Page:Devonshire Characters and Strange Events.djvu/890

760 Budd went to a drawer and pulled out a pistol. Then to a cupboard and emptied a draught into a glass.

"Now, then," said he, "which shall it be, pistol or poison? I'll gripe you with the dose till you squeal with good reason, or put a bullet into you—whichever you prefer. It's all one to me,but out of that box you jump."

And jump she did, and fell on her knees before Dr. Budd.

"Oh! please, please, do not kill me!"

"I am not going to kill you if you do what you are told. Sit down there," indicating a chair. The girl complied. He rang the bell, and when a servant appeared he ordered a beefsteak and a small bottle of porter and bread. These were speedily brought into the room.

"Now, then," said the Doctor, "eat and drink and enjoy yourself."

"I—I—I can only eat macaroons."

"Macaroons be d——d. You eat that steak and you drink that porter," roared Budd, "or"—and he proceeded to cock and present the pistol.

The girl tremblingly obeyed, but presently became interested in the succulent beef and some crisp potatoes, and the porter she sipped first, and then drank, and drained the tumbler.

"That will do for to-day," said Budd. "I have sent for your out-of-door clothes, and to-morrow morning you shall trundle a hoop round Princess Square. Now I leave you a packet of illustrated books. You dine with me this evening at seven."

Another hysterical girl he dealt with and cured even more expeditiously. He was shown into the room where she lay in bed, and was informed that she could