n't you feel me?--There!" I
gripped the broker by the shoulder, and clinched both hands upon him
with all my might. "Don't you _feel_ me? God Almighty! don't you
_see_ me, Brake?"

"When did this dispatch come, Jason?" said the broker. He laid Helen's
message gently down; he had tears in his eyes.

"Henry Brake," I pleaded brokenly, for my heart failed me with a mighty
fear, "answer me, in human pity's name. Are you gone deaf and blind?
Or am I struck dumb? Or am I"--

"It came ten minutes ago, sir," replied Jason. "It is dated, I see, at
midnight. They delivered it as soon as anybody was likely to be
stirring, here; a bit before, too; considering the nature of the
message, I suppose, sir."

"It is a terrible affair!" repeated the broker nervously. "I have
known the doctor a good many years. He had his peculiarities; but he
was a good fellow. Say--Jason!"

"Yes, sir?"

"How does it happen that Mrs. Thorne-- You say this message was dated
at midnight?"

"At midnight, sir. 12.15."

"How is it she didn't _know_ by that time? I pity the fellow who had
to tell her. She's a very attractive woman.... The 'Herald' says--
Where is that paper?"

"The 'Herald' says," answered Jason decorously, "that he was scooped
into the buggy-top, and dragged, and dashed against-- Here it is."

He handed his employer the paper, as I had done, or had thought I did,
with his finger on the folded column. The broker took the paper, and
slowly put on his glasses, and slowly read aloud:--

"'Dr. Thorne was dragged for some little distance, it is thought,
before the horse broke free. He must have hit the lamp-post, or the
pavement. He was found in the top of the buggy, which was a wreck.
The robe was over him, and his face was hidden. His medicine case lay
beneath him; the phials were crushed to splinters. Life was extinct
when he was discovered. His watch had stopped at five minutes past
seven o'clock. It so happened that he was not immediately identified,
though our reporter could not learn the reason of this extraordinary
mischance. By some unpardonable blunder, the body of the distinguished
and favourite physician was taken to the Morgue'"--

"That accounts for it," said Jason.

--"'Was taken to the Morgue,'" read on Mr. Brake with agitated voice.
"'It was not until midnight that the mistake was discovered. A
messenger was dispatched at twenty minutes after twelve o'clock to the
elegant residence of the