Meanwhile, Captain Harrison of the Medical Corps entered the Conover

apartment briskly.

"You old vagabond, what have you been up to? I beg pardon!"--as he saw

Kitty emerge from behind Cutty's bulk.

"This is Miss Conover, Harrison."

"Very pleased, I'm sure. Luckily my case was in the coat room at the

club. I took the liberty of telephoning for Miss Frances, who returned

on the same ship with me. I concluded that your friend would need a

nurse. Let me have a look at him."

Callously but lightly and skillfully the surgeon examined the battered

head. "Escaped concussion by a hair, you might say. Probably had his cap

on. That black eye, though, is an older affair. Who is he?"

"I suspect he's some political refugee. We don't know a thing about him

otherwise. How soon can he be moved?"

"He ought to be moved at once and given the best of care."

"I can give him that in my eagle's nest. Harrison, this chap's life is

in danger; and if we get him into my lofty diggings they won't be able

to trace him. Not far from here there's a private hospital I know. It

goes through from one street to the next. I know the doctor. We'll have

the ambulance carry the patient there, but at the rear I'll have one

of the office newspaper trucks. And after a little wait we'll shoot the

stretcher into the truck. The police will not bother us. I've seen to

that. I rather believe it falls in with some of my work. The main idea,

of course, is to rid Miss Conover of any trouble."

"Just as you say," agreed the surgeon. "That's all I can do for the

present. I'll run down to the entrance and wait for The nurse."

"Will he live?" asked Kitty.

"Of course he will. He is in good physical condition. Imagine he has

simply been knocked out. Serious only if unattended. Your finding him

probably saved him. Twelve hours will tell the story. May be on his feet

inside a week. Still, it would be advisable to keep him in bed as long

as possible. Fagged out, I should say, from that beard. I'll go down and

wait for Miss Frances."

"And ring three tunes when you return," advised Cutty.

"All right. Did they try to strangle him or did he have something round

his neck?"

"Hanged if I know."

"All out of the room now. I want it dark. Just as soon as the nurse

arrives I'll return. Three rings." Harrison left the apartment.




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