The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-05-04


superior nut superficial observer might
nave imagined that he detected a Ger.
''ih eieiAent of folly in my face
at al' events ii was not the face IN
sndt The doors Of a first class hotel
"salhst NE without accidental evidence
u d more explicit kind, and it was
"iu4 no little satisfaction that di.
lected the man to drive to the Star and
Darter' also told him to 90 through
hIchhlond park, though he warned me
Una, Il II would add considerably to the
Instance and his fare. 1t was autumn
ana II struck me that the tints Womb
pe me. And had learned from Raj
neS 10 appreciate such things even
amid the excitement of an audacious
enterprise.
- uWell upon my appreciation of
TINS occasion it is because. like most
pleasures, it was exceedingly short
HVed. | was very comfortable ot tho
otar ana Garter, which was so EMMY
tuat had room worthy of prince
where | could enjoy the finest of all
views On patriotic opinion every morn.
ing While | shaved. walked many
miles through the noble park. over the
commons OF Ham and Wimbledon and
one Gay as far as that of Esher where
l was forcibly reminded of a service
we once rendered To distinguished
resident in this delightful locality. Bit
II was on Ham common. one of the
places which Rallies had mentioned rs
specially desirable that actually
found an almost ideal retreat This
was a cottage where l heard. on in
curry, that rooms We're to be let in tbe
summer. The landlady, a motberlv
pody of visible excellence. was SIR
prised indeed at receiving an applica-
uon Tor the winter months, but | have
generally found that the title of "au-
THOR claimed with an air. explains ev.
cry little innocent iiTegularity of CON
Quct or appearance ana even requires
something of the kind to carry convic.
tlon TO the lay intelligence. The pres
ent case was one in point. and when |
said that | could only write in a room
facing north, on mutton chops and
milk, with a cold ham in the wardrobe
IN case of nocturnal inspiration. to
which | was liable. my literary charac-
ter was established beyond dispute. I
secured tue rooms, paid Il months rent
IN advance at my own request and
moned in them dreadfully until the
week was up and Ratfles due any day.
| explained that the inspiration would
not come and asked abruptly if the
mutton was New Zealand.
Thrice had | made fruitless inquiries
ut the Richmond poStoilice, but on the
tenth day l was in and out almost ev-
cry hour. Not word was there for
me up TO the last post at night. Home
| trudged to Ham with horrible fore
bodingS and back again to Richmond
after breakfast next morning. Still
there was nothing. | could bear it no
more. At ten minutes to II was climb
ing the station stairs at Earl's Court.
1t was Il wretched morning there, a
weeping mist shrouding the long straight
street and clinging to ones face in
clammy caresses. felt how much bet
ter it was down at Ham as | turned
into our street and saw the flats loom
ing like mountains, the chimney pots
hidden in the mist. At our entrance
stood nebulOus conveyance that |
took at first for bridesmaids van. To
my hOrrer. it proved to be hearse, and
all ut once the white breath ceased
upon my lips.
had looked up at our windows, and
the blinds were down.
I rushed within The doctors door
stood open. | 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 dead?" l burst out. "Who
is dead?"
The red eyes looked redder than ever
as Dr. Theobald opened them at the
understandable sight of me, and he was
terribly slow in answering. But in
the end he did answer and did not
kick me out, as he evidently had a
mind.
"NIr. Maturin," he said, and sighed
like beaten man.
| said nothing. 1t was no surprise to
me- | had known it all these minutes.
Nay. | had dreaded this from the first,
had OWNED it at the last, though to the
last also had refused to entertain my
own conviction. Rallies dead! A real
invalid after all! Rallies dead, and on
the point of burial!
"What did he die Off" l asked, I'M
consciously drawing on that fund of
grim self control which the weakest of
us seem to hold in reserve for real ca
lamity.
Typhoid" he answered. "Kensing-
ton is full of it,
''IIe was sickening for 1t when left,
and you knew it, and could get rid Of
me Them
my good fellow, l was obliged to
have a more experienced nurse for that
very reason"
The doctors tone was so conciliatory
that | remembered in an instant what
a humbug the man was and became
suddenly possessed with the vague con-
viction that he was imposing upon me
now.
"Are you sure it was typhoid at all?"
cried fiercely to his face. 'Are you
sure it wasn't suicide or murderF"
| confess that can see little point
In +bis sneech as 7 write if down. but