The Washington times., 1917-12-16
DRACULA,
OR
THE VAMPIRE
By BRAN STOKER.

he saw Renfeld on the ground he
looked keenIy at him a moment and
then turned to me. think he reeog-
nized my thought in my eyes, for he
SAID quietly manifestly for the ears OF
the attendant:
"Ahia sad accident. He will need
very careful watching. Rnd much at
tention. Eshall stay With you my
self; but / shall first dress myself.
II you will remain shall in few
minutes join you"
The patient was now breathing
stertorously and It was easy to see
that he had suffered some terrible
injury. Van HeIsing returned with
extraordinary \celerity. bearing with
him surgical case. He had evident
ly been thinking and had his mind
made up, for. almost before he looked
at the patient, he whispered TO me:
VAN HELsING DIsMIssEs
ALL THE ATTENDANTS.
"send the attendant away. We
must be alone with him when he be-
comes conscious, after the operation
So 1 said:
81 think that will do now, Simmons.
We have done all that we can at pres
ent. You had better go your round,
and DR.. Van Helsing will operate.
Let me know instantly II there be
anything unusual anywhere"
The man withdrew, and we went
into a strict examination OF the pa
tient. The wounds OF the face were
superficial; the real injury was 4 de-
pressed fracture OF the skull, extend
ing right up through the motor area
The professor thought q moment and
said:
I'VE must reduce the pressure nnd
get back to normal conditions, as far
as can be; the rapidity OF the sur
fusion shows the terrible nature Of
his injury. The whole motor area
seems affected. The suffusion OF the
brain Will increase quickly, SO we
must trephane at once or IL may be
too late"
AS he was speaking there was q
soft tapping at the door. / went over
and opened 1t and found in the corri-
dor without. Arthur and Quincy in
patamas and slippersj the former
spoke:
"I heard your man call up DR.. Van
Helsing and tell him OF an accident.
~ NuAhtCg UT NaAAC4
for him, as he was not asleep. Things
are moving too quickly and too
strangely for sound sleep for any Of
us these times. I've been thinking
that tomorrow night will not rec
things as they have been. Wen aaye
TO look back-and forward title
more than we have done. May We
come in?"
Inodded. and held the door open till
they had entered: then I closed II
again. When Quincy saw the atti-
tude and state OF the patient and
noted the horrible pool on the 1ooI.
he said softly:
MY God! what has happaued to
him? Poor. poor devil,"
/ told him briefly, and added that
we expected he would recover con
sciousness after the operatiOn-for a
short time at all events. He went at
once and sat down on the edge OF the
bed. with Godalming beside him; we
all watched in patience.
I'VE shall wait" said Van Helsing,
"just long enough TO fix the best spot
for trephining, so that we may most
quickly and perfectly remove the
blood clot: for II is evident that the
hemmorhage is increasing"
The minutes during which we wait
ed passed with fearful slowness
had a horrible sinking in my heart,
and from Van Helsing's face I gather
ed that he felt some fear or appre-
hension as to what was to come
dreaded the words that Renfield
might speak. | was positively afraid
to think: but the conviction OF what
was coming was on me. as have read
OF men who have heard the death
watch.
The poor mans breathing came in
uncertain gasps. Each instant he
seemed as though he would open his
eyes and speak: but then would fol-
low a prolonged stertorous breath,
and he would relapse into a more
fixed insensibility. Injured as was TO
sick beds and death. this suspense
grew. and grew upon me. l could al
most hear the beating OF my own
heart: and the blood surEing through
my temples sounded like blows from
a hammer.
The silence finally became aEonIz-
ing. I looked at my companions, one
after another, and saw from their
flushed faces and damp brows that
they were enduring equal torture.
There was a nervous suspense over
us all, as though overhead some dread
bell would peal out powerfully when
we should least expect II.
At last there came a time when Il
was evident that the patient was sink
ing fast: he might die at any moment.
] looked up at the professor and
caught his eyes fixed on mine. His
face was sternly set as he spoke:
There is no time to lose. His words
may be worth many lives: I have been.
thinking so. as / stood here. II may
be there Is a soul at stake! We shall
operate Just above the ear"
(TO be Continued Tomorrov)
(Copyaahtedl