The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-05-11
CHAPTER VII.
The Golden Key.


Shelley was quite right" ex
claimed the young man at thu
bookshelf, with the prematurely
bent back turned upon Doctor
Dollar at his old oak desk.
He was never wrong when he
stuck to poetry" said the doctor
looking up from an unfinished
prescription.
The other gave a guilty start
He was an immaculate young
wreck. And he was in full even
ing dress, for the crime Doctors
patients came at all hours.
did | say anything" he asked
with exaggerated embarrassment.
You thought something
aloud" said Dollar smiling. Don't
let 1t worry you; that's not one of
the straws that shows an i'll wind.
What is 1t of Shelley's, Mr.. Eden
borough"
Only a bit of one of his let
ters." said the young man. 81
just happened to open them at
something that rather appealed to
me- And the book shot back in
to it's place.
Not the bit about the prusslc
acid, hope?" suggested the doc
tor, for all the world as IL in fun.
What was that?" said Eden
borough, with a face that would
not have imposed upon an infant.
A little commission from Shell
ley to Trelawny, for small
quantity of the essential oil of
bitter Almonds as he called 1t. so
that he might hold in his posses
sion that golden key to the cham
Der of perpetual peace"
That was it," said the youth at
length. Il may as well be honest
about 1t. But I don't know how
on earth you knew"
The doctor gave a kindly little
laugh.
"Only by knowing the book"
he assured the patient. cts
rather notorious passage-and
you had just been clamoring for
at least a silver key to some cham
Der of temporary peace!"
You said you would give me
one, Doctor Dollar.
And now l think I won't" said
the doctor, rising from his aged
chair. mo; you shall not 90 with
out hearing what I am going to
propose to you instead" and he
tore the unfinished prescription
into little bits. 81 happen to have
a Chamber of Peace of sorts here
in this house. It's my latest fad.
You've found IL name, and in
return I should like to offer 1t to
you for the night"
DO you mean room that
sends you off instead of drugs?"
Young Peterborough was look
ing puzzled, but for the moment
taken out of himself. He had
heard of Doctor Dollar as a rather
eccentric consultant, but as the
very man for him, from no less an
authority than the home secretary
of England, and no further back
than that very evening at dinner.
He had come straight round from
Portman Square.
That's exactly what I do
mean," said the doctor. cts the
most silent room in London, and
there are other little points about
it."
II would give anything for one
decent night" he said. but you
are far too good, sir, especially to
a man you know nothing at all
alb out"
IT ought to know more in the
morning, Mr.. scarborough, but it
will keep very we'll till then.
Enough for the night that you're
a friend of the home secretary,
and at your worst at Just the time
when a man wants to be at his
best"
TITS on Thursday" Edenbor-
Ough cried, as one in exquisite
dread. "My Heaven, I'm to be
married on Thursday, and this is
Sunday night! How can toe the
mark unless I get some sleep! And
how can | sleep"
Leave that to mo-" said Dollar
"leave everything to me, and
come straight upstairs. keep
the room in constant readiness;
you shall be fitted with pajamas,
and I'll send special messenger
anywhere you like for whatever
you may want in the morning.
Come! / am burning to give my
Chamber of Peace a crucial test,
because | know we shall all come
out with flying colors!"
There was less confidence in the
Doctor Dollar who ran downstairs