Year: 1877

IleuDeE very "eIl Ilo" dlu "uSH

 commenced the practice of medicine

 By way of necessary introduction to my

 story, I must say few words of tha

 time.

 | When M. n. was attached to my

 name, bowed at two shrines, my pro-

 fession and-my Angelina. liar name

 was not Angelina, but my wife being {

 modest little lady, desires she shall no

 be dragged before an inquisitive pub

 lie. Let then, the abstract, Angelina

 represent the real woman. I conceal my own name for similar reasons Of course had rival. Name, Rich. ard Somers; age, twenty six; general appearance, striking and handsome character very bad. Neither my affection for this gentle man nor his affection for me, would have caused q conflagration on any river of which know. We disliked each other heartily from the first

 Being much handsomer than myself he might have been a dangerous rival However, he saved me all the trouble, He committed a forgery which was dis covered sooner than he expected. He was arrested for the offense, tried and convicted. was one of the principal witnesses against him. When the sen- tence was passed upon him, he requested a moments conversation with me. shall never forget the look of hatred upon his face as he missed out:

 "You have ruined my love and my life. Remember that, and fear mel"

 am not a timid man, and attached but little importance to his implied threat. l thought it simply the bluster of a self-defeated and disgraced rival.

 Shortly after, Angelina and were married, and as the story-book says, ''lived happy ever afterward.' . So much by way of introduction, now to my story.

 We had been married little over two years. During that time had heard nothing of Somers. His sentence had been comparatively light one-a year and half. After his discharge from prison, however, 1 neither saw nor heard of him.

 For so young man, Thad been very successful as physician. Perhaps my success was principally due to my strict attention to practice. No matter how late, or dark or stormy, might be the night, promptly attended to all sum- mons at the bedside of the suffering.

 One night, little while before the hour of retiring. the door bell rang, and shortly afterward man entered the room where we were sitting. He was not prepossessing. His hair was short and thick and the general cast of his features villaiuous.

 He evidently belonged to that variety of fowl known as the jail-bird. Never theless. without hesitation, put on my hat and coat, and prepared to go with him.

 "A gentleman" he said, "has broken his leg"

 l thought it pity that, if he was anything like his messenger, he hadn't broken his neck. I did not tell my wife where was going, for it was distant part of the town, and in anything but respectable neighborhood. I did not wish to make the little woman nervous.

 Gu our way, my friend, the jail-bird was very uncommunicative. He an- swered my inquiries about the injured man in surly monosyllables. He was apparently in no haste, for he walked very slowly-more slowly, I thought, than was consistent with the welfare of my patient.

 At last we arrived at our destination. 1t was very dark looking house, in a very dark little street.

 My guide led me up two flights of very dirty and rickety stairs, that creaked objections to our weight upon them. In the third story we stopped before door, which to my surprise, my companion opened with a key which he took from his pocket. Was he afraid that man with broken leg would es- cape? I was still more surprised, when, on entering the room, found it empty! He motioned me to chair, and, remarking he would return soon, left the room.

 For the first time 1 was somewhat nervous and suspicious. The empty room-the last action of my guide-his on our way as to the health of the supposed injured man - the | lonely house and neighborhood-all combined to make me suspect foul play.

 stepped to the door, only to find it locked from the outside-to the window | only to find escape impossible there. It | was many feet from the ground.

 My suspicious were now certainties. was trapped. None of my friends, not even my wife, knew where I was. might be murdered in this den, and | my death remain mystery.

 l suppose I waited about an hour be- fore heard the key turn in the door. Then, to my dismay, half dozen men 

 When nature made the jail-bird who had led me into this trap, she did not break the mould. These gentlemen were of the same pattern. All wore he same hang-dog, murderous look. One of them raised the light in the room, which had been burning low. With hardly a glance at me, they took 'eats upon the floor, and began to play cards.

 Soon the door again opened, another man entered. l hardly had hope as I ooked at him, for saw the exulting 'ace of my enemy-Dick Somersl

 At glance he saw that recognized Jim. With malicious leer, he stepped and quoting his own words of TWO years before said: