The Springfield herald., 1912-06-07
Strange Experienced IN the Life
Of Doctor.
Copyright. by W. G. Chapman.)
B, A. T. MEAD


ed somberly. II wish could make
him speak.
Her face looked haggard and worn.
Soon afterward she bade her hostess
good night. shook hands with me. and
left the room. had Just risen on
the following morning. when to my sur
prise my servant ushered in Charles
Holdsworth.
Halifax" he cried excitedly, Alma
Colthurst is dead, murdered. She was
found in her drawing room early this
morning. stabbed to the heart. The
police suspect Lidderdale."
Good heavens" | exclaimed. there
must be mistake. Lidderdale is in
capable of such a crime"
We'll. the servants story is as
follows" said Holdworth. Alma
returned home between IL and
~ last night. She found a card
from Lidderdale lying on the hand
table, with line in pencil that he
would call to see her about midnight.
She told the servant that he was to
be admitted. and went up to her draw
ing roomito wait for him. He arrived
and was shown upstairs. About half
past twelve Lidderdale left the house.
At Alma's request her maid had al
ready gone to bed. When Lidderdale
went away, the butler extinguished the
lights in the rest of the house, but did
not return to the drawing room, as
Alma never liked to be disturbed. and
as rule put out the lights there her
self. On entering the room early this
morning, he found his mistress stretch
ed on the floor. quite dead. A doctor
was summoned, and declared that she
was stabbed through the heart, and
had been dead for many hours"
How terrible" | cried. Holds
worth | almost begin to believe in
chiromancy. Haridas would not tell
her future last night, and said she had
none. Yet cannot believe Lidderdale
guilty
But think of the circumstantial evil
dence. He will, of course. be arrest
ed on suspicion. Let us go to the Met
ropole. and find out what has hap
pened."
On our arrival at the hotel. the man.
ager informed us that no gentleman
of that name was staying there. THE
police have already been inquiring for
him." he said. pointedly.
But here is his visiting card" ex-
postulated Holdsworth. He left 1t
at my house yesterday, with the name
of your hotel scribbled in the cor
ner."
Probably the name of the hotel was
used as blind" remarked the man
ager.
This did not satisfy me. l knew
that | would recognize Lidderdale If
| should see him, and when Holds
worth left | remained behind in the
entrance hall, watching the guests as
they passed in and out. But no one
in the least degree resembling the
man | sought put in an appearance,
and soon after noon went away. The
case looked black again the missing
man. The writing in the corner OF the
visiting card left at Boldsworth's house
was easily identified with some of Lid
derdale's letters which possessed; a
card had been found at Mrs
Colthurst's, with writing also in Lid
derdales hand. On the night of the
21st man answering to his descrip
tion had called on Mrs. Colthurst, and
in the morning she was found stabbed
to the heart.
A week passed, and still the police
had obtained no trace of the supposed
murderer But returning home one
evening, | was almost stunned when
my servant informed me that Lidder-
In, 1nl
oratory. | rushed to the room, and
Harry Lidderdale, looking much the
same as when | last saw him, came for
ward to meet me-
How are you, Halifax" he said,
cheerily. Il have not been two hours
in New York. and naturally you are
the first person wanted to see. Why,
what is the matter?" he queried, OBJ
serving the Mortified expression on my
face.
You have not been here two hours"
repeated. Impossible. Don't you
know what has happened? / am amazed
give me, but | must speak plainly
fancied you were hiding from the po-
lice"
Il hiding from the police!" he ex-
claimed Why what do you mean,
Halifax. Is this joke?"
Not at ALL" | replied confusedly.
But why did you leave New York
as you did, and cut us all, and then
come back-?"
"One question at time, old man.
The fact is | was almost mad at that
time When Alma Ramsay refused
me. on the score of my poverty, was
convinced, | resolved to leave the
country, cut all my connections, and
make for South Africa. There l was
Joined by man named Colville. He
and / had been chums at college; he
also knew Alma, and the first thing
which drew us together was the men
tion of her name. He had little
money, and We agreed to purchase a
share in diamond mine. We did. in
fact soon became rich. Colville took
fever and very nearly died. nursed
him, and on his supposed deathbed he
made a confession. He also loved AL
ma, and in order TO win her had gone
to see her and told her lies about me-
that | was secretly engaged to another
girl, and more-and the poor girl be-
lieved him. He had no knowledge at
the time that pressure was being