The Raymer enterprise., 1912-06-06

knowledge Of eastern diseases. Dr..
Materick and were close friends, and
had done some good work together. l
gave him brief outline of my story
and showed him the stain on the MI
croscopical slide. He looked at 1t care
fully, and corroborated the discovery
had made.
There Is not the least doubt" he
said. that only person coming from
the west coast of Africa could contract
this parasite. as 1t Is found nowhere
else In the world"
Then. Of course" cried, this is
of great Importance to Lidderdale. who
has never. to my knowledge, been In
West Africa"
Your friend has come, you tell me,
straight from South Africa. Well, we
can soon discover II he has the filaria
perstans in his own blood; II not, the
natural conclusion is that he could not
have been the murderer. But before
forget l have somewhat remarka.
BILE thing to tell you. There is a pa.
tient in my hospital at the present mo-
ment suffering from disease called
the sleeping sickness, which is caused
by filaria perstans, and can only be
contracted In West Africa, although
this particular symptom may not show
Itself until years after the person has
been there. Would you like to see the
case?"
Il certainly should" replied.
We'll. I will call for you this after
noon and drive you to my hospital"
At four o'clock that day found my.
self standing by the bedside OF the pa.
tient.
HE will not recover" said Materick
In a low voice. "The symptoms are
of an aggravated description. As q
rule. the disease lasts from three
months to as many years, and Is char.
acterized by slowly increasing som.
nambulism and lethargy. These symp-
toms gradually increase until the pa
tient Is almost continually asleep"
While Materick was speaking was
watching the patient. He was a slen.
der. dark man; his face was bathed in
perspiration. his black hair was pushed
back from his forehead. Where had
seen those features before. that some
what peculiar length Of jaw. the shape
Of the low forehead?
Look here. Materick!" I cried with
excitement; II believe that Providence
brought me to this bedside. The man
lying there has look OF Lidderdale.
The more l watch him the more my
suspicion strengthens. The life of my
friend hangs in the balance. l should
like to hear the circumstances under
which this patient came to the hospi.
tai, and also, with your permission, to
watch the case"
Both your wishes can be gratified,"
returned Materlck Come with me
to the lady superintendent"
We left the ward and interviewed
the superintendent. She informed us
that the patient with the sleeping sick.
ness had been found in the street a
week ago, to all appearance in state
OF intoxication, and been taken into the
police station; but finding that he was
seriously Ill the police brought him to
the hospital. He had scarcely opened
his lips since. When taken up he was
In evening dress. No one knew his
name; he spent his entire time sleep
ing. although for the past few days
he had been suffering from tremor and
spasms. He had arrived at the hospital
on the morning Of the 22d Of June.
| looked at Materick. "The murder
took place on the night OF the 21st," I
said.
Having agreed to my request to stay
behind, Materick took his departure.
Presently | found myself practically
alone with the patient. The case was
a bad one and liable to terminate fatal.
ly within few hours at the latest. At
my desire one OF the nurses brought a
screen to put round the sick mans
bed. He lay muttering to himself. Fl.
nally he opened MS eyes and glared at
me. l bent over him.
"Colyille." l said, do you know that
Lidderdale has returned. He has been
arrested for Mrs. Colthurst's murder.
You alone can explain that crime. Do
not go to your Maker with that sin un.
confessed on your soul"
Why do you call me Colville?" he
gasped.
You cannot deny your name. and
that you are guilty Of murder"
Don't speak so, loud; I am too Ill to
talk to you.' he whispered. He turned
over, trembled violently and the next
moment was convulsed by q spasm.
The nurse came to his assistance.
When the flt passed he sank into q
deeper sleep than ever. My mind was
made up In an instant. There should
be witnesses when next he woke. His
death was but matter Of an hour or
two, and II possible he should be made
to speak before he passed away.
| left the hospital and went straight
to police headquarters. After an In.
terview with the chief I returned to
the hospital accompanied by Lidder.
IL