Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-04

CIV
little toS drink. He used. the L Haycock.z
in Edgware Road, and she feared thatShe
had fallen among q hard-drinking set He
was piano-forte maker, and had been,
employed at Brinsmead's for eighteen
& years. Since her mother died. six years
ago. however, he had never been the
same. sss .ss
5I5Lzarded.
%ss5 es, q she responded. .sHe was devot-
ed to her. They never had a wry Word.'.
.sWhat has he been complaining OF?
Pains in the head-or what p
OH. he's seemed thoroughly out Of
sorts, = she answered after some slight
hesitation. She was greatly ag1tated re-
sgarding his illness. yet she could not
describe one single symptom IL clearly
The only direct statement she mad 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
O'Clock.
AS she led me along the Mary1ebone
Road, in the same direction as that I had
Just traversed-wi1ich somewhat aston
.ished mel glanced surreptitio at
her, just at the moment when we were
approaching a street lamp, and saw to
my surprise that she was a sad-faced
girl, whose features were familiar-&1
recognized her in q moment as the girl
who had been my fellows passenger from
Brighton on that Sunday night. Her
hair. however, was dishevelled. as though
she had turned out from her bed in too:
great alarm to think of tidying 1t. i
was rather surprised, but did not claim
acquaintance with her, She led me past
Madame Tussaudts, around Bakersfield
Station, and then into the maze of those
small cross streets that lie between Up
per Baker street and Lisson Grove, until
she stopped before small, rather re-
choking house. halfway along
short side street, and taking her key
from her pocket entered.
81 In the small hall it was quite dark,
out she struck match and lit q cheap
paraffin candle which stood there in
readiness then led me upstairs to a
small sitting-room on the first floor,
dingy, ;stuffy, little place of a character
which showed me that she and her father
lived in lodgings. She set the lamp on
the table, and saying that she would go
and acquaint the invalid with my arrival,
went out, closing the door quietly after:
her. The room evidently the home of
studious. If poor, man, for in a small
deal bookcase noticed. well-kept and
weIl-arranged, a number Of standard
works on science and theology, as Well
as various volumes which told me mutely
that their owner was a student. while
Upon the table lay a couple Of critical
reviews, with the Saturday" and Spec
tator.' .
I took up the latter and glanced 1t
over in order to pass the time; for my
conductress seemed osbe In long consult
alton with her father. My eye caught
an article that interested me. and ] read
it through, forgetting for moment all
about my call there. Fully ten minutes
elapsed, when Of sudden / heard the
voice Of man speaking somewhat fndis-s5
dinctly in / room above that in which,.
was sitting. He seemed to = be talking
low and grufny, so that Z was unable to
distinguish what was said. AT last, how
ever, the girl returned, and, asking me
to follow her, conducted me to bedroom
on the next. floor.
,. The only illumination was a single
night-light burningEin a saucer, casting
faint, uncertain light over everything,
and shaded with an open book so that the
occupant Of the bed lay in deepest shad-
ow Unlike what one would have been
expected to find IN such house Gan iron
bedstead with brass RAID the bed was a
great old-fashioned one, with heavy wool
dana SIX hangings; and advancing toward
it, while the girl retired and closed the
door after her, bent down to see the in
valid.
In the shadow could just distinguish.
"a dark-bearded face on the pillow. whose
appearance was certainly not progresses
ing.
You are not well?' said, inquiringly.
as our eyes met in the dim half light.
Your daughter is distressed about YOU.
b Eyes I'm a bit queer he groWled.
"But she needn't have bothered you.
..Let me remove the shade from the
light, so that I can see your face. . i
suggested Its too dark to see any
thing. "
mo he snapped. II can't bearJ the
Light. You can see quite enough OF me
here" -
Very WE'LL said reluctantly, and
taking his wrist in one hand held my
watch in: the other.
. st fancy youth find me d bit feverish,' =
he said, in a curious tone, almost as
though he were Joking, and by his man
ner I at once put him down as one Of
those eccentric persons who are scepttcal
Of any achievements Of medical science.
was holding his wrist and bending to-
ward the light In order to distinguish
the hands Of my watch when strange
thing happened
There was a deafening explosion close
behind me which caused me to jump
back startled. I dropped the mans hand
and turned quickly in the direction Of the
sound, but as did SO s. second shot
from a revolver he'd by an unknown
person discharged full in my face.
The truth was instantly plain. AZ had
been eltrapped for my watch and jew
senery-like many another medical man
in London has been before me- Doctors
| are always an easy prey for thieves
The ruf1ian shamming illness sprang
from his bed fully dressed, and at the
same moment two other blackguards who
had been hidden in the room, flung them-
selves upon me ere could realize my
/ deadly peril
| The, whole thing had been carefully
aQ|IR,