The Washington times., 1913-11-29

* Night Wind, opened his eyes
and stareI.
There was nothing familiar in
any object that his gaze encountered.
The room was strange: everything in il
vas strange.
He became conscious, too, of an odd
lassitude that was upon him; an unac-
countsble weakness, and, more remark
able than all else, he felt no desire to
move muscle.
There was no ambitious effort Istent
in his mind. TO be put into effect on the
monet of his awakening. as haG been
the case with him of late
sunlight streamed in at the open win
dow. Beyond II he could see the walls
and windows of other houses across the
street-or avenue: which was I. lie
wondered.
At first he was not greatly concerned
about the stranSeness of things around
him-and that Was odd, too. But his
mind.newly active. was working slowly.
He was i'm bed. He knew that A
sheet and All immaculate spread COW
cred him. One of his arms rested upon
1t: the other was beneath il. Ht. caised
that arm and hand before his eyes,
snd was amazed by the effort that ~ as
required to do So
Tbs sight Of his hand and forearm
astonished HIM still more. Surely he
thonsht, they are not mine; ami yet
ne knew that they were his own
He withdrew the other arm. with
consider able effort, from beneath lne
bedciothes, and examined II. II was un-
ooubteuly The mate TO the other one
Startling things had happened TO him
during the past weeks. but this one
Wss the i7o.' startling of all
Sond.- what has happened? p he
asked himself aloud and met with still
an sther Surprise. Was that his voice
a
not at all familiar to mis- cars? oh,
well. I'll get up and find out about H."
ne added, and made the effort TO do so
put ne sank back upon the pillow. help
less, weak, incapable of further effort
>. For the first time in his life Bingham
Harvard was frightened
he had never been helpless like that
before. He could not remember when
mis- muscles had refusd to rspond 10 his
will until then.
He stared about him again and then
through the windows a second time for,
With rush of comprehension he re-
rnembered that he was a fugitive from
justice. a haunted outcast, a man out
side the law.
But surely the room he occupied
formed no part of a prison. There were
no bars at the window. and no prison
mouse ever held room like that one.
spotlessly clean, with pictures hanging
against the walls and freshly cut flow-
could see them
A hospital. then? No. He decided
against that view for the same reasons
And. besides, he could detect nothing in
the atmosphere Of the room that sur
ge5ted hospital odor
The table that held the vase of flowers
conIaiheo ais" bell which he discov-
ereo mat ne could reach with that same
rlght hand which had so amazed him
with the first sight Of it.
Hcsitatinsly. tentatively. nc reached
out, hestated again another moment,
then with decision and sornc force
touched the plurger of thu table brT
lie Gould not see he door to The rom
as ne was wing. out he heard the cIick .
oi tLe KNOB and h1eW thai il had swung
tered. and had yoft;y Closed ;he d.oT.
He remained perfect',. nulet ard mo- !
uonIess. listening cXpe ~tant'v hut no
one cane in." vie": tre-e Nas no sound
o. further a@"ance a"rcsa the RIA, I.hic !
covered the floor Evidently Inc re so, !
who had entered the room was waiting !
70 discover y the stroke OF the bcIl ha : {
oeen an accident. or If it had been J,,na
With Intelligence and purpose
Well. wei We H. hc eYciairnad /
petUlantiy. and was again suroriSed Nv !
the sound Of a voice which he could !
barelV recognize as his own /
Something resembling q gasp Of min !
CLEO measure and dread replioH to him. !
The de 'cate swish Of si'ken SIX IT'S feIl |
upon his ears. The figure of a woman /
ghded almos noiseiessly to the b I'd
side. raised big eyes and met hers and !
Then stai ed en- and on at hc- in speech
less amsZe;nent !
She was the woman OF the ;ayicab,
He recognized her Instantly. Incred-
uity became certainty. Asto7ishment
held him In its grip utterly silent. He
asked himself what sort Of ncrcromancy
Was this. wFich conjureo up before his
eyes the face and form of tie on'v per-
son who had befIiended him since his
unfortunate out awry?
lie knew ii to be true that she was
mere beside him. looking down upon
him with a kindly smile In her eyes and
upon her lips-and yet he doubted the
truth Of il. too.
You are better" she said II am
glad And she reached out and laid
one soft palm gently upon hts forehead
What has happened?' he managed
- .tsk her. She replied stu smiling: