The Washington times., 1938-02-04

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The communicating door was
locked. with the key on my side
I unlocked and opened 1t eau
tiously. The bedlight was burning
in the room, shedding subdued
radiance on the form of woman
writhing there in agony.
The sickly smell Of laudanum
hung in the air. I put my hand
to the Woman's forehead; 1t was
clammy with that special rank
sweat which intense pain induces;
her lips we're twisted with suffer.
ing and her eyes were dull.
"Oh. for PHYS sake, do some
thing she gasped. 4 cannot bear
1t any longer
where is the pain?" asked
gently.
1T is-acute appendicltis-1
know it isl have been warned
l took a medicine-but 1t does
not ease the pain-oh-oh-oh!" "
she moaned.
I always carried a hypodermic
syringe and a mild mixture OF
morphine-one never knew when
1t would be needed, and it was a
memento of my nursing career. In
a few moments, I had injected a
moderate dose.
Gradually. the twisted features
relaxed, life came back to the
glazed eyes. she CROPPED feebly for
my hand and squeezed it.
She looked at m e Ions and
searchingly; faint flush over.
spread her features; she raised
herself weakly, her expression one
of intense excitement: Isolde
you are Isolde, aren't you Oh.
what a miracle!"
NO NAMES, PLEASE
I did not know what it was all
about. but knew that name. 1t
was that Of an almost legendary
figure in German Secret Service.
Hush" I whispered, "hush-no
names, please
Forgive met was the shock
of meeting you thus-just at the
moment when I need help "
Yes? What help do you need?"
1T is about the Street OF the
Dead Tree ="
"Yes?" I prompted. I did not
know anything about the Street Of
the Dead Tree.
In a few hurried sentences, she
told me a strange story. In the
Street of the Dead Tree, there was
q little house, belonging to Hadji
Ala. officially a curio and Oriental
carpet dealer, secretly, the leader
of the anti-Ally faction of Arab
Moslems. On the morrow. three
men were to come to that house,
with important reports. My pa
tient had been sent from Holland
to collect the reports and bring
them back.
But why PariS?" I asked.
She smiled wryly. Il do not
know. You should know. I am
but a courier"
Tell me all about it," I COM
manded. What do you want me
to do? Take your place? Do they
know you Do others expect you?"
They expect me-" she said,
"they never know the courier be.
forehand. We have credentials
and password :"
CALLS DOCTOR
The credentials consisted of half
a visiting card, cut out in the shape
of crescent. Joined to the other
half, which Hadji Ali had, it made
the whole of the design. she ex-
planned. The password was
Mecca" which had to be given
while handing the bit of bristol.
Don't worry any more" I told
her. I'm going to telephone for
a doctor. I'll look after you and
the whole business"
went downstairs and tele-
phoned the Chief, giving him the
story in a few words, and asked
him to come at once, with safe"
doctor, then I returned to the sick
room.
1t was. the doctor said, burst
appendix and there was need for
an emergency operation. He gave
the patient another shot of NOR
phlne and soon had her carried
out to an ambulance, having made
all the necessary arrangements at
a nearby nursing home.
Alone, the Chief and went over
the evidence we had secured in
such an unexpected manner. Be.
fore started for the rendezvous
on the following day, rang up the
nursing home. The operation, I
was told, had been successful but
there was a threat of peritonitis
setting in; the patient was very
weak and delirious; she kept talk.
ing OF Isolde" and of the Street of
the Dead Tree"
A SIDE STREET
The street in question is mean
little thoroughfare, tucked away
behind the palatial Lutetia Hotel,
1t was easy to find the house of
HadJ1 Ali, the curio and carpet
dealer; one-story, leprous little
house, the shop occupying the en-.
tire ground floor. 1t was dark
in the shop.
The man who rose from a bale
Of carpets in the corner wore the
dark gandhoura of the Tunis
Arabs and the green turban of the
Mecca pilgrim. He was tall and of
noble, Swarthy features, with a
large, hooked, predatory nose and
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