Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-12-18
CHATTER XXI.

Two days later Lampkin received .
note from Hendricks. II ran az follows:
Be at your ofics tonight at o'clock
HExpRicKA
When the detective came. the doctor
vM buy examining under powerful
microscope some consumption germs
which had that afternoon been sent him
by q distinguished physician.
BUSY. / see" was Hendricks greet
ing as he sat down in an easy chair and
dropped his slouched hat on the fioor.
How are youi Through in Q min
ute. responded she doctor. II want to
get at the nature Of this batch Of germs
Conway sent me this afternoon. I know
little about such things, but he always
wants me to, sanction his conclusions. I"
"What sort are theyi" asked Hen
bricks absentmindedly.
Lampkin laughed. with bis eye to
the microscope.
"Do you expect me to waste valuable
lung power explaining things to you
when your mind Is thousand miles
away2 Go tol What luck ut Benton
"Not much" answered Hendricks.
"I'm stranded. Would you believe, old
man, that night before last after we
got back from East Orange, / went
home, went to bed, failed to sleep, got
up, walked to Central park and back
aid then went ont to Benton's?"
~ shouldn't have been surprised II
you had taken your passage to Europe
on half inflated life preserver. But
really, did you 20 back out there?"
"Thnt's what did You see. ! was
satisfied Montcastle's yarn was straight,
and all at once II seemed to dawn on
me that / had absolutely nothing to
work ON except the bullet which had
lodged so lightly in the wall Of the
summer house.
"But Allen" put In Dr.. Lampkin,
removing one Of the glass slides from
his microscope and selecting another
II thought
"No, hendricks broke in; ~ haven't Z
q blasted bit Of evidence against him.
The fact that he had quarreled with old
Benton when Benton was rowing with
every soul around him wouldn't count
for anything. So. you see, II was the
bullet or nothing. Anyway it kept me
from sleepipg ! oreps into the grounds
at the side gate and BY the light Of q
dark lantern carefully examined the
wood In which the ball had lodged,
hoping that some idea would pop into
my Uranium, AZ IL often does"
lyon usually have ideas to spare, "
remarked Lampkin. adjusting the green
shade over his eyes and looking again
into his microscope. Have you heard
how Allen 10 getting onY''
81 don't know much about him, !" re-
piled Hendricks. "Kola is looking aft
er him. He has been about Benton's all
day in the disguise Of . laborer. Late
this afternoon be sent me hasty mes
sage that Allen was to be moved to a
private hospital up town. Kola prom
ised to meet me here this evening""
~ am glad Allen will have medical
attention." said Lampkin- HE was
such sad sight that ] have not been
able to stop thinking about him"
1T 10 the bullet that's troubling me, 7"
said Hendricka when can't zee nat
ural reasons for q thing, IL runs me
wild. itttan't account for the ball not
havings dad more force than it had. ]
have talked to pistol makers. gunsmitbs
and old sportsmen, but none Of them
can explain It."
Hendricks rose, took the bullet from
his pocket and uuwrapped the tissue pa
per from about It 'sYou Sec" he CON-
tinued. 1.-THE pointed end Of II 10 scarce
~ flattened."
Dr.. Lampkin examined the bit Of lead
at is certainly remarkable. " b said
lyon say the wood was soft1'
Almost perfectly rotten. I believe ]
could have made . hole In Il with my
bare Anger. Ihear your bell It's K0la "
LAmpkin went 10 the door. It Wa
the adept
"Good evening. " said Kola SIS M
Hepdriclz''-
Here am, ny bog, I" IL detectivs
called ont cordially. ''Come right n.
What's the nswsl's
The adeps stood ersot In ~ osntse d
thGyoom.
"Yoa know, /" ~ bsgzn. "that Mr.
Allen was to 90 10 private hospital n