The state herald., 1910-11-04

prominent eyes and spare grayish
goatee creaked up the aisle and
paused beside me.
Porter sick?" he inquired, taking In
with professional eye the porter's
horror-struck face, my own excite
ment and the slightly gaping curtains
OF lower ten. He reached for the
darky's pulse and pulled out an old
fashioned gold watch
Him! Only fifty! What's the mat
ter? Had shock?" he asked
shrewdly
YES" l answered for the porter.
We've both had one. If you are q
doctor. l wish you would look at the
man In the berth across. lower ten.
I'm afraid it's too late. but I'm not ex-
perienced In such matters"
Together we opened the curtains,
and the doctor, bending down, gave
comprehensive glance that took in the
rolling head, the relaxed Jaw. the ugly
stain on the sheet. The examination
needed only moment Death was
written in the clear white of the nos
trils, the colorless lips. the smooth.
ing away of the sinister lines Of the
night before. With its new dignity
the face was not unhandsome; the
gray hair was still plentiful, the feat
ures strong and well cut.
The doctor Strengthened himself and
turned to me. Dead for some time"
he said, running a professional finger
over the stains. These are dry and
darkened, you see. and rigor mortis
Is well established. A friend of
yours?"
Il don't know him at ALL" replied.
Never saw him but once before"
Then you don't know If he is tray.
cling alone?"
No. he was not-that is. don't
know anything about him." ! correct.
ed myself. 1t was my first blunder;
the doctor glanced up at me quickly
and then turned his attention again to
the body. Like flash there had come
to me the vision of the woman with
the bronze hair and the tragic face.
whom / had surprised in the vesti.
bule between the cars, somewhere in
the small hours of the morning. had
acted on my first impulse-the mascu-
line one OF shielding a woman.
The doctor had unfastened the coat
OF the striped pajamas and exposed
the dead mans chest. on the left
side was small punctured wound OF
Insignificant size.
Very neatly DONE" the doctor said
with appreciation. Couldn't have
done 1t better myself Right through
the intercostal space; no time even
to grunt."
isn't the heart around there some
vhere?" / asked. The medical man
turned toward me and smiled au.
sterely.
That's where It belongs. Just under
that puncture. when It isn't gaddins
around In mans throat or his boots"
had n new respect for the doctor.
for any one indeed who could crack
even 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 sick. or an emergency like this
arises. and then turns meekly to the
man who knows the ins and outs OF
his mortal tenement. takes his pills
or his patronage. ties TO him like q
rudderless ship In a gale.
Suicide. is II. doctor?" | asked.
He stood erect, after drawing the
bed.clothing over the face. and. Ia.
king on his glasses. he wiped them
slowly.
mo. II is not suicide" he announced
decisively. 1T Is murder
OF course. had expected that. but
the word itself brought n shiver. I
was Just bit dizzy. Curious faces
through the car were turned toward
us. and could hear the porter behind
me breathing audibly. a stout won.
an In neglIgeo came down the aisle
and auerulously 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 "dnngled," rs thc<e
n rule OF this company that win nj.
low a woman to occupy the dressing.
room for one hour and curl her hair
with nm alcohol lamp while respect.
able people haven't n place whero
they can hook their"
She stopped suddenly and stared In.
TO lower ten. Her shining pink checks
grew pnsty. 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.
dcscript garments that hung from her
arm and tottcred back the way hho
had come Slowly little knot OF men
gathered around ia, silent for the most
part Tho doctor was making a
search OF the berth when the conduct
or elbowed his way through. followed
by the inquisltiyo man, who had ovi.
IDENTITY summoned him, had lost
sight. for n time. OF the Girl In blue.