cabman. "Have
you a passenger inside, young feller?"
Nav replied the cabman, who
seemed to be partially sobered by the
shock and loss of blood. "Naw, 1 amt
got no fare, barrin' the nan wot was
on the box"
The reporter observed the man close
ly as he spoke; and then, pointing to
the step of the cab, which was plainly
visible in the glare of a neighboring
electric lamp:
81 mean the passenger whose bloodis
trickling there" he said, quietly.
Every eye was turned in the direction
of his outstretched hand.
A few drops of a thick dark liquid
had oozed from under the door, and
was dripping upon the iron step. The
cab door al closed and the curtain
was drawn down over the sash, the
glass of which had been shattered by
the fall.
One of the policemen tried to open
the door. 1t stuck in the jamb. Then
he exerted upon it the whole of his
brute strengths; and, of a sudden, it
yielded. AS 1t flew open the body Of a
man lurched from the inside of the cab,
and before anyone could catch it tum-
bled in a heap upon the pavement.
A low cry of horror escaped from the
crowd.
The cabman's passenger was a mani
past middle age, neatly but plainly
dressed.
AS DR. Thurston and a policeman
bent over the PROSTATE form, the re-
porter shot a keen glance in the direc-
ton of the cabman, who stood staring
at the body with a look of CHASTITY ter
ror in his bullying eyes.
Presently the physician started to
his feet with a low exclamation of sur
prise.
SIS he dead. doctor?" asked the DO
liceman.
"He has been dead for some time
replied the physician, impressively;
'the body is almost cold"
Been dead for some time?" echoed
the policeman.
"Ies; this man was shot. See there"
AS he spoke he pointed to a red streak
which, starting from the left side of
the dead mans coat, extended down
ward and marked the course of the tiny
stream in which the life blood had
flowed to a little pool on the floor of the
cab.
shot" exclaimed the policeman,
who turned Immediately to one of his
brother officers. Keep your eye on the
cabman, jim. Well have to take him
in. And look out for the other man,
quick"
Then, addressing the cabman, upon
cach of whose shoulders apoliceman's
hand was Immediately placed, he asked,
roughly:
"Who is this MANI"
The cabmnn was completely sober
now. He stood, pale and trembling, be-
tween his two captors, as he replied sol
emily:
Before God, ] don't know, boss. 1
never saw him before"
The policeman looked at the mar in
blank amaZement for an instant. Then
he turned away contemptuously.