The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-28

the figures of a slim woman OF middle
height wearing a golf cape, the hood Of
which had been thrown over her head in
lieu of a hat.
Excuse me. sir, she cried in a breath
less voice. but are YOU Doctor Boyd?''
replied that such was my name.
"Oh m in such distress" she said, IN
IT, tone Of one whose heart is fun OF
Anguish. My poor father!'
rs your father 1lI?'' I inquired. turning
from the door and looking full at her. /
was standing on the step, and she was on
the pavement, having evidently APP
preached from the opposite direction. She
stood with her back to the street lamp. so
I could discern nothing of her features.
se3a,g. her voice told me that sns was
.'Oh, he's very ILL.,, she replied anxious
ly. ..He was taken queer at II o'clock.
but he Wouldn't hear of me coming to you
He's one of those men who don't ike doc
tors
of his sort about. But they are COM
PEELED to seek our aid now and then
Well, what can l do for you: 1 sup
pose you want me to see him-eh?'
yes, sir; if you'd be so kind l
know it's awfully late, but as you've
been out perhaps you wouldn't mind run
ming round to our house. It's quite close
and I'll take you there" She spoke with
the peculiar drawl and dropped her his
in the manner Of the true London bred
girl.
"I'H come if you'll wait a minute, ;"
said and then leaving her outside l
entered the house and obtained my Their
mometer and stethoscope.
When reioined her and closed the door
I made some inquiries about the sufferer
symptoms, but the description she gave
me was so utterly vague and contradict
DRY that I could make nothing out OF It,.
Her rnuddled idea of his Illness I put down
to her fear and anxiety for her parent S
welfare. She had no mother. she told me.
And her father had, of late, given way
just little to drink He used the
Haycock, in Edgware Road; and she
feared that he had fallen among d
drinking set. He was piano-forte
maker, and had been employed at Brins-
mead's for eighteen years. Since her
pnother died, six years ago, however, The
had been the same.
TT was then that he took to drink?'' ]
hazarded.
Yes" she responded. ''He was de-
voted to .ier. They never had wry
word
What has he been complaining of:
Pains in the head-or what?''
ooh, he's seemed thoroughly out OF
Sorts" she answered after Some slight
hesitation, which struck me as peculiar
She was greatly aGitated regarding his i'll
ness, yet she could not describe one sim
gle symptom clearly. The only direct
statement she made was that her father
had certainly not been drinking on the
previous night. for he had been at home
ever since he came home from the works
as usual, at seven o'clock.
AS she led me along the Marylebone
Road, in the same direction as that I haC
just traversed-which somewhat aston.
tshed mel glanced surreptitiously at her
just at the moment when we were ap
proa ching a street lamp, and saw to my
surprise that she was sad-faced girl
whose features were familiar I recog.
nlzed her in a moment as the girl who haG
been my fellow passenger from Brighton
on that Sunday night. Her hair how.
ever, was dishevelled, as though she hat
turned out from her bed in too grea
alarm to think Of tidying it. wa:
rather surprised, but did not claim &C.
qualntance with her. She led me pas
Madame Tussaud's, around Baker Stree
Station, and then into the maze of those
small cross streets that lie between Upper
Baker street and Lisson Grove, until sh,
stopped before a small, rather respectful,
looking house, halfway along short sid,
street and taking her key from her pocke
entered
In the small hall it was quite dark. bu
she struck a match and lit a cheal
paraffn candle which stood there in readi
ness, then led me upstairs to small
sittins-roon on the first floor, a dingy