Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-03-27

stefan Of the popular conception. Brcn-
da noted only that he wore spectaces
md that his upper lip was very thin
and rigid. In his companion Brenda
was reioiced to recognize a young doc
tor of her acquaintance, Sumner Ken
dali. She advanced hastily, with ex-
tended hand.
"Dr. Kendall" she exclaimed. 81 had
no idea you were connected with ST.
WinfreGs. l have come to see Miss
Miller. Is she conscious? What has
she said?"
The physician seemed to be laboring
under considerable embarrassment. He
took Brenda's hand with a quick, nerv-
Gus movement, and he clasped it hard
er than the forms Of polite society per-
nit. But he did not meet the young
lady's eye.
"Our patient Is conscious" he said.
"She has an excellent chance of rccov-
cry. Indeed under ordinary crcum-
stances there would be small cause for
alarm. TO our great surprise. we find
| that she does not know who inflicted
the wound. 1t may be only n lapse Of
memory due to shock. but myself fear
that she will never be able to answer
ehe question"
"She does not know" echoed Brenda.
"You must understand" said Ken
dali, that the assalant stood behind
! her. He, whoever it may have been. is
supposed to have entered the room
while Miss Miller was out on the bal.
cony. have had the place accurately
| described to me. In the corner of the
room near the eastern window there is
quite large closet, Perhaps you no
ticcd it,
Brenda inclined her head.
"1hc assassin may have hidden him
self there" Kendall continued. Miss
Miller remembers stepping into the
room through that eastern window,
and she knows nothing of what hap
pened between that moment and the
time of her awakening here"
"She will live" said Brenda. "She
will remember some day"
'She can never remember what she
did not observe" replied Kendall 1T
may he that she neither saw nor heard
the assassin. AS to the wound. | hard
ly know what to say. The knife enter
ed between the first and second ribs
and passed downward very close to the
body wall. Ordinarily it would be al
most impossible to innict such a
wound The assassin must have been
sinCularly ignorant of anatomy &c
strike downward at such a spot, for the
chances were thousand to one that
the bony structure would protect the
vital parts. The knife should have
cleared the first rib and hit fairly
against the second But it happens that
Miss Miller received an injury on this
precise spot years ago, as IA result OF
which the first rib is somewhat de
pressed. Thus the murderer was favor
ed by an extraordinary chance. HE
idea was, first, to escape being seen by
her and. second. to strike at the Front
of the body while standing behind il
order to avoid the blood that must fol
low the blow. Having struck. he un
doubleday supposed that he had reach
ed the heart, and only a miracle pre-
= vented. Our ambulance surgeon bellev
, ed that the wall of the heart was pune
, tured and that a eliot of blood was stop
ping the wound, as happens once in
million times. That is not the case. No
| only did the knife miss the heart, bu
it missed the arteries in a way that on
, ~ divine Providence can account for
SO the first effusion of blood was no
followed by the fatal drain that nigh
l have been expected. Do make mysel
g clear"
II understand enough" said Brenda
= 81 know that she may recover, and
D thank God with all my SOUL
$ There was pause, during whic
4 kendalrs embarrassment, that ha
q been less noticeable while his mind wa
Q bent upon a description of Elsie's il
/ jury, once more asserted itself, Brend
Y observed that his face was flushed an
n his forehead moist, and she was pu2
[ zled.
@ "Have you told her that I am here
!. she asked. Does she wish to see me?
/ I'VE have not mentioned it," he r.
q piled, "but you need have no hesitf
=. ton. We have given her very mic
l. room," he hurried on. you'll fin
q that everything in the world is bein
done for her. Shall we go in?"
|. The other physician then came To-
q ward, and Brenda gave him her hant
though Kendall in the extremity of hi
|. embarrassment, forgot to utter tn
r. form of presentation.
d A straight and long corridor, tn
# longest, as it seemed to Brenda, tha
J. mortal architect had ever designed, lie
r rcarward to the part OF the building
q which Miss Miller had been sequeste
II I'd. Kendall led the way, and his co
I. cague walked behind. For the thir
d me that day Brenda experienced III
'nsation OF surrendering her volitiol
n he hospital became prison; she va
Il ing marched to some deep cell b.
| nd the reach of rescue or the light {
e y. Then, in moment she saw l.
ndall open door and step back IL
>, might pass before him
II ,rcnd9's first glance happened to f.
q .cctly upon the face Of the patien