New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-03-18


"She does not know?" echoed Brenda
"7ou must understands said Ken
dali, that the assailant stood behind
her. He, whoever it may have been. i;
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.
ticed it,
Brenda inclined her head.
"The 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 be that she neither saw nor heard
the assassin. AS to the wound, hard
~ 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 he al
most impossible to infict such a
wound. The assassin must have been
singularly ignorant of anatomy to
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 a result Of
which the first rib is somewhat de-
pressed. Thus the murderer was favor.
ed by an extraordinary chance. His
idea was, first, to escape being seen by
her, and, second, to strike at the front
Of the body while standing behind in
order to avoid the blood that must fol.
low the blow. Having struck, he un,
doubtedly supposed that he had reach
ed the heart, and only miracle pre-
vented. Our ambulance surgeon believ-
ed that the wall Of the heart was pune.
tured and that clot of blood was stop,
ping the wound, as happens once in a
million times. That is not the case. Not
only did the knife miss the heart bnt
it missed the arteries in a way that on
ly divine Providence can account for.
So the first effnsion Of blood was not
have been expected. Do make myself
clear?' ,.@
II understand enough said Brenda.
II know that she may recover, and |
thank God with all my soul"
There was pause, during which
Kendall's embarrassment. that had
been less noticeable while his mind was
bent upon description Of Elsie's in
jury, once more asserted itself. Brenda
observed that his face was flushed and
his forehead moist. and she was puz-
zled II
Have you told her thatI am hereY'
she asked. Does she wish to see me ~
I'VE have not mentioned it." he re-
piled, but you need have no hesita-
ton. We have given her a very nice
ROOM he hurried on You'll find
that everything in the world is being
done for her. Shall we go in Y
The other physician then came for
ward, and Brenda gave him her hand.
though Kendall. in the extremity Of his
embarrassment forgot to utter the
form of presentation.
A straight and long corridor, the
longest, as 1t seemed to Brenda, that
mortal architect had ever designed. led
rearWard to the part Of the building in
which Miss Miller had been sequester-
ed. Kendall led the way, and his col
league walked behind. For the third
time that day Brenda experienced the
sensation Of surrendering her volition.
The hospital became prison; she was
being marched to some deep cell be-
yond the reach Of rescue or the light of
day. Then, in a moment. she saw DR..
Kendall open door and step back that
she might pass before him.
Brenda's first glance happened to fall
directly upon the face OF the patient.
and she cannot truly be said to have