The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-08-07

~ MS MANU- soOAhNNhob WIN
hunting knife. He was at present
in the library, and they would like
me to 60 there at once. | was about
to leave the room when the dowager
called me back.
There was one other little mat
ter, DR.. Lightfoot," she said. 1--WE
very much fear that the earl's heart
is seriously affected"
She stopped, and looked properly
sympathetic.
Gould you manage to make an eX-
animation without alarming him?
He is very nervous, because heart
disease is in the family"
promised to do my best.
The earl received me most cor
daily. He was a man of about FIVE
and-thirty, healthy and stronghold
ing, though somewhat pale, the re-
suit of leading a studious life. The
wound in the hand was of not much
consequence, and within a quarter
of an hour it was sewn up and
bandadged. Then 1 approached the
heart question, of course, very deli
cately. He laughed.
81 don't think there is anything the
matter with my heart; but you are
welcome to sound it, if it's only to
please the ladies'"
Now, if there is an organ which
profess to understand with some
thoroughness, it is the heart. But
l could find nothing in the world the
matter with his. The action was
somewhat weak, but that must be
expected in man who spends almost
all his time in the library. So far as
l could ascertain, there was not a
trace of disease.
There's no heart disease in our
family" said the earl cheerily.
This was a direct contradiction of
the dOwager's words, but l paid lit
tie attention to it at the time. Every
doctor knows how unreliable pa
tients are in their statements. There
are some who take delight in eX-
aggerating every trifing ailment,
there are others who take a delight
in minimizing them. Before L had
left / had come to the conclusion that
the earl was one of the best fellows
l had met. There was not a scrap
of atfectatiOn or nonsense about him.
His great hobby was slletching.
have never met man with such q
remarkable talent. Every thought
that passed through his mind seemed
to be transferred to paper. For in
stance, while we were chatting, he
sketched my likeness. 1t was quite a
little work of art, and he gave it to
me as a souvenir. | still have it,
with the characteristic signature,
"Pomeroy, December Goth, 1895"
eve are both students, DR.. Light
foot" he said warmly, "and if we
don't become very intimate, il will be
your own fault. l am quite glad I
cut my hand. 1t has been the means
of introducing u.s."
That concluded my interview with
the earl of Pomeroy.
The same night, at ten o'clock, the
dogcart again dashed up to my sur
gerry. This time the groom was
white with excitement.
Come at once. sir" he said hus-
kily.
rs anything wrong?" I asked.
"The earl is dead"
For moment | gazed at him in
Supplied silence. Dead? A man
whom, only few hours earlier, had
seen in the prime of life and in sound
health! 1t seemed impossible.
''How did it happen?" l asked.
His lordship went to the library
after dinner, as usual. He fell asleep
in his armchair before the fire, and
and about an hour ago the house
keeper found him, sir. He was
dead"
Tears were triclling down the
mans face as he spoke. / felt that
my medical knowledge must be in
some way altogether at fault, but it
was no time for idle conjecture. /
sprang into the dogcart, and three
quarters of an hour later stood in
the castle hall.
Everything we, of course, in con-
fusion. The servants were horror
stricken. The young countess, over
come with grief, had been carried I'M
conscious to her room. The only per-
son who showed any nerve and pres
ence of mind was the dowager She
looked pale, but cool and collected.
In fact, she was one of those de-
termined, strong minded women who
can face any emergency.
She led me at once to his bedroom,
where he had been carried. / shall
never forget the scene that followed.
He lay on the bed, his face just as [
had seen it in the morning, except
that it was now pale and rigid.
How is it, DR.. Lightfoot," she said
sternly, that when you saw the earl
this morning you were not able to
foresee this calamity?"
81 don't believe it was possible for
any medical man to foresee it," l
replied firmly.
But l warned you that the earl
suffered from his heart
81 found nothing amiss with the
earl"
eve hoped that in sending for
YOU" she said bitterly, eve should
have better advice than could be OBJ
tanned from an old practitioner like