Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-13

Nonsense! cried IWltChell feverShly.
Nobody knows where | am. If they get
any trace of me at all, they'll find I've gone
to New York. simply stopped off here, ut
terly incognito, tonight, and took taxi to
the house. Next train 60 on to New York.
Whatever happens there, no possibility ex-
lists that you could by any means be brought
into the affair. Oh, I've thought that all out
never fear that and a thousand other things!
So now-your answer!'
Up stood the doctor. Like a drunken
man he staggered He smote his brow.
"Oh, Cod" he cried in dull, stihed voice.
Then he stumbled over to his cabinet, where,
behind glass doors. stood rows of bottles,
brown, blue, white. From his pocket he
fumbled out key. His fingers shook so that
for half minute he could not get it into the
lock; but at last the doors swung wide.
From the upper shelf he chose four ounce
flask, and with it came back to the table.
"One-of that size" he stammered,
through clacking teeth.
Would do the trick, you mean? witch
ell concluded for him, sitting up with new
energy, as though the prize was already in
his grasp.
Darlington nodded He set the bottle TN
steadily down on the dingy blotter and stood
staring at it with glazed eyes.
Look at this!" said Twitchell. From an
inner pocket he drew out thick yellow en-
velop, sealed with wax. He broke the seals
and pulled forth SO formidable mass OF
bills that the doctors head swan.
Each of these is worth ten thousand dol
lars" the sick man said. There's just a
hundred of them That makes an even
million Count them and see!" He tossed
the packet on the table.
'I-I-oh, can't" cried Darlington.
Zone millioni" repeated the other.
Nov go to work and fill the bottle. You're
the only man in the world that can do this
for me, the only man trust If should so
much as ask anybody else, they might-who
knows what they might not do? But you-
you're different"
Still the doctor stood there, holding to the
table for support.
WELL why don't you get busy?" ex-
claimed Twtchell sharply, as though with
night, talking and arguing! You know my
terms, and all. It's up to you now, Skipper!
There, now, look at that clock! Six minutes
to eleven, see? give you till eleven. After
that"
Darlington understood. AS though limned
out by a lightning stroke against the dark
ness of his mind. the whole thing stood in
dazzling relief. He stared at Twitchell a
moment, then at the pile of bills. Then, like
a somnambulist, groplngly, he turned toward
the drug cabinet again.
But as he turned his eyes fell on the torn
up fragments of the calendar. The antique
print, bright colored, seemed to dazzle, to
dance before his sight. He blinked at it,
cringing as though the bits of cardboard had
been so many rattlesnakes. Up at him
leaped word here and there, phrase:
l swear-seeking to preserve my patients
no inducement-poison-p and integrity
become perjurer-
NO no, no! MOI" cried Darlington hoarse-
ly, terribly Into his chair he fell, flung his
arms out across the table, and collapsed
upon it. The bottle, knocked aside, fell
jingling to the floor.
"Skipper, old man! Skipper!' shouted
Twitchell, springing up with singular alac
rity.
But Darlington did not hear him. He had
tainted.
TWITCHELL, with strange, proud
compassionate look, undid his scarf and
cast it aside. He threw off the glasses and
the big fur coat. With one quick gesture he
tore away his gray wig, revealing his own
crisp, brown hair. He stepped over to the
doctors little sink in the corner, and with
,-:uoro,,c bacta yUocbaI au,a1, bo mo