The Washington times., 1913-11-26
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
~ INGHAM HARVARD realized
x that he had need of the imme,
- date attention of a competent
surgeon, although he was also
convinced that the wound he had re-
ceived was not serious; else he mus
have experienced more Inconvenience
from it than he had done.
He might have dressed the wound
himself, and would doubtless have done
so, had facilities been procurable. But
he had been driven from the house
where he had taken a room the pre-
ceding day, having paid for Ii a week
in advance, in the belief that he could
So direct his own movements that he
might occupy it that long without dis
covery.
But fate had decreed otherwise.
The small chain of events which had
begun with the meeting between Lady
Kate and Rushton, which had contin-
ued with Ruston's determination TO
spy upon the young woman, and which
counter with her, had rendered him
again homeless. The one fortunate cir
cumstance of the whole affair was the
fact that he had been so near % that
house to which he possessed a key at
the moment of the attack upon him
tured or killed.
That act of his in pitching forward
into the vestibule of the house while
Rushton was firing at him was strategy
intended to deceive Rushton. More than
nkely the bullet would not have touched
him had he not done that.
When he walked so swiftly away from
Katherine, leaving her at the cab, he
was thoroughly alive to the fact that
the wound must have attention, and
that because he was without place and
the necessaries to giev it that atten-
ton, ne must, perforce, apply to sur
geon.
He recalled one-only because he had
frequently noticed the sign on the
house beside the door-in an adjoining
street. He went there, and it so hap
Iened that he turned the corner from
the avenue at the instant when the cab
with Katherine for 1t passenger darted
irto view.
The keen-eyed black man saw him
and followed. Those same eyes discov-
eIed him as he mounted the steps az
the doctors house, but the cab did not
alter its direct course until il had passed
the street and was out Of sight just be-
yond the intersection
Then the black man sprang to the
pavement and ran back until he could
peer into the street, where presently
he saw the doctors door swing ajar.
After some sort of parley ct the door
way, which might have endured for
peared into the house. Then the black
man returned to his mistress and re-
ported.
Bingham Harvard's gentility of ap-
pearance and demeanor was never lack
ing. The hour was approaching three
in the morning, and the doctor re-
sronded to the summons at his door in
person.
and have received a bullet wound. ]
have no idea that it is serious. but 1
would like to have you examine It."
HSrvaro announced with that direct
ness Of speech which was character
istic with him.
The doctor was silent for a moment
before he replied He was startled by
what he saw, for it happened that he
instantly recognized the man on his
doorstep. But he did not make that
fact manifest.
His hesitation quickly passed. He had
decided what he would do. One Of the
capacities he filled was that of police
surgeon. AS such he had been shown
the photograph of the Night Wind He
knew the identity of his impromptu pa
tent, therefore, the moment ne opened
the door and had obtained a good look
at him
way through the wide hall toward his
office at the rear.
where is the wound?' he demanded
the moment the door was closed behind
them. - Y on haven't the appearance OF
a man who has been shot"
BY way of reply Harvard removed his
coat and waistcoat-not without a GER
tain Tightening of the lips as he did
so-aEd laid them upon chair. 1t could
be seen then that his shirt at the right
side was stained with red, although not
shockingly so. But II was there. and
enough of il TO excite concern. The doc
TOT aided him in divestfng himself of
the two shirts. The bullet, somewhat
fiattened and misshapen, dropped to the
floor.
II had passed through the contents
of the inside pocket of Harvard's coat.
also through the contents of the upper
waistcoat pocket Uhrough letters and
papers and a thickly filed leather pock-
etbook in the one and a small silver
Cardcase in the other, and had thus
been flattened and DETECTED so that it
had gouged its way just beneath the
skin and against a rib for distance
Of five inches. There il had stopped
and chung until dislOdged by the re-
moval of the shirt.
You've got one fractured rib. which
Will give you very little Inconvenience.
and q slight wound which will only
trouble you by smarting. tie doctor
announced, and at once began prcpa-
rations for dressing IL. There is a
chance that the broken rib may have
Tuptured the pleura. Time will tell that
You will have to keep quiet for a few
days, and / should advise you that you
avoid taking cold
He prepared a basin with some sort of
antiseptic and brought out some alb
soTbent cotton. Then he stopped for a
moment, as he was about TO begin
bathing the wound, and was apparently
thoughtful for a time; then he stepped
backward a pace and gave the bunch
OF cotton into the Night Winds hand.
"Will you battle il yourself with this
antiseptic for a moment?" he asked
He made no excuses for leaving the
room. Had he done so Harvard might
have been suspicious. AS 1t was. Har
ward was not so.
But the doctor, once outside the Of
fice with the door closed behind him,
hastened to the stairs and ran up them
two steps at a time to the second floor.
There was a telephone in the doctors
bed ROOM From 1t. by turning down
switch, connection could be cut off
from the telephone in the office.
The good doctor, in the belief that he
was aiding justice, called up police
headquarters. and for a moment he
talked rapidly. Then. replacing the re
ceiver, he seized upon a small bottle
OF liquid from a shelf near him and
returned hastily to the office.
The Night Wind was still diligently
employed in bathing the wound he had
received-and his own judgment had
already informed him that it was far
from being a serious affair. He knew'i
that he might easily have cared for IL