The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-11

ed. but not shut My page who admits
| patients is I new boy. and by no means
iquick. He waits down stairs, and runs
| up to show patients out when / ring the
consulting-room bell. He had heard
| nothing. ard the affair remained a com
plete mystery. Mr.. Blessfngton came in
from his walk shortly afterward. but I
did not say anything to him upon the
| subject, for, to tell the truth have got
in the way Of late of holding as little
| communication with him as possible.
| We'll, / never thought that I should
see anything more of the Russian and
his son, SO you can imagine my amaze
rnent when, at the very same hour this
| evening. thew both came marching into
| my consuiting-roor1, just as they had
done before
j feel that owe you a great many
apologies for my abrupt departure yes
terday. DOCTOR said my patient
q I confess that was very much sur
prised at It," said L
| Well. the fact is he remarked. that
when I recover from these attacks nv
mind Is always very clouded as to all
that has gone before 1 woke up In a
strange room, as 1t seemed TO me. and
made my way out into the street In a
sort OF dazed wav when you We're alb
sent
And l., said the son, seeing my
father pass the door of the waiting
room, naturally thought that the consul
tstion had come to an end. 1t was not
| until we had reached home that 1 be-
gan to realize the true state of affairs
q Well said l. laughing, there is no
bot
terribly; so If you, sir, would kindly
step into the waiting-room I shall be
happy to continue our consultation
which was brought to so abrupt an
ending
For half ar hour or SO I discussed
the old gentleman's symptoms with him.
and then, having prescribed for him. I
saw him off upon the arm of mis- SON.
81 have told you that Mr.. Blessington
generally chose this hour of the day FOR
his exercise. He came in shortly after
ward and passed upstairs An instant
later I heard him running down, and
he burst into my consulting-roon like
a man who is mad with panic.
Who has been in my roon?' he
cried
It's ler he yelled. Come I'D and
lookv
II passed over the grossness Of his
language, as he seemed half out of his
mind with fear. When I went upstairs
with him he pointed 20 several foot
prints upon the light carpet
'D'you mean to say those are rnine?'
he cried.
They were certainly very much
larger than any which he could have
made. and were evidently quite fresh Il
rained hard this afternoon. as YOU
know. and my patients were the only
people who called. 1t must have been
the case, then. that the man in tie
waiting-room had, for some unknown |
reason, while I was busy with the other !
assembled to the room of my resident |
patient. Nothing had been touched or
taken. but there were the footprints
to prove that the intrusion was an I'M
doubted fact
Mr.. Bless.ngton seemed more excited
over the matter than 1 should nave
thought possible, though of course t
was enough TO disturb anybody'ss peao e
of mind He actually sat crying; in an
armchair. and 1 could hardly get him
TO speak coherently. 1t was his sugges-
ton that 1 should come round to YOU |
and. of course. l at once saw the pro-
pr1ety Of il. fer certainly the incident
Is very singular one. though he ap-
pears TO completely overrate its i'm
portance. If YOU would only come back
with me in my brougham. you would at
least be able to soothe him. though I
can hardly hope that you will be able to
explain this remarkable occurrence"
Sherlock Holmes had listened to this
long narrative with an intentness which
showed me that his interest was keenly
aroused His face was as impressive as
ever, but his lids had dropped more
heavily over his eyes. and his smoke
had curled up more thichly from his
pipe to emphasize each curious episode
IN the doctors tale. AS our visitor con-
cluded. Holmes sprang up without a
word, handed me my hat, picked his
own from the table. and followed DR..
Trevelyan TO the door Within a quarter
OF an hour We had been dropped at the
door of the physicians residence In
Brook street. one of those sombre, fiat
faced houses which one associates with
West End practice. a small page adj
mitted US. and we began at once to as
cend the broad, we1l-carpeted stair.
But singular interruption brought
us to standstill- The light at the top
was suddenly whisked out. and from the
darkness came a reedy. quavering voice
Il have a pistol it cried Il give
you my word that III fire If you come
any nearer
* y
This really grows outrageous. Mr.
Blessington," cried DR.. Trevelyan.
''Oh, then 1t Is you, DOCTOR" said
the voice. with a great heave of relief
But those other gentlemen, are they
what they pretend TO be?''
We were conscious of a long scrutiny
out of the darkness
Yes, yes, it's all right" said the
voice at last You can come UP, and
1 am sorry if my precautions have
annoyed YOU"
He relit the stair gas as he spoke,
and we saw before us a singular-look-
ing man, whose appearance, as well as
his voice, testified to his tangled nerves.
He was very fat but had apparently
at some time been much fatter, so that
the skin hung about MS face in loose
pouches, like the cheeks of "a blood
hound He was of sickly color, and
his thin. sandy mar seemed TO briStle