The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-09-18
"The CreyiCe"
BY VIM. j. Burns and Isabel Ostrander

Il was lie ddown thickly carpeted
hall and up single long flight of
stairs, to door just at its head. We
entered; the door closed softly behind
US; and the bandage was whipped from
my eyes. There was only low night
light burning in the room, but made
out the outlines of the furniture. There
was great bed over in the corner,
with motionless figure lying upon it.
There's your patient, Doc; 90
ahead my burly friend said, and &C
cordingly l approached the bed, asking
at the same time for more light The
young man was unconscious, and in
answer to question of mine the at.
tendant who had sat at the head Of the
bed as we entered informed me that
he had been in complete state of
coma since he had been brought there,
several days before.
II remembered the description in
your letter Of the subject for whom
you we're searching, and | fancied, in
spite Of the bandages which swathed
his head, that recognized him in the
young man before me. The lights
flashed on full in answer to my re-
quest, and on sudden decision drew
the watch camera from my pocket
took the patients wrist between my
thumb and finger as if to ascertain his
pulse. and snapped his picture. The
result was fortunate chance, for did
not dare focus deliberately, with the
eyes Of the attendant and the three
men who had accompanied me, all d..
rected at my movements.
Then gave the patient thorough
examination. found fracture at the
base of the brain-not necessarily
fatal, unless cerebral meningitis sets
in, but quite serious enough. He was
still bleeding little from the nose and
ears. / washed them out, and packed
the ears with sterile gauze, leaving in
structions that a specially prepared
ice cap be placed at once upon his
head and kept there. That was all
which could be done at that time. but
the patient should have constant,
watchful attention. He must either
have suffered a severe backward fall,
or received violent blow at the base
of the skull, to have sustained such
an injury.
when had finished, they blindfold-
ed me again. led me from the room,
and conveyed me home in the same
manner in which had come, with the
possible exception that the car in re-
turning seemed to take different and
more direct route: the journey ap-
peared to be much shorter one, with
fewer twists and turns. The same
three men came back to the house
with me, and entered my office, where
the burly one turned over to me ten
fve.hundred. dollar bills. They left al
most Immediately. and although It
was close to dawn, went into my dark
room, and developed the negative OF
the thumbnail photograph had taken.
"The events of the night had been
SO extraordinary that when l did re.
tire. II was long before could sleep.
In the morning, l made couple OF
prints from the negative, then took the
Ave thousand dollars down and depos-
tied It to my account in the bank"
when I decided to come here. ran
over in my mind every moment of the
previous nights adventure, to cata-
logue my impressions. The habit OF
years has made me methodical In all
things, and jotted them down in the
order in which they occurred to me,
that I might not forget to relate them
to you. Memory plays one sad tricks,
sometimes, when one reaches my age. |
These notes may be Of no assistance
to you. sir. but they are entirely at
your service"
Il am eager to hear them, Doctor.
only wish all witnesses were like
you-my tasks would be lightened by
half" Blaine said, heartily.
The elderly physician drew from his
pocket a paper. at which he peered,
painstakingly.
Il have numbered them. Let me
see-oh, yes. First. the burly man
walks with a slight limp in the right
leg. Second, of the two men with him,
ali | could note was that one spoke
with decided French accent and had
a hollow cough, tuberculosis. think;
the other, who scarcely uttered word,
was short and stocky. and of enormous
strength. He fairly lifted me into and
out of the car when l was blindfolded
ut the entrance Of the place they cal.