The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-06-21
BY GEORGE ALLAN ENGLAND

| looked around. Then ne understood.
| My Lord!t said ne. but 1 must have
slept soundly, thought And the patient
why didn't they show me the patient
last night? 1 thought the case was
Urgent
Unable TO unraveI this problem with
any satisfaction, he looked round 10 see
what manner OF place this strange bed
room OF his might be. Il gave him an
impression Of easy comfort without IN
( due ostentatlOn of wealth, although its
taste was perfect The bed was mas
sive, built of cleaning metal and COW
cred with linen of the finest. on the
floor lay kermanshah prayer-rug,
I half COnCealing the tiles which, in
4 rough but arttul patterns, took the
place OF boards A fireplace. with the
fire all laid ready for lighting, occupied
the left-hand wall, and opposite this a
large glazed door communicated with
what seemed 10 be an inclosed Veranda
or sun-pdTlOr-
The eastern wau-HarEreave Judged
directions by the level sunlight enter
ing through chinks in the old-fashion-
ed persiennes-was pierced by a large
three-windOwed bay.
The doctor. lauch as he had seen Of
plJtocratic homes, was impressed by the
rare harmony. the restfulness the
beauty OF this chamber His hrst i'm
pulse TO leap Jut Of bed, 10 question,
protest, demand an explanation, make
scene, gave place TO milo, essential,
| Indifference He stu felt a bit languid
IS enough for man Of his tremendous
aggression, he lay back again for Just
a minutes further rest
It's not my task, after ALL" thought
he. TO urge this case forward II it's
: Imperative. as LawiOr seemed 20 think
( IL was last night, then Lawlor must
come 10 me The patient, maybe, has
taken a turn for the better. Possibly
the operation IS TO be postponed a bit.
Laymen are always bad judges Of
what's serious and what isn't serious.
So thinking, he glanced about once
more on the wall at the mead Of his
I bed he spied a push-button.
Perhaps I might as well find out, at
any rate" he declared, reaching for the
button. He heard no answering tri!l any
where in the house; but almost at once
door opened, and = serving man stood
at attention
My clothes, If you don't mindr' com
manded HaTgreaVe- The man bowed and
disappeared. Presently he returned Tho
surgeon noted that his raimeat had been
carefully brushed and pressed Careless
Though he was Of his personal appear-
ance, like most professional men, this
slight attention none the less pleased
him. Impossible he found Z, 20 retain
his natural brusquerle. As LaWlOr, IN
the car. had seemed 10 dissolve ava 8
his reticence and overcome his tnstinc-
tive sCOr1 OF questions, so now the atu-
tude Of the valet. the atmosphere Of the
room. q certain iudcGnabie fT.eudllneSs
Q
Modified him. He stniled-smiies were
rare with him-and IN an almost pleas
ant tone asked.
''Well2' rs I.awlor up yet? Is break
fast ready I'm half starved"'
Mr.. Lawlor is waiting for you In the
b-ea Mushroom. sir" answered the man,
with an odd foreign accent Shall 1
help you 20 dress, slr2'
NO. no. the surgeon interdlcted.
I'm not as helpless as all that. You
might light that fire, though, Il you
don't midland after that YOU may
go" He glanced sharply at the man
Greek Armenian thought ne, no
ticins the swarthy skin and oval face.
The valet bowed again. set a lighted
match 20 TIE finder in the CRATE. then
laid HarEreave's clothing ready. and
after him a0iseIessIy, and silence fell
silence which all at once was broken
{ by a Ions, wild cry: FAINT, far, seeming
/ TO issue up from some deep-hidcen re
Cesses Of the bungalow, then suddenly
What IN Geheuna is that, now,' ex-
claimed the surgeon. frOWning with sur
prise. ct say. there's something odd
about this thing, after all; something
7 don't quite understand, and Certainly
Hastily he washed and dressed, shiv-
ering a little with the chill Of the room.
which the fire had not yet had time 70
overcome. He STROBE over 20 the nay
window, threw open the persiennes, and
looked ont. what kind of a place is
this. anyhow thought he.
Nothing peculiar met his eye; nothing
but a graveled driveway winding I'D TO
the house through a dense grove Of con
ifers, where the breezes Of late autumn
sighed their chilly music. and where the
sunlight filtered in among the needles
Of the eVergreeuS-a charming, Testful
prospect. soothing beyond measure TO
nerves drawn tense by city life.
Hargreave threw up the window,
leaned out and took deep breaths Of
+ the keen, bracing air. A new life and
vigor welled through his veins. The
/ slight headache which he had felt on
rising left him.
/ Not bad, not bad at allr' he eX-
/ claimed. II only IL weren't for one or
two little detailS-but, never mind.
/ I'll soon find out what IL all means
Two minutes later he had left the
I room, passed down q corridor, and
: come upon his host in the breakfast
1 room, where sunlight, palms, blazing
/ hearth, and a small, snowy table set
+ for two couspired in every way to
4 quiet his suspicious
/ LawIor greeted him cordially. The
two men shook hands with something
4 like a real frienGliness already grow
: ing up between them, and presently
sat down TO breakfast, which the
; Greek lfOr so Hargreave decided he
: must be) served with COnSuIhmate
skill. over the iced grapefruit which
! prefaced tho meal, Hargreave queried :
$50 I fell asleep, eh2 Rather stupid Of
me. I must admit; but, as you know,
/ last night was the third night Ia been
/ burning the more than midnight cleo
tricity."
/ 7 understand perfectly" the other
/ assured him you medical men have
/ practically no time to call your own.
When we got here 1 hesitated about
waking you, and"
"Odd that I didn't wake, now 1
I think Of irf'' the surgeon commented,
/ a new wOnderment awakening in his
brain. but Lawlor assured him:
"NOt at ALI II you knew my man..
I here. you'd quite understand il. That
man, well, do believe he'd lUll Argus
himself to sleep. He's a wonder, Cash
| is. Cash, I call him, for short Rather