| Show MY COMPANION come at once mr thomis ton is dangerously ill and wishes to see you this was a telegraphic message which 1 received one cold january morning about six years ago surprise was my chief feeling at the moment for mr thomas warrington had never been more than a name to me although he was my uncle I 1 had never seen him and had never felt any particular desire to do BO not from any dislike or grudge I 1 bore the old man ant simply because I 1 had forgotten all about him certainly he was my uncle my fathers elder brother but for years before my fathers death there had been a feud between them relating to a small estate which my father claimed and which my uncle though a rich man with much property also claimed A court of law settled the matter after much delay and anger on either side my uncle was able to pay for expert counsel my father was not for except this small estate which caused the quarrel he had nothing but the precarious income of an author my uncle fought hard grasping old man that he was and won his case but this bad all happened so long ago in the days of my extreme youth that 1 had never given a second thought certainly never a serious one to the story hard words had passed between the brothers I 1 believe very hard words and my undo had sworn loudly and deeply that he detested the sight of my father and hoped never to set eyes on him or his again as long as he lived perhaps you think it was unusual for a young man of no means never to give a second thought to an uncle who was the possessor of money and lauds but it really is a fact and although my uncle was itch and childless I 1 knew that he detested me and my connections and his estate was I 1 myself was a very young barrister with enough to think about and up to the present as much as I 1 could do to get through my examinations some friends of mine were talking the other day about strange things which had happened to them and it set mo thinking about the only really strange thing that ever happened to me and I 1 record the circumstances hoping that some reader may bo able to afford me an explanation well to go back to the telegram I 1 was certainly very much surprised and for a minute or two stood staring at the slip of pink paper in an absent minded sort of way then it occurred to me that I 1 was wasting time the telegram demanded my presence and I 1 had no time to waste I 1 looked at my bradshaw found that I 1 had an hour before the nest train started so ate my breakfast calmly and packed a portmanteau feeling glad for the first time since I 1 had become a full blown barrister that no pressure of work detained me in town I 1 hoon found a comer seat in a smoking carriage and reigned myself to a fairly long journey on this cold january day I 1 had taken my place in very good time so amused myself by watching the people hurrying to aad fro and was a good deal attracted by a white haired old gentleman who slowly passed backward and forward at short intervals before the carriage in which I 1 sat and who every time he pasted seemed to look at me with a far away expression in his eyes I 1 wag beginning to feel interested iu the old fellow aheu the train started and I 1 soon forgot all about him by bad luck tho train which I 1 had managed to catch was a terribly slow one which stopped at almost every sta tion bis and small and I 1 was surprised always to see the kama white haired old gentleman passing to and fro on the platform every time we stopped he never passed without looking at me with the same faraway expression express aon in his eyes at the first few stations I 1 scarcely noi no i him but after a bit 1 began to wonder who be was and paraded about in that manner and took a sort of lazy interest in him pitying the poor old fellow for having to travel on such a bleak day the journey was certainly a tedious one but I 1 found a good deal to occupy my thoughts my uncle whom I 1 had never seen the old quarrel the chances of his relenting in the matter of my fathers estate for surely he would not me from london for no other purpose than that I 1 might make personal inquiries as to bis health the day wore on and the short winter afternoon began to close in we had passed most of the larger and busier towns and were coming to villager vill agea and small stations all my fellow tra celera had left the carriage being mostly business men they had reached their several destinations in the larger towns and I 1 sat alone in my corner when the old white haired gentleman whom I 1 was be to look won aa rather eccentric turned he handle athe 6 the carriage door came in and sat down in the comer opposite to me he said not a word but gazed out at the landscape in a dreamy manner while I 1 took the opportunity to examine his appearance more closely he was tall thin and looked emaciated with clearly cut features of a waxen color and wonderfully blue eyes he wore an old fashioned low crowned silk hat and a long thick coat with a fur collar the expression of his facto reminded me of some one but I 1 could not remember of whom 1 did not notice all this at once for I 1 did not like to stars too ions at the old gentleman but T need not have troubled myself for ha never turned his eyes from the windol win dov the evening drew on the faded and the lamps were lighted ul detill he kept hia eyes fixed and gazed oil of the window into tho darkness ahl e the dim light of the oil lamp shone dowa on his pale features and 1 smoked b rd and said nothing 1 think I 1 must have dozed for a while then I 1 heard the guard calling ashbridge ashbridge and I 1 started up grabbed at my portmanteau and prepared to get out odthe carriage for I 1 had reached my destination but my companion also rose turned and looked me full in the faco with a look which beamed to make my blood grow chilly stepped out before me and 1 followed alit station was certainly very badly lighted dmd the night was pitch dark but 1 was rather surprised when I 1 got outside neither to see nor hear any sign or sound af my fellow passenger however I 1 thought it did not matter to me where he had gone so finding a carriage awaiting me I 1 got in and in the rush of other thoughts I 1 soon forgot him how is air by this time I 1 asked the coachman he died this morning air was the reply and then followed the details of his illness and death which lasted until we reached ashford hall my uncles house I 1 rang the bell and was soon admitted by a stout comfortable looking woman who showed me to my room where I 1 began to wonder what I 1 had better do it was rather an awkward position to come a perfect stranger at the bidding of another stranger and find him dead on arrival at length I 1 went down stairs and the same kindly looking woman met me in the hall and gave me more details of my uncles illness and his great desire to see me then she supposed that 1 should like to see the corpse and so evidently expected me to answer in the affirmative that I 1 did so and she led the way up the broad staircase and down a long passage at the end of this passage she opened the door of a dimly lighted room and vre entered she carrying a candle we went together to the bedside and she holding the candle high with one hand gently lifted the sheet with the other and disclosed the white clear cut features of my traveling companion this was the first and last thing of the kind that ever happened to me and is detill unexplained I 1 stayed on at ashford hall for tha funeral and found myself on tho reading of my uncles will sole heir to all his possessions ama flag |
