The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-01-25


in the opposite direction. How he
ran! He simply tore down the street
like the wind which followed He
darted down side alley and was lost
TO sight. With a sigh at the wicked
ness Of some | returned TO my pa
tient. But all through that night
and early morning hours my mind
still dwelt on the shadow picture on
! The blind.
The following day the papers gave
| an account Of a murder. Ii had
taken place in the house across the
road. With a feeling of horror |
realized that | had witnessed the per-
| petration Of the crime by the shadow
! on the blind, and the murderer had
escaped. l had seen him pass and
made no effort to bring him to JUS
tice; but then | did not know the
truth. The police seemingly were
| helpless; there was no clue to the as
sassin's identity, for no one but my
self had seen him enter or leave the
house.
Though l realized my peculiar posi-
tion l was reluctant to come forward
as a witness. / felt uncertain as to
my ability to recognize the man
again; at all events l could not feel
sufficiently sure to procure his con-
demnation. From the fleeting glance
| caught of his features they differed
in no way to hundred of his fellow
| creatures; all l had been able to see
was a dark mustache and dark eyes
set in a white face. The man was of
medium height and slight of build,
but otherwise he was but a type of
the smart society set-a unit cut in
| the same pattern as his fellows.
There was no popularity in face, fig
ure, or walk which would enable me
to identify him.
So after due deliberation | decided
to leave. the matter in the hands of
the police. The woman, whoverer
she migl1 be, was dead and beyond
the need OF human aid, and | felt
convinced that sooner or later the as
sassin would be discovered. But the
days passed into weeks, and weeks
into months, and the mystery was
still unsolved. 1t seemed as il the
man after all would escape justice.
Little did l guess that / was to be
the unconscious cause of bringing his
sin home to him. 1t was three years
after the crime. / had almost for
gotten, or rather ceased to recall to
mind, that weird night in Blooms
bury Square. Sometimes / thought
of the murderer still at large and
could only trust he had repented Of
his cruel deed.
One day was telegraphed for to
attend a case at Manden Hall, in
Yorkshire. One of the guests-a
stranger to me-met me at the sta
tion with dog cart. He briefly ex-
planned that there had been a gun
accident, hoped I had had a pleasant
journey, and remarked on the cool
ness of the evening-then relapsed
into silence. 1t was dusk, so | could
not see my companions face very
distinctly, but during the three-mile
drive / was filled with a strange un-
accountable sensation that he and
had met before. Where and when
and under what circumstances could
not say. His name / learned was
George Orton. and discovered later
that he had an antipathy to hospital
nurses.
This fact explained his brusque-
ness during the drive TO Manden Hall.
/ had been at the hall about three
weeks, but during that period Mr..
Orton and / met but twice. He avoid
ed me on every possible occasion. and
naturally l had no wish to seek his
society.
One afternoon I was sitting with
my patient, who was now GONZALES
cent, in the big entrance hall when
the men who had been out shooting
came in. They settled themselves I'm
the various divans and chairs and
called for tea. I was on the point OF
retiring when my patient called me
back :.
Don't go, nurse" he said laugh
ingly. Come and tell US one of your
odd experiences. I am sure you have
had any amount"
Smiling, seated myself and
glanced at my audience. My eyes
met Mr.. Orton's, and again felt that
queer feeling that he and had met
before. Then quite suddenly I re-
called that night in Bloomsbury
Square. II will tell you about a MUIR
der once saw committed without
knowing IL was one" said.
"Ah. that sounds exciting" said
the men in chorus Only Mr. Ortou
was silent, and I felt his eyes fixed on
me during my narrative.
do you really mean To say you
could not recognize the man AGAIN."
cried one OF the party.
mo. do not think could be suf-
fciently sure OF my recognition"
said. thoughtfully. You see. / only
caught heeting glimpse Of his face