The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-16


 told my very necessary tarradiddle. On reflection gave the credit to instinct, not accident, and then slghed arresn as I re- affixed how the influence of the master was sinking into me, and he heaven knew where! But my punishment was swift to follow for within the hour the bell rang imperiously twice, and there was Dr. Theobald on our mat in yellow Jaeger suit with chin as yellow jutting over the naps that he had turned up to hide his pajamas
 What's this about a bad night?" said he.
 He couldn't sleep and he wouldn't let me-" I whispered never loosening my grasp of the dor and standing tight against the other wall. But he's sleeping like baby now"
 T must see him."
 He gave strict orders that you should not''
 Pm his medical man and r.
 You know what he is," I said, shrug- ging; 'the least thing wakes him, and you will if you insist on seeing him now. It will be the last time, I warn youl I know what he said and you don't"
 The doctor cursed me under his fiery mustache.
 q shall come up during the course of the morning." he snarled.
 And l shall tie up the bell" I said, and if it doesn't ring he'll be sleeping still, but I will not risk waking him by coming to the door again."
 And with that I shut 1t in his face. was improving as Rallies had said, but what would it profit me if some evil had befallen him? And now was prepared for the worst. A boy came up whistling and leaving papers on the mats It was getting on for clock. and tine whisky and soda of half-past 12 stood untouched and stagnant in the tumbler. If the worst had happened to Rallies I felt that I would either never drink again or else seldom do anything else. Meanwhile I could not even break my fast, but roamed the fiat in a misery not to be described, my very linen stu unchanged, my cheeks and chin now tawny from the unwholesome night How long would it go on? I wondered for a time. Then changed my tune; how long could I endure it? It went on actually until the forenoon only, but my endurance cannot be meas ured by the time, for to me every hour of 1t was an arctic night. Yet it cannot have been much after Il when the ring came at the bell. which I had forgotten to tie up after all But this was not the doctor; neither, too well I knew, was it the wanderer returned. Our bell was the pneumatic one that tells you if the touch be light or heavy; the hand upon 1t now was tentative and shy. The owner of the hand I had never seen before. He was young and ragged with one eye blank, but the other abaze with some fell excitement. And straight way he burst into a low torrent of words of which all knew that they were Ital- ian, and therefore news of Rallies, if only had known the languagei But dumb show might help us somewhat, and in I dragged him, though against his will, new alarm in his one wild eye.
 "Non capite?" he cried when I had him inside and had withstood the torrent.
 "No, I'm bothered if I do!' I answered, guessing his question from his tone.
 "Vostro amico," he repeated over and over again; and then "Poco tempo, poco tempo, poco tempo"
 For once in my life the classical edu- cation of my public school days was of real value. My pal. my pal and no time to be lost!' I translated freely and flew for my hat.
 "Eoco, signorer' cried the fellow, snatching the watch from my waistcoat pocket and putting one black thumb nail on the long hand, the other on the num- eral F. "Mezzogiorno-poco tempo-poco tempol' And again I seized his meaning that it was twelve past Il and we must be there by 12. But where, but where? It was maddening to be summoned like this and not to know what had happened nor to have any means of finding out. But my presence of mind stood by me still, I was improving by seven-league strides, and I erammed my handkerchief between the drum and hammer of the bell before leaving. The doctor could ring now till he was black in the face, but I was not coming. and he need not think 1t.
 half expected to find a hanson wait ing, but there was none, and we had gone some distance down the Earls Court road before we got one; in fact, we had to run to the stand Opposite is the church with the clock upon 1t, as everybody knows, and at sight of the dial my com panion had wrung his hands. 1t was close upon the hilf hour.
 ''Hoco tempo--pochimo! he walled "Bloomburee Ske-warr,'' he then cried to the cabman- ''numerro trentottol"
 ''Bloomsbury Square, I roared on my own account, "I'll show you the house when we get there, only drive like be- damnedr'
 My companion lay back gasping in his corner. The small glass told me that my own face was pretty red.
 "A nice showi" cried; 'and not word can you tell me. Didn't you bring me note7"
 I might have known by this time that he did not, still I went through the pan tomime of writing with my finger on my cuff. But he shrugged and shook his head.
 "Niente," said he "Una quistione al vita, di vitar'
 What's that?" I snapped, my early training come in again. Say it slowly andante-rallentando."
 Thank Italy for the stage instructions in the songs one used to murder! The fellow actually understood.
 Nna-quistione-di--v
 "Or mors, eh?" shouted, and up went the trapdoor over our heads
 "Avanti avanti, avanti!" cried the Ital- ian, turning up his one-eyed face.
 'Hell-to-leather," I translated, land