Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Black Doctor
Whenshereachedthehousesheperceivedtohersurprisethatthelightwasstillburninginthestudy.Shethereforetappedatthesurgerydoor.Therewasnoanswer.Sherepeatedtheknockingseveraltimeswithouteffect.Itappearedtohertobeunlikelythatthedoctorwouldeithergotobedorgooutleavingsobrilliantalightbehindhim,anditstruckMrs.Maddingthatitwaspossiblethathemighthavedroppedasleepinhischair.Shetappedatthestudywindow,therefore,butwithoutresult.Then,findingthattherewasanopeningbetweenthecurtainandthewoodwork,shelookedthrough.
Thesmallroomwasbrilliantlylightedfromalargelamponthecentraltable,whichwaslitteredwiththedoctor’sbooksandinstruments.Noonewasvisible,nordidsheseeanythingunusual,exceptthatinthefarthershadowthrownbythetableadingywhiteglovewaslyinguponthecarpet.Andthensuddenly,ashereyesbecamemoreaccustomedtothelight,abootemergedfromtheotherendoftheshadow,andsherealized,withathrillofhorror,thatwhatshehadtakentobeaglovewasthehandofaman,whowasprostrateuponthefloor.Understandingthatsomethingterriblehadoccurred,sherangatthefrontdoor,rousedMrs.Woods,thehousekeeper,andthetwowomenmadetheirwayintothestudy,havingfirstdispatchedthemaidservanttothepolice-station.
Atthesideofthetable,awayfromthewindow,Dr.Lanawasdiscoveredstretcheduponhisbackandquitedead.Itwasevidentthathehadbeensubjectedtoviolence,foroneofhiseyeswasblackenedandthereweremarksofbruisesabouthisfaceandneck.
