The Western outlook. [volume] (San Francisco, Cal.) 1894-1928, 1916-01-08
Iuge of stark wrath that blotted out all

called that the doctor was bachelor,
he knew that he was at the hospital
In the evening He had seen through
the open door of the consulting room
silver scattered about the top of the
buffet. With one of those pieces
Laura's bill could be paid.
jenkins resolved to act upon the
thought. At nightfall he went softly
toward the doctors house. He knew
that there was a back door, always
open, except for the fmsy screen that
covered it. He had seen that during
his visits, and remembered that, once
over the fence. he could not be seen
| from the windows. He found the
fence, scaled it. and crouched COVER
ing on the other side.
The house was dark, except for a
single light in the dining room Jen.
kins could see the silver even now.
1t cleaned derisively upon the buffet
His gorge rose. He walked steadily
toward the back door. 1t stood wide
open. 1t was not even clasped.
| Thieves were unknown, almost, in
| prosperous Sequah.
| Perhaps somebody was on the prem.
Uses, though There must be servants
He knew the doctor had housekeep-
er. But it was not likely that she
would be on the first floor. Jenkins
walked in very softly and took a sill
yer candlestick from the buffet He
knew by the touch that it was of pure
metal. That alone would more than
pay Laura's bill. No doubt he could
| pawn it somewhere in town.
He stood irresolute, holding it in his
hands. Then, all at once, he heard
| the front door click open. Doctor
Evans was coming in. There was still
time to escape with his plumber
through the back. But fear paralyzed
Jenkins the irresolute man had found
himself again and the enterprising
criminal who had arisen in him, like
some Mr.. Hyde, had betaken himself
to the neither gloom from which he
sprang.
Jenkins put down the candlestick
and sprang behind the curtains. He
heard Evans enter his office. Through
| the open door he saw him sit down
at his desk. The doctor pulled out a
| pocketbook and heaped up an i'm
mense pile of bills before him. Jen.
kins could not see their denomination,
but he knew that each was for five
dollars, the spoils of his few hours of
office work that day.
There must have been three hun
dred dollars there. Jenkins felt his
fury rising again. The sleek, SNUG
+ devil! Counting his money, while
the following day.
1t did not occur to him that she
would merely be transferred to the
| free ward. The man was mad at the
moment The loss of his lifelong posi-
ton had bereft him of his senses. He
crept forward and watched the doctor
with parted lips. His hand, stretched
out, closed upon the candlestick.
That set a new thought running
through his head. With that candle
stick he could batter out the mans
brains. He could take the money
from the dead hand and go. None had
seen him enter, and none would see
| him leave in the darkness. Money,
| good money, was better than candle
| sticks.
Three hundred dollars! He had
never had so much money in his life
before.
He clutched the candlestick in his
! hand and Just then Doctor Evans
| looked up with start.
who is there?" he called,
Jenkins put down the weapon. He
was the old man once more, the weak
man, incapable of anything but the
| trained groove-mcying thoughts.
| Doctor Evans approached the dining
| room and suddenly switched on an
| electric light beside the door. 1t re-
| vealed Jenkins, standing by the buff
| fet, shaking and white. The doctor
stared at him, and suddenly Jenkins
saw recognition in his eyes.
why, Mr.. Jenkins, how long have
you been waiting for me?' he asked.
| And Jenkins perceived that his de-
| sign was unsupported. Doctor Evans
| must have thought that the servant
had admitted him through the front
entrance.
Were you anxious about your
wife?' he asked. There is nothing
to worry about. She is doing very
we'll. And, by the way, she asked me
to give you this. She expected you
tonight and was sure that | would
meet you on the way out of the hos
pital She said it was important, and
| wanted you to know as soon as posi-
bic.
And he handed Jenkins another let
| ter from the leather company.
Jenkins took it and looked at the
envelope. This one was typewriter
too 1t could not be the check. Still,
a check was due. Jenkins had for
gotten that. The envelope was open;
Laura had read the contents.
Jenkins took out-the check and a
letter. He read:
Dear Mr.. Jenkins:
We have decided to close our agen.
cy in Sequah. Poor business condi-
tons, and other affairs, of which you
will learn on your arrival here, have
caused reorganization of our branch
system This requires the services of
a superintendent with a thorough
knowledge of the business. VIII you
accept the post at salary of five
A