Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-11
CHAPTER XXIV.-Continued.

For quarter of an hour. perhaps, we
whirled along. up one street and down
another. until we were well away from
downtown. / think. from the way we
lodged about, that Summer1eld believed
he was being followed and hoped by his
devious course to evade me.
Suddenly we slowed down. There had
been an accident of some kind in the
street ahead of us. and the road was
blocked by people and carriages Sum-
merfield had got ahead of the crowd and
turned at the next corner There was
nothing for us TO do but turn around
dash down parallel street to the next
turn and come out presently in view
again Of a herdic which we had every
reason to believe the one that we were
following. After a few minutes my
driver looked down.
The fare ahead. SIR, has drove up to
a block he said
Then drive very slowly past him. !
answered
My man gave surprised whistle
'Gee!' he exclaimed, 1T amt the same.'
Ana II was not The carriage ahead
or US had carried a lady and child who
were mounting doorstep at that mo-
ment. and as we passed their herdic 1
saw that they had been alone i'm it, With
oul uouDt We MADE our mistake when we
had to turn back.
Il can't help thinking how pleased old
Summerfeld must be to think that he
gave me the slip so easily! Do you sup
pose that he fears being tracked and is
continually on the lookout for sleuths?'
Your experience with him makes Ii
seem that way. There's cer.Sfnly a screw
loose with the old gentleman, and I'll
notify him today that j will positively
take no more money from him, nor longer
dor rcelf la
think that he will have to explain his
conduct. anyway. or 1 shall go openly
on his track. Did he remind you of Mr.
Somhers aside from his expression at the
moment"
Il hardly know He is shorter. / think.
and stoops. Uncle was quite erect. He
Is considerably older. too, i should judge
but beard makes a great difference i'm
mans appearance. Uncle wore only
mustache."
WAS Mr.. Francis Somhers older?"
Il am not certain. l think he was
younger"
We'll. when we have finished here well
call upon this DIR. Rice, IL YOU don't OBJ
ject. Perhaps he can help US settle the
question of whether Francis Somhers
whom he treated, actually died.
I'm with you. The sooner we get some
light on these points the better satisfied
shall be-
AT o'clock. accordingly, after I had
mailed brief note to Mr.. Summerfield
In which 1 notified him that 1 was I'm
Boston and must request him to grant me
an interview. and be prepared to explain
his connection with the late Peter SOM
hers or permit me to waive my contract
with him. Milbrath and / found ourselves
being admitted by a neatly gowned maid
TO a waiting room in pretentious Eng
lish basement house I'm the then, most
fashionable quarter of Boston: for we
had found DIR. Rice's address without
difficulty
There were number OF patients ahead
OF us. but when we took our turn the
room In which we sat was vacated save
by ourselves. l had caught an occasional
glimpse of Dr. Rice as his door opened
and closed. He was a short ford man
of fifty. perhaps, given to a blandness of
speech which seems SO often to accom-
pany his type of figure. BY prearrange-
ment | acted as spokesman and. present.
ing my card. introduced Miibrath as my
friend, Mr.. Nelson.
We are here. DR.. Rice to consult you
on matter rather different. / fancy.
from your general run of cases." / said,
and the doctor bestowed upon us a quick
inscrutable glance as he motioned us to
chairs. Il have been put in charge of
some matters relating to the estate of the
late Peter Somhers of Winton, whose
tragic death two years ago you may re-
call?'
The doctor inclined his head slightly.
but from his expression / learned nothing
as to whether the name stirred any other
recollections.
Il find it important to learn more Of the
death about sixteen years ago OF Mr..
Somhers' brother, Francis Somhers. who
was, l believe, your patient at that
time"
DIR. Rice laughed mirthlessly.
You ask a good deal of a busy mans
memory he said. Sixteen years is
Of ordinary interest
Il appreciate the truth of your words,
ard so far as | know there was nothing
In this Mr.. Somhers' case to render ii
more likely to be remembered than any
one of a dozen others that you may have
| had In the same year. But your prac-
tice was doubtless more limited at that
time. and IL you will permit me to tell
you what i know of Mr.. Somhers' last
days it is possible that you may recall
him.
Quickly I related what Milbrath had
told me of the last stages OF his uncle's
career. But the doctors face remained
| impassive.
"Phe description fits large number of
cases that L have had,' he said.
viii this photograph help your? IL
was picture that had found the even
| ing before in an album of photographs
at Overlook. 1t was marked Francis
Somhers. 1875" so was unmstakable
DR.. Rice shook his head after mo-
ment's study.
This receipt, then. which shows that
hers?"
DR.. Rice scrutinized the receipt.
1t is mine, undoubtedly. he said
handing 1t back to me, but / regret tnat
II stirs no recollection"
l gazed at the doctors impassive face
| for a fun second with the conviction that
either the picture or the bill had, not
| withstanding his assertion. awakened
some recollection which he was with
holding. Then l rose.
| ut is useless. then, to trouble YOU
| further at present. l said. Later
may be able TO present some point. II you
will permit me. that will rouse your
memory. l hope SO. at least. Tor II 10
| important that / obtain some facts re-
garding Mr. Somhers last illness which
only his physician at the time can give
| me. / thank you, DIR. Rice, Tor the time
that you have given me.
ed the doctor, cautiously, betraying in the
phrase his Pennsylvania origin. Ihen ne
| hesitated perceptibly. IF you Will call
at this hour tomorrow i may nave some
| news for YOU" he said as we gained the
| entrance door 1T has been my custom
| from my earliest practice to keep rec
| ord of my patients. the nature or their
] maladies, their constitutional peculiarities
and, frequently, of features personal to
| them or to the case I will endeavor to
| get at the record book for that year"
and the doctor made an entry In tiny
| book that he drew from his coat pocket.
WELL we didn't make a whole lot from
that trip" commented Milbrath, cheer
fully. as we stepped into the herdic that
had brought us.
| And l doubt whether we shall make
much more when we return tomorrow. 1t
/ looks a little as IL the doctor were hiding
4 "a fv-Snu hf.