Page:Weird Tales Volume 3 Number 2 (1923-02).djvu/24

 This Story is Published by Popular Request

Doctor Daily after severl months of actual Experience as a medical Physician and in his Experiments had aroused him to the utmost interest to a scientist of credit for having made a liquid fimliar to a gas. and by In-healing it he could change his whole body Transparent to all the humen eyes he could go any plase and talk to any one and yet know one could see Him. Some pople think that Doctor Daily was A link of the chain of the Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but of course know one can say that it is True

But the ghost of the Doctor Daily was a mystery and a great surprise To all in the little town of kent-city. The Black Raven was a bad place and Doctor Daily had lost nearly ever cent he had in the world in this Gambleing house as the Doctor was mystified, with greaf over his loss of all. his money He walked down the path-way passed the black ravon glimmering in the early morning sun, and let himself out at the gate, gazed at the big white house he had just quitted, the windows of the room he had occupied, and there green blinds were drawn. even the fog had lifted, the general aspect of the place was extremely desolate and dreary he could hardly belive that he had just come frome a warm, cheery dining-room, and the company of jack daw, the rotund, smiling town bully, and to spite this bully, he had a few days a go saved a negro-boy from this bully and his angry mob; and now, when the negro-boy and jack the bully alike had been all but forgotten, he was rescued from suide because of gratitude for that impulsive action. He almost wondered if he were not the victom of a doap-fean, He put his hands in his pockets. Then Doctor Daily remembered of inhealing the liquid fimiliar Transparent gas. just be fore he had jumped, into the rock river he walked down the street a few blocks untill he came to the carline. There on the corner, of grant-street stood two young chaps from the smith's shue-store, a book-keeper and a stenographer, and the doctor thot it rather strange that thay did not notice his approach. They were speaking of him: "Too bad about Doctor Daily wasn't?" Such a good hearted man and a fine doctor and he was always a good sport at the Black raven to "Yes Sir your wright dock was a good sort," Have they recovered his body yet?" No, but thay should soon for they are now dragging the river." And at that the doctor, grinning, tapped the speaker on the sholder. He wheeled a round abruptly but with no smile of reilef or excamation of amazenent—only a blank stare "What's the matter?" Bob queriedhis companion. Why I" thot some-body touched me on my shoulder" I did said the Doctor at which thay-boath turned and stared. "Well!" Exclaimed Bob the stenographer." did you hear that? Jim wasn't that for all the world like Doctor Daily's own voice?" the too young men looked at each other and turned as white as aghost them selves "What's the matter with you?" demanded the Doctor. You talk about dragging Rock-River for me and when I can show you too Lads that I'mright here by boath of you and you pretend you dont see or know mw! Shure you heard my voice!" you boath hear and cant you see it me! the two men stood staring with fright for thay could hear the voice!" of the Doctor but coulden see know one At that moment The car came along, and the two were almost frantic in their hast to climb aboard the car but Doctor Daily followed them mechanically, forgeting that he lacked the car fare untill the conductor came around To the Doctors surprise, the conductor passed him by with uot a word or glance. He saw several people whom he knew and had been their doctor but when the Doctor spoke to them he received no reply but they only came a stare and a look of wonder or fear. What's the matter with me what gone wrong any way with me?" he asked him self at length, what makes them all afraid of me?"

He left the car at the next comer and went into a cafa and neither of the two waters was occupied yet they took no notice of him as he entered. He sat down at a table and before him was a full-length mirror, to see if there was any thing peculiar about his apperance. to the Doctors great suprise, he could not see his own reflection at all. He could see everything but Doctor Daily. "What's the matter with your mirror he demanded. Did you speak, Ida.? know I never said a word. Did you speak, Ada Belle.? know not me. and the waiterness stared at each other. And then Doctor Daily realized in a flash, that the trouble was not with the mirror, nor the to girls nor the streat car conductor, nor the book-keeper, nor with anyone but himself the Liquid Fimiliarto Transparent Gas. had made him invisible! and that was why his friends could hear his voice but could not see him; and thinking him drowned, thay belived it was his gost that was talking to them.

With that knowledge came a perfect understanding with the mysterie of this Transparent gas he could be a ghost and haunt the black raven and make thir house a hounted house and the flitting candles and make the doors to open and close and could make himself and his servents invisible, so that he could pursue his own studies and obsrvations undisturbed by the troublesome curiosity and observation of others. Tho He lived and moved in the heart of this busy little city of kent, his isolation was as compleat as tho he had been in the middle of the great desert of the west Doctor Daily was astounded overwhelmed by the discovery of the Transparent gas, and that he could make him felf a invisible ghost. A dozen different emotions struggled for mastery—anger, indignation, humilation, terror, mirth—all ran riot in his brain.

I, supose I ought to have some-thing to quiet my nerves! I'm in a pretty pickle now—but I wonder what I'll come two any way his brain, was in a stuper of terror, but the possibilities of tho situation gradually dawnedupon him. Oh. well "I can go anywhere I please; live in the best Hotels, dine at the finest cafes, with out a a cent of cost know one can't keep me out of anywheres! Why I could go onto a bank at the heels of the cashier and make my getaway with twenty-five Touusand