The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-25
Zone hand
was pressed
against his
heart

the room where tneir father lay, came out
looking very pale. He was a doctor,
though to all appearance not the family
physician. -. Il
viii one Of you go for DR.. Bennett?"
he asked. Bring him at once and at any
cost; Mr.. Gillespie cannot be moved till
he comes .'t
DR.. Bennett evidently was the family
physician.
Why cans he be moved?" called out
voice near me. rs there anything
wrong? Mr.. Gillespie was violently sick
month ago. 1 suppose he got around
too quickly" .s... ....-.
But the young doctor, without replying,
stepped back into the room, leaving us all
agog, though few Of US ventured upon
open remonstrance. ~ .
In another minute one of the men near
me slipped out in obedience to the re-
quest just made. ."-,. .. ..-. ~
us Mrs. Gillespie living?" I asked,
after moment spent in more or less in
decision.
Where have you come from?'' was the
answer given, seasoned by stare bore
with what equanmity l could. Mrs. Gill
| lespie has been dead these fifteen years."
So! the letter was not meant for his
wife. $3.50.
Here caught an eye fixed on mine. 1t
!
| huddled about the doorway of what ap-
peared to be large dining-room on the
opposite side Of the hall. When this
man, for it was a male servant, saw that
he had attracted my attention, he made an
| imperceptible sign. AS he was old and
gray-haired, needed the sign he made
and stepped towards him. Instantly he
| greeted me with the whisper:
| You seem to be the only sober man
here. Don't let them do anything till
| Mr.. Leighton comes in He is the saint
Of the family, sir
"Is he the little girls father?" I asked.
The man nodded. 'And good man,
too" he insisted "a very good man
Was this honest judgment or sarcasm?
Lad heard that each of Mr.. Gillespie's
sons had given his father no end Of
trouble.
Meantime a silence deeper than that
l'of awe had spread throughout the house.
I Feeling myself out of place and yet
strangely in place, drew aside into as
iiDc0nspicuous corner as l could find,
and waited as all the others did, for the
family physician.
While dorx SO caught stray glimpses
Of my first acquaintance, Alfred Gillespie,
who, fretted by some anxiety he could
not altogether conceal, came more than
once into the hall and threw furtive
glances I'D the stairway Was 1t the little
girl he was concerned about? II so,
shared his anxiety.
i At last the bell rang. Instantly, sc
great was the strain upon US, we p
moved and or two bounded TOWARDS
, the door. But it was opened by the put.
, ler with that mechanical habitude sucl
as old servants acquire, and, though
= nothing could shake the calm Difference
Of this, trained domestic, there was some.
thing in the bow with which he greeted
4 the new conner which assured US that the
man we SO anxiously' expected mad ar
rived u,
T had seen DR.. Bennett more than once
hut never showing so much Anxiety
Whether from shock or some secret cause
not to be communicated to US, thls ol'
, and capable physician seemed to fpe IN
condition of as much agitation as our
selves and obeved the summons OF Ahs
: Young doctor who stood beckonihg 10 M
from the threshold Of the little zen
+ with an appearance of alacrity tina
: nevertheless had an odd element OF hest
, / tation in it, 7 might not have notlce'
, this under other circumstances, and an
,Auuite sure that no one else detected an.
regularity in his manner. but to- m
everything was important which oHere
8 anything like clue to the proper uh
, | derstanding of a situation in which
: found myself so deeply, yet so secretly in
: volved
Mr.. Gillespie's physician remained TO
l some minutes closeted with the sons Q
1 the deceased and their young medica
S friend; then he came out Instantly
saw from his expression that our fears, or
j, rather, those of the young doctor, wer
e not without foundation. Yet he was care
. full not to raise an alarm, and in address
3 ing us. spoke in strictly professions
Y tones:
"a sad case, gentlemen! Mr.. Gillespi
/ has taken an overdose of choral. w
4 | will have to leave him where he is tt.
9 the coroner can be called. =
i A gasp followed by the clink Of break
: ing glass came from the dining room be
81 hind me. The old butler had dropped