The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1913-06-12
A DOCTORS
STORY
By EDWIN CONSTABLE. j..

heard. asked the person at the
phone how he came to call upon me.
and he could give no reason. But he
said there was young girl there who
had received an injury and IL he could
not get a doctor for her soon be feared
she would die. he had called up sew
eral doctors and all had refused to
come.
"For heavens sake, doctor" he add
ed, don't leave US with dying wo-
man on our hands. Well pay what
we canp'
l lived on a street which. though 1t
was eminently respectable, was not
far distant from a district which was
quite the reverse. decided to walk
rather than take out my chauffeur, who
had driven me a good deal late at
night recently and was tired out.
The man at the phone had given me
the street and number. and as / pro-
ceeded saw that I was in the worst
part Of. the town. The house itself
was neither good nor bad, the worst
thing about 1t being Its surroundings
hesitated for a moment, then rang
the bell. A woman came to the door,
and I noticed that instead Of hurryins
me to the sickroom she looked out
through the open doorway to see
whether had come by conveyance.
did you walk. doctors" she asked.
Yes. Why do you wish to know
thetr'
"oh. nothing. Most doctors 60
about in automobiles nowadays"
This interest in how I had come In
creased my suspicious, especially since
the call had been 80 urgent AS
passed through the hall to room IN
the rear noticed that there was little
or no furniture In the house. Indeed.
It was what we call vacant, and the
people in it had come into 1t for a
purpose. What that purpose was |
could only conjecture. If it was to
rob me / had no arms with which to
defend myself.
AS soon as / had entered the room
/ saw that l had not been called to
visit a patient The only furniture in
It was a rickety chair. Two men were
there. and the woman who had admit
ted me remained without. locking the
door. The two men looked me over
without saying anything.
where is the padentT' I asked.
There is no patient here" replied
one of the men. What we want is
money. Write Us a check on your
bank for 5000, and tomorrow after
we have drawn the amount we will let
you CO."
"And If ! refuser'
The spokesman shrugged bis shoul'
ders, and the other man felt some
thing inside the shabby coat he wore
which supposed to be a knife.
knew that all this was to terrify me.
IT haven't 5000 in bank" said.
MY balance Is little over $500. II !
remember correctly. will give you q
check for $500"
The men withdrew to q corner,
where they held a consultation IN
whispers. Presently they came to ne
and said that II I would make It sure
they could get the money On the check
they would accept the amount, and !
wrote a note to a friend OF mine
asking him 10 draw the funds and
give them to the bearer Of the check.
This satisfied them, and there seemed
nothing to do but for me to sit on the
rickeV chair till the next morning and
a. much longer as was needed for my
captors to get safely away.
One OF the men went out; the Other
remained with me. chatted with hin
for awhile, apparently making the
best Of the situation. Suddenly snin
ed the air suspicieusly.
There's ozone in this ROOM" said
affecting to be much frightened Il
there was anything In the air 1t wal
not ozone; 1t was rather the want OF It
whats thatr' asked the man.
"Have you got ozone" I asked tht
man, approaching him and smiling thu
air as did 80. Then. putting my nose
to bis sleeve, / added: "You have 1t
Let me get out Of here. don't want
to die with you"
The man looked at me, evidently
somewhat frightened. and asked
What Is 1t, doctorT .... .,.,
"Do you know what leprosy isr
EYES,"
"Well, ozone Is a similar disease
though It works much quicker. Ii
two weeks you will be dead man"
he turned pale, but kept enough
nerve to look at me with an inquirine
glance that knew was to determine
my sincerity.
"Let me out" l repeated 1.-THE dis
ease is contagious" | kicked furiouslJ
on the door. The other man came 1r
to learn what was the halter. ! told
him his friend had q disease thai
would carry him of possibly in few
days, and If be didn't get away from
it he would come down with 1t him
self. / persisted till had got then
frightened. Then they asked If