The Sauk Centre herald., 1898-06-23

| "WhGt aDIS thdtY' gdSped the English
| geG1.
his athletic figure perfectly. He raped
softly Oh the window easement an(
bowed when they turned.
"YoEs breakfast is waiting for you,
he annocNced. They followed him into
a room adjoining the one they had occu.
pied and found table holding a sump'
tuous repast. The boy gave them seats
and handed them golden plates to eat
upon. The fruits, wine and meats were
very appetizing, and they ate with rel
/ ish.
81 believe we are to be conducted to
the palace of your king tomorrow, "ven-
tured the Englishman to the boy.
The boy shook his head, but made no
reply and busted himself with remov-
ing the dishes. AS they were rising
from the table, they heard footsteps in
the hall outside. The door opened. 1t
was Captain Tradmos, and he was ac-
comRanied by taIl, bearded man with
a leather case under his arm.
"YOu must undergo a medical exami-
nation,' the captain said smilingly.
"It is our. invariable custom, but this is
by special order from the king.
Johnston shuddered as he looked at
the odd looking instruments the medic
al man was taking from the case, but
Thorndyke watched his movements
with phlegmatic indifference. He stood
erect, threw back his shoulders, ex-
panded his massive chest and struck it
with his clinched fist III pantomimic
boastfulness.
Tradmos smiled genially, but there
was something curt and official in his
tone when he next spoke that tcok the
Englishman slightly aback. You must
bare your breast over your heart and
lungs" he saids and while Thorndyke.
was unbuttoning his shirt he and the
medical man went to the door and
brought into the rCom great golden
bell hanging in metallic frame. .:
The he'll was 80 thin and sensitive to
the slightest jars Or movement that, al
though it had been handled with ex-
treme care, the captiyes could see that
it was vibrating considerably, and the
sound that Lot only affected the ear Of
the hearer, but set every nerve to tin
CLING. The medical man stopped the
sound by laying his hand upon the bell.
To tube il the top Of the bell he fas-
tened one end of rubber pipe. The
other end was finished with silver de-
vice shaped like the mCuthpiece of a
speaking tube. This he firmly pressed
over the Englishman's heart Thorn
dyke WINGED and bit his lip, for the
strange thing took hold of his flesh with
the tenacity of powerful suction
pump. .,>
"Ouch'' he exclaimed playfulIy, but
Johnston saw that he had turned pale
and that his face was drawn as if from
pain.
"Held stillr' ordered the medical
man. It will be over in a minute.
Now be perfectly quiet and listen to the
bell. /" -.
The Enghshman stood moticnless;
the sinews of his neck drawn and knot
ted, his eyes starting from their sock
cts. Thorndyke felt the rubber tube
quiver suddenly and vrithe with the
slow energy of dying snake, and then
from the quiyering hell came low,
gurgling sound like stream of water
being forced backward and forward.
Trad1ncs and the medical man step
ped to the bell and inspected small
dial on its top.
What was that?'' gasped the Eng
lishman, purple in the face.
THE sound of your blood, = answer
ed Tradmos as. he removed the instru-
ment from Thorndyke's flesh. 1T is as
regular as mine You are very lucky.
You are slightly fatigued, but you will
be sound in day or two. " 4.
Thank you, replied the English,
man, but he sank into chair, over
come with weakness.
Now, I'll take you, please" said
the medical man. motioning Johnston
to rise.
Il am slightly nervous, apologized
the latter as he stood up and awkward.
ly fumbled the buttons of his coat.
Nervousness is a mental disease. ;
said the man. with professional brusoue
ness. 1t has nothing to do with the
body except to dominate it at times. If /
you pass your examination, you, may
live to overcome it. =
The American looked furtively at
rhorndyke, but the head of the English
man had sunk on his breast, and he
seemed to be asleep. Johnston had new
n felt SO lonely and forsaken in his life.
From his childhood he had entertained
secret fear that be had Inherited heart