Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-10
THE ABLEST MAN IN THE WORLD

0dulSCne. not III bauen: Inc public journals
the benefit of his health, said to be much broke
oy protracted anxiety and responsibility in the
s ssra OF vne C5a 1t But that
Petersburg, and that his absence from the can an
tres OF active statecraft at a time when tho
aeace oI th Europe was auttering like shuttle
ceck IN tne ar, between Salisbury and ShonVa.
ION. was nothing more or less than politely dis
LIAR am I Inds1tea for the following facts to my
ire gay aIter Ignat1en, and was duly announced
10 me omc1al list OF strangers as g Herr Dontor
r fSiesSor fischer, NIT Frau, Gattin und Bed.
The scarcity of titles among the TRAVELLING
ariStocracy OF North America is a standins,
SneVance With the ingenious Teuton who com,
he inst nG oncial s. Professional pride and
Supply the lack whenever he can. He dis.
uioutes. governor, ma jOr- general and doctor
p s ne WIN toleraoe impartiality, according
sS sne arriving Americans wear adIStinguished
niaItlai, or studiouS air. Fisher Owed his
title to his spectacles ~ LIZ
nad wa was sim early in the season. The theatre
Ha1 not yet opened The hotels were hardly
nAI Iull, the concerts In the kiosk at the CON
seIsauOnsnauS were heard by scattering audi
1 1o ana the shopkeepers Of the Bazaar had
Dewa1ing the degeneracy of Baden Baden since
an s,, emo was put to the play. Few excursionIsts
31a1 a the meditations of the shrfveled Old
81 6aaGk Forester who keeps the key Of the towe
on the Mercuriusberg. Fisher found the place
very stupid-as stupid as Saratoga in June or
Long Branch In September. He was impatient
OSet 20 switzerland, but his wife had contract
ed table d'h0te intimacy with Polish Countess
ano sne positively refused to take any step that
W0uio sever so advantageous connection.
One AFTERNOON Fisher was standing on one of
tne little bridges that span the gutterwide Oos-
Oacn, IDLY gazing into the water and wondering
Wnetner good sized Rangely trout could swim
when the porter of the Bad1scher Hof came up
to him on the run.
"Herr Doctor Professor cried the porter.
high born the Baron Savitch out Of Moscow, of
the General IgnatieffS suite, suffers himself In
terrible MT, and appears to die"
In vain Fisher assured the porter that tt was
mistake to consider him medical expert;
that he professed no science save that of draw
poker; that If such an impression prevailed in
the Motel 1t was through b,uHder for which he
was In no way responsible; and that, much as
ne regretted the unfortunate condition of the
n1gh6orn the Baron out of MOSCOW, he did not
feei that his presence In the chamber of sickness
would De or the slightest benefit. 1t was impos-
sible to eradicate the idea that possessed the
porter,s mind. Finding himself fairly dragged
toward the hotel, Fisher at length concluded to
make virtue of necessity and to render his en-
plantations to the Barons friends.
Inc RUSSIANS apartments were upon the Sec
CnQ nOQr, not far from those occupied by Fisher
A French valet, almost beside himself with anx-
iety and undivided responsibility, came hurry
Ing out Of the room to meet the porter and the
DOCTOR PROFESSOR. Fisher again attempted to
explain, but to TO purpose. The valet also had
explanations to make and the superior fiueDcy
OF his French enabled him to mOnopolize the
conversation. No, there was nobody there
NOBODY but himself, the faithful AuguSte OF the
Baron. bis Excenency, the General Ignatieff,
his Highness, the Prince Kolon, Dr.. Rapperseh-
Wyll, all the suite, all the world, had driven out
that morning to Gernsbach. The Baron, mean
while, had been seized with an ehraying mala-
ds, and he augnste was desoiate with appre
time in parley, but to hasten to the bedside of
tie Baron, who was already in the agonie5 of
dissolution.
Fisher followed Auguste into the inner room.
The Baron, In his boots, lay upon the bed, his
body bent almost double by the unrelenting
gIipe of a distressful pain. His teeth were
the mouth distorted the natural expression of
his face. Every few seconds a prolonged groan
escaped him or, HIS fine eyes rolled pteously
abdomen and shtver In every limb from tue IN
tensity OF his suffering.
Fisher forgot his explanations. Had he been
watched the symptoms Of the Baron's malay
with greater interest.
"Can Monsieur preserve him?" whispered
the terrified Auguste.
Perhaps" said Fisher, dryly.
Fisher scrubbed note to his wife on the back
OF a card, and despatched it In the care OF the
great promptitude, bringing black bottle and
glass. The bottle had come In Fishers trunk
toBaden all the way from Liverpool, had crossed
J0urneyed to Boston direct from Bourbon
county, Kentucky. Fisher seized it eagerly but
Ieyerently, and held It up against the light
There were still three inches or three inches
and half IN the bottom. He uttered grun
There is some hope of saving the Baron,'
Fully one-half OF the precious liquid was
poured into the glass and administered without
delay to the groaning, writing patient. In a
seeing the Baron sit up In bed. The muscles
around his mouth relaxed, and the expression
Of intense agony was superseded by look OF
Fisher now had an opportunity to observe the
personal characteristics Of the Russian Baron
He was young man OF about thirty five, with
but peculiar head. The popularity of his mead
was that 1t seemed to be perfectly round On top
that Is, Its diameter from ear to ear appeared
quite equal to les anterior and poSterior diam
etre. The curious effect OF this unusual con-
formation was rendered more striking By the
absence Of all hair. There was nothing On the
black silk. very deceptive wig hung upon
one Of the bed posts.
Being sufficiently recovered to recognize the
presence OF stranger, Savltch made cOur-
teous inclination Of the head.
HOW do you ind yourself now?" inquired
Fisher, In bad French.
piled the Baron, In excellent English, uttered 10
a charming voice. "yery much better though
feel certain dizziness here" And he pressed
his hand 10 his forehead.
The valet withdrew at a sign from his master
and was followed by the porter. Fisher ad-
yanced to the bedside and took the Baron's
wrist. Even his unpractised touch detected the
fact that the pulse was alarmingly high. He
was much puzzled, and not a little uneasy atthe
turn which the affair had taken. ''Haye got
my self and the Russian into an Internal scrape?,
he thought. "But no-heS Well out OF his teens
and half tumbler OF such whisky as that ought
not TO go to babys head"
Nevertheless, the new symptoms developed
themselves with rapidity and poignancy that
made Fisher feel uncOmmOnly anxious
Sayltch'S face became as white as maTble-lts
paleness rendered startlngly by the sharp con-
trast OF the black skull cap. His form realed as
he sat on the bed, and lie claSped his head con-
Vulsfyely with both hands, II in terror lest IL
should burst.
Il had better call your valet" said Fisher,
nervously.
''NO, no. gasped the Baron. "You are a
medical man, and j shall have to trust you
There Is something wrong-here. With %
spasmodic gesture he vaguely indicated the top
Of his head.
but am not stammered Fisher
NO words exclaimed the Russian tmoeri-
ously. Act at once-there must be no delay
UDscrew the top OF my head.'
SaVNch tore OF his skull cap and flung IL
aside. Fisher had no words to describe the be-
WHOernent With which he beheId the actual
fabric OF The Baron'5 Uranium The skull can
had concealed the fact that the entire ron ri
Savitch's lead was dome OF polished silver.