What Came Afterwards CHAPTER 18.

The thoughtful silence which followed to the departure of Mr. Joyce, was not yet broken, when a policeman entered, having in custody an Irish woman.

"Mrs. McBride!" said Doctor Hofland, in an undertone, to the Mayor. The woman had a half frightened, half defiant look.

"You were at Doctor Black's, in East Baltimore Street, tonight," said the Mayor, abruptly addressing her, as she was brought forward and placed before him. "Indeed, I'll not deny that, your honor," replied the Irish woman, with an odd mixture of alarm and humor in her manner.

"Did you see your husband, Mrs. McBride?"

"Did I see Hugh, your honor?" She was trying to gain time for ready wit to serve her in this narrow strait.

"Yes, Hugh McBride, your husband?"

"I saw him just at dark, sir."

"At Doctor Black's?"

"Yes, your honor."

"Have you seen him since you were at Doctor Hofland's office? Remember where you are, Mrs. McBride. There must be no evasion. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Have you seen Hugh since you saw the Doctor?"

"Indeed, I'll not deny it, your honor."

"What did you say to him?"

"Say to him? I said just these words, your Honor — I said, Hugh, honey, the jig's up, and there'll be the devil to pay; so come away home with me."

"And what did Hugh say to this, Mrs. McBride?"

"He didn't say nothing, your honor. For, you see, Mr. Black came in on us all of a sudden — and he said to Hugh, in an angry, suspicious kind of way — looking at me, 'What's that woman doing here again?' So Hugh said, making believe he was angry, said, 'Go off home, Biddy, and don't come a trapesin' here any more. I'll not have it. It's against the rules, as I've told you more than twenty times!' And so, your honor, I left."

"And this is all that passed between you and your husband."

"Every word."

"You'll have to stay here all night, Mrs. McBride," said the Mayor, in answer to which the Irish woman's face was flooded over with ready tears, and she feigned a low howl of distress.

"Silence! "cried the Mayor, sternly. "We must have none of this. Take care of her for the night, Wilkins," speaking to the policeman who had her in charge, "and see that she is comfortable."

Mrs. McBride was removed, and Doctor Hofland was again done with the Mayor. A brief consultation followed, when it was determined to visit the house of Doctor Black without delay, and remove Mr. Guyton if found there. A carriage was sent for, and in company with a single policeman, they drove out East Baltimore Street. The policeman sat with the driver, and his orders were to keep a sharp look out for Mr. Joyce. This person was espied, near the McKim school-house, and taken into the carriage, when he was informed of Mrs. McBride's arrest. A little beyond Broadway, they left the carriage, and walked for a distance of two or three squares, when they came to the building occupied by Doctor Black. It was a large, double house, the lot fronting more than a hundred feet on each side, and shut in from the street by a high wooden fence. The entire area of the lot was more than half an acre, and it was thickly covered with shade trees and shrubbery,

It was now nearly eleven o'clock. The house had a gloomy aspect. Through only one of its many windows looking down upon the street, was light visible, and there it was feeble, as if from the low, burning lamp of a sick chamber. The bell was rung, and, almost immediately, the door swung open.

"We wish to see Doctor Black," said the Mayor, as he stepped in past a negro waiter who still held the door-knob in his hand. Doctor Hofland and Mr. Joyce followed. The door shut, and they found themselves in a large, square hall, from which the stairway ascended, and from which doors opened to the right and left. Before the waiter had time to reply, the left hand door opened, showing a small, well lighted office or reception room, and a man came out into the hall. There was nothing specially remarkable in his appearance, at the first glance, nor did he betray any surprise at this untimely visit of personages, at least two of whom, the Mayor and Doctor Hofland, were, in all probability, well known to him.

"Is this Doctor Black?" inquired the Mayor.

The man bowed assent, and then motioned his visitors to enter the room from which he had just emerged. They passed in, and he shut the door. The furniture of this room consisted of a table standing in the center, on which were writing materials; a few chairs, and cases filled with books.

The face of Doctor Black was not one that impressed favorably. The eyes were blue and cold; the mouth feeble; the nose thin and long. He had small side whiskers, of a sandy hue, that were just a shade sandier than his hair.

The Mayor took a seat at the table, with the light fully on his face, while Doctor Hofland and Mr. Joyce occupied chairs at the sides of the room. Doctor Black sat opposite the Mayor and in the light. Doctor Hofland, who could not remember ever having seen this man before, scanned his face closely, marking even the slightest change of expression, in order to form some definite opinion of his character. It was soon plainly apparent, that his calm exterior covered alert suspicion. His cold blue eyes, which dropped away from the Mayor's direct gaze, returned instantly to his face, the moment that gaze was withdrawn, with a keen, intelligent scrutiny. Doctor Hofland noted the constant repetition of thiscovert scrutiny. There were but few preliminary sentences. Then the Mayor said, coming directly to the matter in hand —

"Doctor Black, I am Mayor of the city. One of the gentlemen who accompany me, is Doctor Hofland, whom you probably know, an old resident physician; the other is a policeman. Doctor Hofland has, this evening, received a note from one Adam Guyton, held by you in this place as a lunatic, and we are here to take him out of your custody."

Doctor Hofland was reading Black's face, while the Mayor thus addressed him, with an almost breathless scrutiny; but he could detect scarcely any change in its expression.

"You may not be informed of all the circumstances attendant on this case," continued the Mayor, "nor of the peril in which you are involved as a suspected accomplice in one of the most shocking crimes, short of murder, that our city has known."

There was a change now. Doctor Hofland read surprise, mingled with alarm, in the man's countenance.

"It will be safest for you, Doctor Black," continued the Mayor, "to accept the necessities of this case, and at once pass your patient into our hands. For the present, considerations not necessary to mention, may lead to the withholding of this affair from the public; unless you force us into an arrest of yourself, which will be done immediately. A thorough search of your establishment will then be made. If you are a prudent man, you will interpose no obstacle."

Still, Black neither answered nor moved.

"You can have five minutes to decide on the course you may deem best for your own safety and interests," added the Mayor.

"I have decided that already," answered the man, in a cold, even utterance of the words. "It is near midnight, and I am in the hands of the first executive officer of this city. If I had any interest in resisting your demand — which I have not — resistance would be folly. The wretched old man after whom you have come, is at your disposal." And Doctor Black arose. "Shall I have him brought down?"

"We would prefer being taken to the room where he is confined," said Doctor Hofland, speaking now for the first time. Black darted on him a sudden look, and the Doctor caught the glare of his eyes; but instantly the look was withdrawn.

"As you please, gentlemen." And Black moved towards the door. The four men passed into the hall, where a lamp was procured. From thence they ascended to the second story, preceded by Doctor Black, and through a passage to a wing built out from the eastern side of the house. At the extremity of this passage, a narrow stairway led to the third floor. There they proceeded.

"The presence of so many strangers will, I fear, greatly disturb him," said Doctor Black, pausing before a door, and taking a key from his pocket.

"It will only be necessary for Doctor Hofland to go in," replied the Mayor. "We can stay on the outside."

"He is probably sleeping, remarked Doctor Black, in a repressed voice, as he turned the key. Doctor Hofland entered with him. The apartment was narrow, with a grated window at the lower end. An iron bedstead stood half way down the room. On this lay a man, whose eyes sent back gleams from the light that shone in suddenly upon him. He arose quickly, and sat on the side of his bed. The rattling of a chain, in the movement, showed that he was a closely guarded patient.

"You, of course," said Doctor Black, in a low tone, "take all the risks of a removal."

"All," was the simple, but emphatic response.

The two men went slowly towards the patient. His figure was emaciated, one naked leg thrust out from the bed showing little in its contour but sinew and bone. A flannel shirt, open at the throat, exposed a lean and knotted chest. His face was covered on the lower part with a long white beard, that fell below the throat-pit. His eyes shone away back from hollow orbits, with an intense, almost fiery brightness.

"Thank God!" This man was first to speak, and these were the unexpected words that dropped from his lips, uttered in a low, fervent voice. "Thank God!" he repeated, now with a tremor of eager life. He stood up, reaching out his hands, all in a quiver of excitement, "Doctor Hofland! Doctor Hofland! Oh, my friend! My friend!"

Doctor Hofland went quickly forward, and the wretched old man fell into his arms, sobbing, moaning and crying like a weak, long suffering child, restored to its mother's bosom. The recognition was not mutual. Nothing in the appearance of this poor lunatic recalled, with Doctor Hofland, a memory of his early friend.

"Why didn't you come before, Doctor? I've sent for you, O, so many times!" The old man raised himself as he spoke — yet still clinging to Doctor Hofland.

"No one brought me word until now," replied the Doctor. "Did you ever write to me before?"

"Write! I've written a hundred times. And they always said you got the letters. But, I didn't believe it."

"How did you sign them?"

"How?" The question was not understood.

"With what name, I mean?" said the Doctor.

"With my own name, Adam Guyton." The answer was prompt and outspoken.

"Unfasten this chain!" said Doctor Hofland, sternly, looking towards Black. The rattle of its links had wounded, that moment, his ears. The man drew some keys from his pocket, and stooping, sprung the bolt of a padlock that held the chain to the prisoner's ankle.

"You are free again, Mr. Guyton!" The Doctor spoke softly, but with a meaning that no ear could doubt.

"Free! Free! Great God!" Then a strange cry filled the room, as the man started up and tossed his arms wildly about his head. If reason had kept even partial supremacy until this time, now its dethronement was, alas! too sadly apparent.

"I feared this," said Doctor Black, moving quickly upon his patient, and endeavoring to seize him.

"Away, fiend!" shouted Guyton, starting away with a look of fear and hate. "Away, I say!" Then crowding back on Doctor Hofland, he added, in a subdued and pleading voice —

"Don't let that fiend touch me!"

"He shall not touch you," was the assuring answer.

"Won't you take me away from here?" he said, still in low, pleading tones.

"If you will compose yourself. Loud cries and tossings of the arms won't do among people, you know."

"I'll be all that you ask, Doctor. Only take me out of this horrible prison. They've nearly made an end of me. Flesh and blood can't stand it much longer. I forget myself sometimes. O, why didn't you come sooner?"

He was beginning to lose himself again, when Doctor Hofland said —

"Get on your clothes as quickly as possible. I have a carriage downstairs, and will take you right away."

Hurriedly his poor clothes were put on — they were not very presentable — and then, clinging to the arm of Doctor Hofland, eager, trembling with excitement, and like one fleeing in terror, Adam Guyton went down to the carriage, which he entered without an instant's hesitation, ejaculating —

"Thank God! Thank God!"

If, in all his life before, this unhappy man had not acknowledged a Divine agency in human affairs, that acknowledgment came now, and from the heart. Human prudence and human strength had been as nothing. They had not saved him from the worst of calamities; and now, when support came — in the conscious waning of reason — weak as a child amid giant enemies, he looked upward, and thanked God for deliverance.

"What next?" asked the Mayor, drawing Doctor Hofland a little away from the carriage door, and speaking in an undertone. "Where shall we take him?"

"I will take charge of him for the present," answered the Doctor.

"You don't purpose taking him to your house?"

"Yes."

"An insane man! Think what consequences may follow."

"He will not give me any serious trouble. Still, as matter of precaution, I would like a discreet officer to remain in the house during tonight and tomorrow. My profession takes me away from home at all hours, and while absent, he might get restless or alarmed, and attempt to go off."

"Mr. Joyce is at your service, Doctor," replied the Mayor.

"Thank you. With him at my right hand, all will be well. Tomorrow morning I'll see you at an early hour."

"If you please, Doctor. This is a strange affair, and must be well considered."

The two men, accompanied by Mr. Joyce, now entered the carriage, and drove away. During the ride to Doctor Hofland's, old Mr. Guyton did not speak, nor show signs of uneasiness. When the carriage stopped, he aroused himself and asked —

"Where are we?"

"At my house," replied Doctor Hofland.

"Oh — Oh!" There was a prolonged tone of satisfaction in the almost murmured ejaculation of Mr. Guyton.

"Good-night, Doctor," said the Mayor, as the four men stood on the pavement.

"Good-night, sir." The Mayor took Mr. Joyce, the policeman, aside, and after a whispered conference, reentered the carriage, and was driven away.

"Who is that man?" asked Mr. Guyton, almost sharply, and with an air of suspicion.

"The Mayor," answered Doctor Hofland.
"The Mayor!" Surprise took the place of suspicion. "Then he's on my side!"

"He's on your side, and against all your enemies," was the Doctor's assuring reply.
Again came the fervent "Thank God! Thank God!" And with the words still murmuring on his lips, the prematurely old man, a wreck in body and mind, crossed the threshold of the earliest, best, and truest friend he had ever known — the friend between whom and himself wealth had, years before, thrown up a wall of separation.

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