The Washington times., 1937-02-15

/ CHAPTER XIV
DR.. Stafford's lengthy letter
was, he felt, the most interest
ing communication ne had ever
received. And this was saying
much. for no small part Of Dean
Harcourt's daily labor was the
handling of correspondence volu-
minous in bulk and confidential
in character.
He had almost given up hope
of hearing from Stafford. Two
months had gone by since his mys-
titled receipt of the newspaper
clipping and his own prompt re-
, ply to it.
An invisible spectator, on that
occasion, would have decided that
Dean Harcourt had encountered
a difficult problem. He had read
the clipping through several times
with alternating smiles and
frowns. Then he had slowly re-
laxed in his tall chair, tipped
back his head and with half-cloSed
eyes had sat for long time medl-
tatively tapping his tightly pursed
lips with his gold pince-nez.
AS for the clipping itself, de-
duction was simple enough. Paige
had evidently fallen in with an
other gentleman-vagabond VIII 0
had met with an accident fore
ing them into the nearest hospi-
tai. They had refused to give
their names, which seemed un-
necessarily imprudent in Palge's
case, whatever good-or bad-rea-
sons the other man may have
had.
No-the real mystery Of this
affair concerned this DR.. Sidney
Stafford's strange action in mail
ing him the clipping unaccompa-
MED by a note of explanation
sent by air, too, as If he had
thought its prompt delivery i'm
portant. And the return address
on the envelope clearly limited
that a reply was expected.
"Harcourt''- was the way
it had been sent. Just H r
court" nothing more-except the
street and house number. Not
even Mr.. HarcoUrt."
1t was obvious that Paige had
not voluntarily provided the ad-
dress. What other conclusion
could be arrived at but that the
name had been found on his per
son and probably used without his
knowledge? The whole affair
was very odd. The Dean had pom
dered deeply for half-hour. Then
he had reached for a sheet of sta
tionery.
Dear DR.. Stafford" he wrote,
The only dog I know ma ned
Sylvia belongs to an exception
ally able and trustworthy young
man of thirty-one whose decision
to conceal his identity is inconven-
lent and embarrassing to himself
and his friends, but reflects no dis
credit on him.
IF this unidentified young man
in your hospital is the person I
have in mind, you may be assured
of his integrity. If he is in diff
Guilty, please wire me collect. I
shall be obliged to you for further
information"
And now-two months after
ward-Dr. Stafford had written
this unusual letter from Wendell
ton, Montana . The Dean read
it with absorbing interest.
The first page offered a brief
apology for the manner in which
the clipping had been sent, veri-
fled the Deans guess that Paige'S
pockets had furnished the blunt
address, and explained the writ
er's special reasons for wanting
to identify his patients to the full
satisfaction of the Gray Lode Min
ing Corporation.
On the second page Stafford
had explained the nature of his
own work in the Research Labor
atory in Montana, the circum-
stances for his brief supervision
of the mine hospital, the reasons
for his sudden return to take
command of the laboratory, and
Paiges impulsive decision to go
along.
He has talked so much about
you, sir" continued the letter,
that I feel acquainted with you.
This lonesome and dangerous
business has made close friends
of Paige and me. haven't felt
like telling him that I had in
formed you of his being in the
hospital. 1t was an underhanded
trick-my sending you that clip
ping-and Paige wouldn't like to
know that I had done it. Conse-
quently, he does not know that
had a letter from you, and Of
course does. not know that 1 am
writing this.
Ito Be COntlnued)
Copyright, 1887, by Lloyd G. Douglas,