The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-22

(which is in itself a monotonous oc-
i cupation.''
"Oh, my night could not be called
monotonous," said he and laughed.
! He laughed very heartily, with a high,
ringing note, leaning back in his chair
and shaking his sides. All my med
lical instincts rose up againts that
| laugh.
Stop it," l cried; pull yourself to-
/ gether." and | poured out some water
from a caraffe.
1t was useless. however He was
off in one of those historical out
bursts which come upon a strong ma
ture when some great crisis is over
and gone. Presently he came to him
self once more. very weary and blush
| ing holly.
Il have been making a fool of N.Y.
self" he gasped
| Not at all. Drink this" | dashed
some brandy into the water, and the
color began to come back to his blood
less cheeks.
That's better!" said he. And now,
| doctor, perhaps you would kindly at
tend to my thumb, or rather to the
place where my thumb used to be-"
He unwound the handkerchief and
held out his hand. 1t gave even my
hardened nerves shudder to look at
1t. There were four protruding fling
ers and horrid red, spongy surface
where the thumb should have been.
! 1t had been hacked or torn right out
| from the roots.
! Good heavens" | cried. this is 4
| terrible injury 1t must have hled con.
siderably."
es, 1t did. | tainted when ii was
done, and | think that l must have
oeen senseless for long time When
came to | found that it was still
bleeding, so tied one end of my hand
kerchief very tightly round the wrist.
and braced it up with a twig"
Excellent, You should have been
a surgeon"
1T is question of hydraulics. YOU
see and came within my own prov
iince"
This has been done" said | ey.
amining the wound by a very heavy
and sharp instrument
"A thing like cleaver," said he.
| An accident, | presume?"
by no means"
what. murderous attack"
Very murderous indeed"
/ You horrify me-"
sponged the wound, cleaned if
dressed it, and finally covered it over
with cotton wadding and carbolized
bandages. He lay back without win
eng, though he bit his lip from time tc
time.
How is that?" l asked, when l had
! finished.
Capital, Between your brandy and
your bandage, l feel new man.
was very weak, but have had a good
deal to go through"
, Perhaps you had better not speaL
OF the matter 1t is evidently tryins
, to your nerves"
oh no, not now. | shall have t.
tell my tale to the; but. between
ourselves, if it were not for the con
vlnclng evidence of this wound O
mine, l should be surprised if they be
4, illeVed my statement; for it is a very
extraordinary one, and l have no
, much IN the way of proof with VIII
, 10 back 1t up; and even if they be
lleVe me, the clews which | can give
mem are so vague. that it is a ques
tlon whether justice will be done"
"Ha," cried I, eff it is ANYTHING il
the nature of problem which you de
sire to see solved, l should stronsl,
recommend you to come to my frient
MI Sherlock Holmes before you 20 t.
. the official police"
, oh, / have heard of that fellow.
; answered my visitor, and I should b
;, very glad if he would take the matte
up, though of course I must use tn
! official police as we'll Would yo
: give me an Introduction to him?''
81 III do better. I'll take you roun
TO him myself"