The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

an errand which any other mes
senger could have accomplished. l
stopped down and turned up the
lamp with a fierce angry swelling
at my heart, but when | bent for
ward to look into his face he step
ped quickly back into the shadows
with an impatient exclamation.
He wished to conceal his features
from me as far as possible.
Il ask you again whether you
will come to her, DIR. Faggett," he
said abruptly Il left her in faint
and the case may be urgent. Kindly
postpone your curiosity as to my
personal appearance until you have
seen your patient.
! raised the lamp high over my
head and looked at him full in the
face. He bore my examination
without flinching; and l hurried
into my coat and hat with a sigh
not unmiXed with relief. His was
no williams face. 1t was strong
and proud. and in a certain way inn
penertrable; but it was mans
face, and the face of nc ordinary
man.
81 will come at once 1 answered.
Il am ready now"
We went into the street together.
had expected to find my COM
panion silent and reserved, but he
commenced talking at once.
Il learn from Miss Desmond that
you have been very good to her,
DR.. Faggett," he said slowly. She
has been in sore straits, fear, and
has needed friends"
Il am not aware Ct any particu-
lar goodness on my part" I an
swered stiffly. 81 have only done
what Miss Desmond has a right to
expect from me-or any other of
my patients"
you have done more; but I fear
that you are prejudiced against
how much Marian-Miss Desmond
has told you of her history, but"
She has told me nothing"
81 do not wonder at it. She is
naturally reserved. You knew, at
any rate, that she was expecting a
visitor today?"
yes"
81 was that visitor. You may
have surmiscd that?"
Il imagined so; and also from
your errand to me that your visit
was disappointment to her"
Il fear So he answered, in a low
tone. Il fear so"
Then at any rate. it is my duty
to tell you sir, that events may
make you her murderer" l said
pitilessly
We were passing a gas lamp, and
the momentary View which | had of
his face startled me. 1t was pale
as though with a sudden horror,
and great beads of perspirat ton
were standing out upon his fore
head; never before or since have
seen such agony upon human face.
The people who thronged the pave
ment glanced curiously at him, and
then at me. To escape their obser-
walton, l increased my pace a little,
and as we threaded our way
amongst them l heard him whisper
in my ear:
"If you can save her. doctor, your
fee shall be a thousand guineas."
only you can do that" 1 an
swered sharply.
There was no reply. locked
around and found that he was no
longer by my side. Across the road
l could see him vanishing in the
mist. Without hesitation l pushed
onward. l cared nothing for him.
l was anxious to reach my patient.
few hours before l should have
scoffed at the very idea Ct attach
ing any Importance to what are
known as presentiments. Yet from
the moment when | came in sight
of that grim, smoke-stained tene-
ment, and hurried up the broken.
uncarpeted stairs, | was conscious
of a dim foreshadowing of some
sort of evil. For a wonder there
was nc brawling in the lower
rooms, no sound of angry. drunk
en- voices from any of the half-open
doors. Only now and then, on the
landings, | heard the heavy breath
ings of sleeping men and women,
lying about like rats upon the floor.
l reached the last flight of stairs,
and the candle in my hand shook so
that the drops fell spluttering upon
the ground. Was she alone, | Won
dered? Was there no one to watch
by her side and waith for my COM
ing? If she had recovered from her
faint, how dreary the time must
SEEM
l pressed on and came to a stand
still outside her room. Still silence
deep, uncomfortable silence-and
still that vauge sense of some evil
close at hand. Fearfully, | pushed
open the door and stood upon the
Threshold
My first sense was one of relief.
In the dim twilight I could just
catch the outline of a dear, familiar
figure leaning back in chair
fire was a handful of white ashes;
and the figure never turned to
greet me. The chill of the room
struck into my heart and my voice
trembled as l called out to her:
Miss Desmond, wake up 1t is
I-Dr. Faggett,"
No answer. The figure in the
chair was still and silent. With
trembling fingers l raised the can
die light over my head, and peered
forward to where it's pale, sickly
glow smote the darkness. oh, the
horror of it. [ felt my knees totter,
mist floating before my eyes. and
deadly sickness creep like a
numbing paralysis over all my
senses. Yet. in that straight backed
chair, stll and cold, with a little
spot Ct blood on the bosom of her
dress, and dagger driven straight
into her heart.
She was dead. She must have
died in single moment, for there
was no trace of even the slightest
spasm in her white. still face. Nay.
something of the old softness was
still lingering around her tightly
compressed mouth, and the half
closed eyes, vacant though they
were, had none of the glazed hard
ness of death. In those moments
of anguish l forgot my first duty.
forgot everything except that l
had loved this woman; and sinking
on my knees. 1 caught her hands in
mine, and buried my face in her
lap. There / remained, needless of
the flight of time, for hour after
hour of the long winters night. .
! arose at last and stood by the
little window with tightly clasped
hands, acutely conscious of all that
had happened, the ethical horror of
it mingling with my own sense of
personal loss. The little chamber
was seven stories high; and away
eastward | could see a faint streak
II light, and presently bloodred
sun shining down through the white
vapCrous msts upon the awaken
ing city. l watched it gradually
appear until its first struggling
rays smote the dome of st. Pauls
and the noises Increased in the