't I hear something about the disappearance of a young man who
left Mr. Birtwell's at a late hour?" asked Doctor Kline.

"Nothing has been heard of the son of Wilmer Voss since he went away
from Mr. Birtwell's about one o'clock," replied Doctor Hillhouse, "and
his family are in great distress about him. Mrs. Voss, who is one of my
patients, is in very delicate health and when I saw her at eleven
o'clock to-day was lying in a critical condition."

"There is something singular about that party at Mr. and Mrs.
Birtwell's, added Doctor Hillhouse, after a pause. I hardly know what
to make of it."

"Singular in what respect?" asked the other.

The face of Doctor Hillhouse grew more serious:

"You know Mr. Ridley, the lawyer? He was in Congress a few years ago."

"Yes."

"He was very intemperate at one time, and fell so low that even his
party rejected him. He then reformed and came to this city, where he
entered upon the practice of his profession, and has been for a year or
two advancing rapidly. I attended his wife a few days ago, and saw her
yesterday afternoon, when she was continuing to do well. There were
some indications of excitement about her, though whether from mental or
physical causes I could not tell, but nothing to awaken concern. This
morning I found her in a most critical condition. Puerperal fever had
set in, with evident extensive peritoneal involvement. The case was
malignant, all the abdominal viscera being more or less affected. I
learned from the nurse that Mr. Ridley was away all night, and that
Mrs. Ridley, who was restless and feverish through the evening, became
agitated and slightly delirious after twelve o'clock, talking about and
calling for her husband, whom she imagined dying in the storm, that now
raged with dreadful violence. No help could be had all night; and when
we saw her this morning, it was too late for medicine to control the
fatal disease which was running its course with almost unprecedented
rapidity. She was dying when I saw her at half-past eleven this
morning. This case and that of Mrs. Voss were the ones that drew so
largely on my time this morning, and helped to disturb me so much, and
both were in consequence of Mr. Birtwell's party."

"They might have an indirect connection with the party," returned
Doctor Kline, "but can hardly be called legitimate consequences."

"They are legitimate consequences of the free wine and brandy dispensed
at Mr. Birtwell's," said Docto