The Washington times., 1909-06-04
CHAPTER XI.

EBEN TALKS.
Asst night I went TO see DR..
LYONS directly after leaving
have - Alice beuau He took

LYONS directly after leaving
here" Alice began. He tool
me to the private room that
Eben has in the hospital. and left me
there with him. assuring me that he
would see that Bob would not be ad-
mitted while l was there.
There was a nurse with Eben. and
she was very nice young person. ]
talked with her for some time, and she
told me that your uncles servant had
been trying TO say something ever since
he had been brought there, but that
nothing ineligible had passed his lips.
while we we're talking Eben stirred
In his sleep. and suddenly awakened.
When his eyes rested on me there was
a glow OF recognition. He opened his
mouth and said Bob not very distinct
Is, but I could understand it
Then he looked at me Intently, as
though he would compel himself to talk,
and finally managed TO say Bod did
After that he broke OF. spluttering over
some consonants, and finally ended with
the word it, which he spoke distinctly.
so I patched it together and found
that he had said Bod did it That
made me-
But" Phil interrupted quickly. don't
you think he tried to say something in
between the Bob did and it?' You
said he repeated some consonants and
seemed to be striving for expression"
Yes" she said, slowly, but I don't
think he meant anything by that. be-
cause when 1 nodded my head that I
understood he seemed pleased, and be-
gan jabbering in an unintelligible way
about a will"
''My uncle spoke OF a will rust he
fore he died" put in Phil. abruptly.
y wonder If there can be another
viii in existence"
'He didn't say anything except re-
peat the word Will" the girl replied,
"ano then he went on and / made out
nitric acid he seemed to want to
say something about that and kept
pointing his finger at his breast and
saying. T-I-I"
That sound as though we might
learn something" said Phil. But he
said almost as much yesterday morn
ing. ] do hope be gets better. His
testimony would be invaluable, I'm
sure, because he was an eyewitness.
but don't want you TO tire yourself
out trying to get the information
from him"
Il won't" she answered. There
. CT IN the room Wnefe / can lie
down when L want to and the nurse
will call me if he says anything"
"It's awfully good of YOU" began
Phil
She cut him short with:
snow I'm going TO leave you. When
sou talk like that it's time to 20.
Keep your spirits up"
Waving her hand in good-bv she
turned and went out.
II was the next day that Phil saw
her again She looked worn and tired
and he chided her for wearing herself
out in the work; but Alice was de-
termined.
A sudden change had occurred in
old Ebens condition, II seemed. He
had suffered a relapse and not a
the day. The second meeting was not
so hopeful as the other had been.
Every day Alice came and reported
Eben's state. He remained just the
same. in a sort OF stUpor, and al
though the girl was with him almost
constantly she learned absolutely
nothing.
Ten days slipped by in this manner
and Phlls chances were no better than
they had been at the outset. Mr. Reg-
QLently about the case. and Phil grad
ually began TO lose hope in the recovery
OF Eben's speech on which so much
depended.
DR.. Lyons was a frequent visitor and
he objected strenuOusly 10 the course
that Pills lawyer was pursuing
But Mr- Rogers would not change his
IDEAS; ne assured them both that IL was
much safer 10 have Phil tried for a
lesser degree Of manslaughter and run
the risk Of a long term OF imprison-
ment than 10 plead not guilty to a