The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 191: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE ELIXIR OF LIFE. But what struck Allan most was the wonderful brilliance of the eyes; a bril- | liance which flatly contradicted the 1m- pression of age conveyed by the other features, and, betrayed a surprising de- gree of vitality. “Might I beg your assistance?” the stranger went on, extending a small, gloved hand; and Allan, with a con- fused apology for his remissness, helped him to his feet. The little man took one step, and would have fallen had not the other caught him by the clbow. “ An awkward predicament,” he said, with an embarrassed laugh. “I am only a few hundred vards from my house, but I do not see how I am going to reach it.” He looked up and down the strect in a helpless sort of way, and Allan’s heart went out to him in sympathy. “Tf you would care to avail yourself of my arm,” he said, “I shall be very glad to help you. Do you think you can manage to walk with my assist- ance?” The stranger was profuse in his thanks, but declined the offer, alleging that he could not think of taking any one out of his way at so late an hour. Allan was insistent, however, and the other finally allowed himself to be per- suaded. Their progress was slow, and when they turned up a side street, indiffer- ently lighted, it became slower still. The injured man walked with difficulty, and was evidently suffering severe pain, and Allan twas not sorry when he stopped at a gate in a low picket fence, which enclosed a large lot. “This is where I live,” the stranger said, pointing to a low brick cottage which stood some distance back from the street and was dimly visible through the gloom. “ An out-of-the-way place for a doctor, 1s it net? By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. “Tam Dr. Armitage. I am a physi- cian, but I do not practise. and so this place suits me well enough. I prefer solitude. Crying babies and family pianos are not conducive to scientific research.” He pushed open the gate, and Allan carefully assisted him along the slip- rere gle further 187 pery board-walk, and supported him While he inserted his latch-key. “To am going to trespass a little on your kindness,’ Dr. Armi- tage said, as he crossed the threshold. “Jl am going to ask you to see me as far as my room. The man who attends to my wants has left for a day or two to visit his father, who is dying; other- wise | would not trouble you. Once in my room, I shall require no assistance. T am doctor enough to attend to my own slight injuries.” Ile spoke with so much assurance of receiving the help asked that Allan, who had experienced a sudden depres- sion of spirits, could not in common humanity refuse. There was something about the gloomy house and its odd- looking tenant which aifected him strangely, and he could not repress a shiver. “Cold?” queried the doctor anx- iouslv. “I did wrong to bring you out of the way. It is comfortably warm in my room, but perhaps it is the darkness which affeets vou. We will soon remedy that.” He opened the imner door = and touched a button on the wall. In- stantly a blaze of light burst forth. “Extravagant, is it not, to waste so much light on so small a house? But I am like vou. I abominate cold and darkness. This is my sanctum.” He pushed aside a heavy curtain, and, still leaning heavily on Allan’s arm, entered a room which to the latter ap- peared the strangest he had ever seen. It was a large apartment, running the full depth of “the house, lit by a deep bay at the front and a window at the side. The front half was furnished with sybaritic luxury. The floor was cov- ered with a carpet into which the foot sank, as into a bed of moss; valuable paintings hung on the walls, the furni- ture was costly and in excellent taste, and several massive. bookeases con- tained rows of handsomely bound vol- umes. The rear portion of the room formed a striking contrast. The floor was without covering of anv description, and the onlv articles of furniture were a long pine table and EO AOO (SG SS (SO in