Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Black Doctor
Lanahadbehavedshamefullytotheyounglady,andthatArthurMorton,herbrother,wastalkingofhorse-whippinghim.Inwhatparticularrespectthedoctorhadbehavedbadlywasunknown—somesurmisedonethingandsomeanother;butitwasobserved,andtakenastheobvioussignofaguiltyconscience,thathewouldgoformilesroundratherthanpassthewindowsofLeighHall,andthathegaveupattendingmorningserviceuponSundayswherehemighthavemettheyounglady.TherewasanadvertisementalsointheLancetastothesaleofapracticewhichmentionednonames,butwhichwasthoughtbysometorefertoBishop’sCrossing,andtomeanthatDr.Lanawasthinkingofabandoningthesceneofhissuccess.Suchwasthepositionofaffairswhen,upontheeveningofMonday,June21st,therecameafreshdevelopmentwhichchangedwhathadbeenamerevillagescandalintoatragedywhicharrestedtheattentionofthewholenation.Somedetailisnecessarytocausethefactsofthateveningtopresenttheirfullsignificance.
Thesoleoccupantsofthedoctor’shousewerehishousekeeper,anelderlyandmostrespectablewoman,namedMarthaWoods,andayoungservant—MaryPilling.Thecoachmanandthesurgery-boysleptout.Itwasthecustomofthedoctortositatnightinhisstudy,whichwasnextthesurgeryinthewingofthehousewhichwasfarthestfromtheservants’quarters.Thissideofthehousehadadoorofitsownfortheconvenienceofpatients,sothatitwaspossibleforthedoctortoadmitandreceiveavisitortherewithouttheknowledgeofanyone.
