Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-03-02


with appreciation. Couldn't have
done it better myself. Right through
the intercostal space; no time even
to grunt."
isn't the heart around there some
where?" l asked. The medical man
turned toward me and smiled au-
sterely.
That's where 1t belongs, just under
that puncture, when it isn't gaddlng
around in a mans throat or his boots"
had a new respect for the doctor,
for any one indeed who could crack
even a feeble joke under such circum-
stances, or who could run an imper-
sonal finger over that wound and
those stains. Odd how healthy, nor
NAL man holds the medical profession
in half contemptuous regard until he
gets etck, or an emergency like this
arises, and then turns meekly to the
man who knows the ms and outs OF
his mortal tenement, takes his pills
or his patronage, ties to him like
rudderless ship in a gale.
Suicide, is it, doctor?" asked.
He stood erect, after drawing the
bed-clothing over the face, and, Ia
king off his glasses, he wiped them
slowly.
mo. it is not suicide" he announced
decir'-ely. "It is murder"
Of course, 1 had expected that, but
the word itself brought shiver.
was just a bit dizzy. Curious faces
through the car were turned toward
us. and 1 could hear the porter behind
me breathing audibly. a stout wom-
an in negligee came down the aisle
and ENORMOUSLY confronted the por-
ter. She wore pink dressing-jacket
and carried portions Of her clothing.
Porter" she began, in the voice OF
the lady who had "dangled," lis there
a rule of this company that will al
low woman to occupy the dressing
room for one hour and curl her hair
with an alcohol lamp while respect
able people haven't place where
they can hook their"
She stopped suddenly and stared in
to lower ten Her shining pink cheeks
grew pasty, her jaw fell. remember
trying to think Of something to say,
and Of saying nothing at all. Then
she had buried her eyes in the non
descript garments that hung from her
arm and tottered back the way she
had come. Slowly little knot of men
gathered around us, silent for the most
part. The doctor was making
search of the berth when the conduct
or elbowed his way through, followed
by the inquisitive man, who had evil
IDENTIFY summoned him. I had lost
sight, for a time, of the girl in blue
do it himself?" the conductor
oueried after business-like glance at
the body.
mo, he didn't" the doctor assert
ed. There's no weapon here, and the
window is closed. He couldn't have
thrown 1t out, and he didn't swallow
It. What on earth are you looking
for, man?"
Some one was on the floor at our
feet, face down, head peering under
the berth. Now he got up without
apology. revealing the man who had
summoned the conductor. He was
dusty, alert, cheerful, and he dragged
up with him the dead mans suitcase.
The sight of it brought back to me at
once my own predicament.
81 don't know whether there's any
connection or not, conductor" | said,
"but l am victim, too, in less degree;
I've been robbed of everything l pos
sess, except a red and yellow bath
robe. 1 happened to be wearing the
bath-robe, which was probably the
reason the thief overlooked 1t"
There was a fresh murmur in the
crowd. Somebody laughed nervously.
| The conductor was irritated.
ct can't bother with that now" he
snarled. ''The railroad company is
responsible for transportation, not for
| clothes, jewelry and morals. If peo-
pie want to be stabbed and robbed in
the company's cars, it's their affair.
Why didn't you sleep in your clothes
I do"
took an angry step forward. Then
! somebody touched my arm, and + un.
| clenched my fist. 1 could understand
the conductors position, and beside.
| I'm the law, had been guilty myself
| of contributory negligence.
'Tm not trying to make you re
sponsible," 1 protested, as amiably as
could, "and l believe the clothes the
thief left are as good as my own. They
are certainly newer. But my valise
contained valuable papers, and it is to
your interest as we'll as mine to find
the man who stole it."
'Why, of course" the doctor said
shrewdly. Find the man who skipped
out with this gentleman's clothes, and
you've probably got the murderer"
st went to bed in lower nine,"
said, my mind full again of my lost
! papers, land l wakened in number
seven. l was up in the night prowl
ing around, as l was unable to sleep
and l must have gone back to the
wrong berth. Anyhow, until the por
! xhig IrvoVx