Dishonourable Fate

"Why! Look! he's dead, doctor!" I gasped, standing aghast. The sudden change in the thin sallow face, the lack of expression in thebrilliant eyes, and the dropping of the jaw were sufficient to convinceme that the stranger's life had ebbed away. The doctor bent, placed his hand upon the prostrate man's breast for amoment, and then, straightening himself, he turned to me and answeredgravely: --"Yes, Godfrey; it is as I feared from the first. Nothing could savehim. Remember what I told you this morning--it was simply a matter ofhours.""He appears to have been a rather strong, athletic man," I remarked, looking down upon the wan, furrowed face.