Call Mr. Fortune | Page 7

spite of the
morning air, and her face had grown haggard. " Something'll snap,"
Reggie was saying to himself, when a voice behind him said aloud,
"Nice car, sir." He jumped round and saw standing at his elbow that
ordinary, sturdy man who was Lomas's companion. "After all, there's
nothing like an English car," said this stolid person.
"Oh. You've noticed that?" Reggie said. "You do notice something,
then?"
"Of course we aren't gifted, sir. But we're professional. Something in
that, don't you think? Yes, sir, as you say: we have noticed something.
It was a foreign car, and foreign tyres did the trick last night. And the
Archduchess drives English. And yet-did you know we had the other
half of the hatpin? I picked it up last night." He held out a scrap of steel
with a big head of wrought silver. "German work, they tell me."
"Viennese," Reggie said.
"You know everything, sir. Such a convenience. But Vienna being
quite near Bohemia, as I've heard- looks awkward, don't it?"
"Is that what you came to say?"

"Not wholly, sir. No. I am Superintendent Bell. Mr. Lomas sent me to
you. He considered you might find it convenient to have some one in
the house who could keep an eye open."
"Very kind of Mr. Lomas."
There was a tap at the door. The Archduke Leopold's valet appeared.
The Archduke Leopold was much surprised that Dr. Fortune had not
brought him news of the patient. The Archduke Leopold desired that Dr.
Fortune would come to him immediately.
"Really? " Reggie said. "Dr. Fortune's compliments to the Archduke,
and he is much occupied. He can give the Archduke a few moments."
The valet, having the appearance of a man who has never been so
surprised in his life, retired.
"It's a gift," Superintendent Bell murmured. "It's a gift, you know. I
never could handle the nobs."
Reggie began to get together some odds and ends; a bottle full of tiny
white tablets, a graduated glass, a jug of water, a hypodermic syringe.
"You'd better clear out, you know," he said to Superintendent Bell.
"Will he come?"
"He'll come all right," Reggie said, and took off his coat. When he
turned, Superintendent Bell had vanished.
"Just setting the stage, sir? " said a voice from behind the curtain.
"Confound your impertinence," Reggie growled. "Here -- "
But the Archduke came in. He was now a decoration in a russet brown.
"You are very mysterious, Dr. Fortune," he complained. "I expect more
frankness, sir."
"My patient is my first consideration, sir."

"I desire that you will consider my anxieties. Well, sir, how is my
brother?"
"You may give yourself every hope of his recovery, sir."
The Archduke looked round for a chair and was some time in finding
one. "This is very good news," he said slowly, and slowly smiled.
"Mon Dieu, doctor, it seems too good to be true! Last night you told me
to fear the worst."
'' Last night - was last night, sir,'' Reggie said. '' This morning we begin
to see our way. All the symptoms are good. I believe that in a few
hours the patient will be able to speak."
"To speak? But the concussion? It was so dangerous. But this is
bewildering, doctor."
"Most fortunate, sir. You might talk of the hand of Providence. Well,
we shall see what we shall see. He may be able to tell you something of
how it all happened. You'll pardon me, I'm anxious to prepare the
injection." He dropped a tablet in the glass and poured in water. "Fact is,
this ought to make all the difference. Wonderful things drugs, sir. A
taste of strychnine - one of these little fellows - and a man has another
try at living. Two or three of 'em - just specks, aren't they? - sudden
death. Excuse me a moment. I must take a look at the patient."
He was gone some time.
When he came back the Archduke was still there. "All goes well,
doctor?"
"I begin to think so."
"I must not delay you. My dear doctor! If only your hopes are realized.
What happiness!" He slid out of the room.
Reggie went to the table and picked up the glass of strychnine solution.
From behind the curtain Superintendent Bell rushed out and caught his

arm. "Don't use it, sir," he said hoarsely. Superintendent Bell was
flushed.
"Don't be an ass," said Reggie. He put the glass down, took up the
bottle of tablets, turned them out on a sheet of paper, and began to
count them.
"Good Lord!" said Superintendent Bell. "You laid for him, did you?
What a plant!"
"You know, you're an impertinence," Reggie said, and went on
counting.
"I'll get on to Mr. Lomas, sir," said the