Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-11-25

one serviceable eye. The other or
gan, atrophied and shrunken in its
socket, lent an expression to the cruel
| face once seen never to be forgotten.
Ones antipathies are hard thing
to explain, particularly when they ap-
ply to strange persons with whom
one has never exchanged a word. l
conceived dislike for these visitors
as soon as / laid eyes upon them.
Ugly in person as was the man in
Cot IL, there was some spark in his
doglike brown eyes that kindled re-
sponsive flame. Countrymen of John
Doe or not, my sixth sense told me
that their presence in Surgical 13 was
not to the advantage of the wounded
man.
Miss Prendergast led the way to the
corner cot of our unidentified patient,
and was about to follow, when once
more the ward door swung open to ad-
nit white-swathed post-operative
from the amphitheatre above.
1t was case which kept me busy
for fully ten minutes. When 1 turned
again to Cot ~, it was to see Miss
Julia demonstrating with the bearded
visitor.
"Mac!" she called, as she caught
my eye.
Instantly l sprang across the ward
in time to see the man with the with
cred eye withdraw his hand from be-
meath John Does pillow. And the
man with the beady eyes and saffron
skin was actually sitting upon the cot
of the sufferer.
"They're annoying this poor man."
complained Miss Julia, her eyes snap
ping. "Make them get out, or send
for policeman from the prisoners
ward"
A glance at John Doe corrobo-
rated the nurses statement, as his
face plainly showed annoyance.
Fear, coupled with defiance, was
written plainly on the sunken face. A
trembling index-fnger was pointed ac-
cusingly at the bearded visitor; and
from the lips of the sufferer poured
forth a volley of words in the un-
+, known language.
| Stronger and clearer grew his voice
until the deep tones rang through the
ward, disturbing and arousing the
other patients.
"Put 'em out!" yelled a bandage-
swathed truckman from his cot across
the ward
l was about to twist my hand into
the collar of the nearest of the tor
mentors, when a combination of con-
ditions caused me to suspend action
for the time being.
Firstly, noted with surprise that
ell three of the visitors were, so far as
/ could see, Scared as was John Doe
Their soft shirts and rolling collars
displayed tawny throats scored to the
chins.
In the case of the bearded man, his
neck where visible bore the same dis
tictive cicatrices. Alike, the hands
and wrists of the unsavory trio were
marked and pitted with the same vari-
colored phenomena.
| Likewise, they were sun-bitten and
'gaunt, as if for years tropical suns
and fevers had been gnawing at their
brains and vitals.
But most surprising of all the
bearded man spoke language that
the man in Cot IL could understand
for, as the voice of the latter weak
, ened and died away, Blackboard be-
gan to speak in low tones.
And the wounded man understood
, for as the purring, wheedling bass
tones came to his ears he waved tht
other way, and what judged to be ;
negative came explosively from thu
, parched lips.
) "Here," said I, putting my hand OF
the whiskered mans shoulder, "you'l
| have to stop that and get out of her
mighty quick"
He drew back. The man sitting OF
e the cot rose to his feet, and the mai
with the shrunken eye turned his use
] full organ full upon me.
e "Go on!" I urged. "Get out. Al
: of you'll"
t An ugly look swept over the face O
r the man 1 had my hand on. H
r shook off my grasp and muttere
: something to his two companions.
Then and there it occurred to m
a that these rascals might be respons
BILE for the plight of the sorely wount
e ed man.
d / drew back step or two. ha
no idea of facing unarmed three sue
J. rough-looking characters. Then, bt
n r ~ II. 81 l.