Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-09-27

III course, my first act was TO run
into the waiting-room. The son had
gone also. The ball door had been
closed, but not shut My page who ad-
mits patients is new boy and by no
means quick. He waits downstairs,
and runs up to show patients out when
| ring the consulting-room bell. He
had heard nothing, and the affair re-
| manned complete mystery. Mr.. Bless
ington came in from his walk shortly
afterwards, but / did not say anything
to him upon the subject for, to tell the
truth, l have got in the way OF late Of
holding as little communication with
him as possible.
well, never thought that / should
see anything more of the Russian and
his son so you can imagine my amazement
when, at the very same hour this even
ing, they both came marching into
my consulting-room, just as they had
done before
Il feel that owe you a great many
apologies for my apt departure yes
terday, doctor, said my patient.
"1 confess that l was very much
surprised at it, said I.
"'Well, the fact is he remarked,
that when l recover from these attacks
my mind is always very clouded as to
all that has gone before. ! woke up in
a-strange room, as it seemed to me,
and made my way out into the street
in sort of dazed way when you were
absent
And L. said the son, seeing my
father pass the door of the waiting
room, naturally thought that the con-
sultation had come to an end. 1t was
not until we had reached home that ]
began to realize the true state of affairs.
"Well, said /, laughing, there is no
harm done except that you puzzled me
terribly so if you, sir would kindly step
into the waiting-room l shall be happy
to continue our cons ultation which was
brought to so abrupt an ending
For half an hour or SO l discussed
the old gentleman's symptoms with
him, and then, having prescribed for
him, l saw him go off upon the arm of
his son.
Il have told you that Mr.. Blessington
generally chose this hour Of the day
for his exercise. He came in shortly
afterwards and passed upstairs. An
instant later l heard him running
down, and he burst into my consulting
room like man who is mad with
panic.
"Who has been in my room7" he
cried.
"'No one, said l.
It's ie' he yelled. Come up and
lookp'
II passed over the grossness of his
language, as he seemed half out of his
mind with fear When-I went upstairs
with him he pointed to several foot
prints upon the light carpet.
D'you mean to say those are miner"
he cried.
"They were certainly very much larger
than any which he could have made,
and were evidently quite fresh. 1t rained
hard this afternoon, as you know, and
my patients were the only people who
called. 1t must have been the case,
then, that the man in the waiting-room
had, for some unknown reason, while ]
WAS busy with the other, ascended
to the room Of my resident patient,
Nothing had been touched or taken,
but there were the footprints to prove
that the intrusion was an undoubted
fact.
"Mr Blessington seemed more ex-
! cited over the matter than / should
have thought possible, though of course
it was enough to disturb anybody's
peace of mind. He actually sat crying
in an armchair, and could hardly get
him to speak coherently. 1t was his
, suggestion that / should come round to
you, and of course / at once saw the
propriety of it, for certainly the Incl
dent is very singular one, though he
appears to completely overrate its i'm
portance If you would only come bach
with me in my brougham, you would
at least be able to soothe him, though
l can hardly hope that you will be able
, to explain this remarkable occurrence.
Sherlock Holmes had listened to thi:
: long narrative with an intentnes:
. which showed me that his interest wa.
keenly aroused. His face was as i'm
passive as ever, but his lids had droopet
, more heavily over his eyes, and hi
smoke had curled up more thicklN
. from his pipe to emphasize each curious
: episode in the doctors tale. AS oul
visitor concluded, Holmes sprang ul
. without a word, handed me my hat
: picked his own from the table, and fol
!, lowed DR.. Trevelyan to the door
Within a quarter of an hour we has
been dropped at the door of the physi
Z clans residence in Brook street, ont
: of those sombre, flat-faced house,
which one associates with West-EnC
5 practice. A small page admitted us
and we began at once to ascend the
broad, well-carpeted stair.
But singular interruption brought
> us to a standstill The light at the
, top was suddenly whisked out, ano
from the darkness came reedy, quav
ering voice.
: II have a pistol" it cried. II give
: you my word that III fire if you come
. any nearer"
! "This really grows outrageous, Mr.
Blessington," cried DR.. Trevelyan.
. "Oh, then it is you, DOCTOR" said tn,
: voice, with great heave of relief
''But those other gentlemen, are the,
what they pretend to be?"
We were conscious of long scrutin,
out of the darkness.
Eyes, yes, it's all right" said tn,