Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-30

buIuDIlN II the IuuNlNn WIS ANNH 2aSoAAllas
Thrice had I made fruitless inquiries at
the Richmond postoffice, but on the tenth
day 1 was in and out almost every hour.
Not a word was there for me up to the
last post at night Home l trudged to Ham
with horrible forebodings, and back again
to Richmond after breakfast next morning.
Still there was nothing. 1 could bear IL no
more. At ten minutes to eleven was
climbing the station stairs at Earl's Court.
1t was a wretched morning there, a
weeping mist shrouding the long straight
street and clinging to ones face in clammy
caresses. I felt how much better II was
down at Ham as I turned into our street
and saw the flats looming like mountains,
the chimney-pots hidden in the mist. At
our ENTRANCE stood nebulous conveyance,
that 1 took at fist for tradesman's van;
to my horror it proved to be a hearse, and
all at once the white breath ceased upon
my lips.
I had looked up at our windows and the
blinds were down.
1 rushed within. The doctors door stood
open. I neither knocked nor rang, but
found him in his consulting room with red
eyes and a blotchy face. Otherwise he was
in solemn black from head to heel.
who is dead7" l burst out who is
dead2'
The red eyes looked redder than ever as
DIR. Theobald opened them at the unwar-
rantable sight of me; and he was terribly
slow in answering But in the end he did
answer. and he did not kick me out, as he
evidently had a mind.
Mr.. Maturin," he said, and sighed like
a beaten man.
/ said nothing. It was no surprise to me.
had known It all these minutes. Nay,
had dreaded this from the first, had di-
vined It at the last, though to the last also
had refused to entertain my own convic-
tion. Raffles dead A real invalid after all
Raffies dead. and on the point Of burial!
Typhoid" he answered. 'Kensington is
full Of it."
He was sickening for It when 1 left,
and you knew 1t, and could get rid of me
then!"
MY good fellow, I was obliged to have
a more experienced nurse for that very
reason"
What did he die Off" I asked, uncon-
sciously drawing on that fund of grim self
control which the weakest Of us seem to
hold in reserve for real calamity
The Doctors tone was so concilatory that
remembered in an instant what humbug
the man was, and became suddenly pos
sessed with the vague conviction that he
was imposing upon ulS now
'Are you sure it was typhoid at all?'' I
cried fiercely to his face. Are you sure
It wasn't suicide or murder?"
confess that 1 can see little point in
this speech as 1 write 1t down, but it was
what 1 said in a burst of grief and of wild
suspicion; nor was 1t without effect upon
DIR. Theobald, who turned bright scarlet
from his well-brushed hair to his immacu-
late collar.
''Do you want me to throw you out into
the street?" he cried: and all at once re-
membered that had come to Rafies as a
perfect stranger, and for his sake might
as well preserve that character to the last
IT beg your pardon" 1 said, brokenly
He was so good to mel became so at
tached TO him. You forget am originally
of his class"
"I did forget It," replied Theobald, look.
ing relieved at my new tone, 'and I beg
your pardon for doing So Hush! They are
bringing him down. I must have drink
before we start, and you'd better join me.
There was no pretense about his drink
this time, and pretty stiff one it was
but 1 fancy my own must have run II
hard. In my case 1t cast a merciful haze
over much of the next hour, which / car
truthfully describe as one of the mos
painful in my whole existence. I can have
known very little of what 1 was doing.
only remember finding myself in a hanson
suddenly wondering why 1t was going 81
slowly, and once more awaltng to the
truth. But 1t was to the truth itself more
than to the liquor that must have owed
my dazed condition. My next recollection
is of looking down into the open grave, II
a sudden passionate anxiety to see tn,
name for myself. II was not the name OF
my friend of course. but 1t was the on,
under which he had passed for many
months.
was still stupehed by a sense of in
conceivable loss, and had not raised my
eyes from that which was slowly forcing
me to realize what had happened. wher
there was a rustic at my elbow. and
shower of hot houSe flowers passed before
them, falling like huge snowfakes where
my gaze had rested. looked up and a
my side stood majestic figure in deeI
mourning. The face was carefully veiled
but was too close not to recognize tn,
masterful beauty whom the world knew al
jacques Saillard. 1 had no sympathy will
her; on the contrary. my blood boiled with
the vague conviction that in some way sht
was responsible for this death. Yet sh,
was the only woman present-there were
not half a dozen of us altogether-and hei
flowers were the only flowers.
The melancholy ceremony was over, and
Jacques Saillard had departed in a funerea
brougham, evidently hired for the occasion
had watched her drive away, and the
sight of my own cabman, making signs tC
me through the fog, had suddenly reminded
me that had hidden him to wait. 1 was
the last to leave, and had turned my back
upon the grave diggers, already at their
hnal task, when a hand fell lightly but
firmly upon my shoulder.
II don't want TO make a scene In q
cemetery" said a voice, in a not un.
kindly. almost confidential whisper. "Will
you get into your own cab and come
quietly7"
"Who on earth are youG' exclaimed.
I now remembered having seen the fell
low lowering about during the funeral
and subconsciously taking him for the un-
dertaker's head man. He had certainly
that appearance, and even now 1 could
scarcely believe that he was anything else.
MY name won't help you" he said,
pityingly. But you viii guess where j
come from when l tell you that have a
warrant for your arrest"
Ny sensations at this announcement may
not be believed, but 1 solemnly declare
that have seldom experienced so fierce