Family Heirloom

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12403, 12 July 1902, Page 5

Family Heirloom

LIVER KIDNEY.bISjCASE.

LIVER SYMPTOMS WELL DESCRIBED.

The Case of Mr, R. lIODNET.

(By a Duncdin Reporter,)

" There is no doubt," said Mr. Richard Hodnet, of No. 1' Walker Avenue, Dunedin, " that my many years of suffering from rheumatism completely undermined my health in every respect.' iuieurnatism is a legacy handed down from my forefathers, all of whom were victims to that complaint. Being hereditary, there is every probability that all the members of. our familj-will be affected by that painful disease! But what I have to speak about mostly just now is in reference to an attack of kidney and liver disease which I did uofc get rid of for about eight years." " A long term of sickness, Mr. Hodnet. What were your symptoms like?" enquired the reporter. ''1 commenced to suffer dreadfully with headaches, which had such a blinding effect upon my eyes that I could hardly see to read or write. Each meal was characterised by the most repulsive pains jn the stomach, when I always experienced a terrible griping sensation in that quarter, as if the food had turned bad and bad no means of escape. Then, quite suddenly, a nasty bile used to rise to my mouth, and the sour food used t<* vomited up. When the stomach was empty I had long spells of belching afterwards, and then the pain would ease a little. These symptoms.were sometimes vaiied by violent attack of windy spasms, which made my heart take to violent palpitations, when I was nearly seared out of my life with the way that organ used to thump against my ribs. Between my shoulders I had a sensation as though a dozen needles wore being thrust into me, whilst in my loius was an ever-existing agony which I cannot adequately de--ici'ibe.r-Whenever I drew a decn breath the agonies in the region of my heart were something never to be forgotten, and my breathing was always frightfully bad, owing to a stuffy feeling in my chest, which felt as tight as a drum. The dainty food that was served up to me was usually difficult to swallow, on account of an extreme soreness of my throat, Added to these maladies, I had an occasional dry,' hacking cough, which "emetimes alternated with the expec- ' oration of phlegm. I felt miserable and 'ired from daylight till dark, without '■he least inclination for work, pleasure, >r anything else. As my kidneys became more diseased with the advance of ':ime, so also did my daily tortures increase. In the lower portion of my back [ had acute pains which made me groan tloud. It was a matter of impoSsibilty for me to stoop to put on my boots, and if I had dropped a fifty-pound note in the street I could not have succeeded •n picking it up. If I walked a little distance I was pulled up abruptly by the harp pains in my heart, which'l firmly believed was diseased; but before I had travelled very far I lvaa perfectly exhausted."

"Judging from what- you have told sie you must have been very weak." "I should rather think I was weak, f became so debilitated that some days I •ould scarcely stand whilst I put 011 my slothes, and as for doing a day's work —well, I could not have done it for all tho tea iu China. I experienced a conlucwent of the bowols for two or three lays at a stretch, and after that I was -oized with attacks of diarrhcea; the 'irine was scanty and high-coloured, rho smell of my breath was most offensive, and, combined with the bitter tasto in my mouth, made me feci continually inclined to bo sick. I could uover understand how it was that I felt so languid and sleepy all day, aud yet I could not got to sleep at night. My mind was ill at easo as year after year passed by without any sign of a change ' "■ +ho better, and it was at night mostly that I ufted to ruminate over the gloomy future that was apparently iu store for me.J" The unhealthy activity of my brain was" a strikiug feature of the weakening effects of my complaints. I used to lie thinking firm's about one thing and then another all night along, iffig fftisa I ifti tagaLWJJ waa tovdfr

able to rise. Such a. haggard face you never saw. I had 110 colour v/liatsoover, and tho black, marks under my eyes and the deep lines in my forehead bespoke of- the mental anxieties and physical sufferings I endured. The symptoms of indigestion were now more aggravating than ever. The skin over my body was a dirty yellow colour, and I got as nervous and fretful as a child. If the butcher or baker announced their arrival in their usual manner by calling out, I gob quite a 'start,!''and commenced trembling all over, whilst the conversation of people who happened to call only j&rred 011 my nerves and made me irritable, frothing waa pleasant or agreeable, and I suffered from a general foeling of discontent which must' have had a prejudicial effect upon those with whom I .was brought in contact. But my friends pitied me, and indeed, I was deserving of sympathy, for my life was a living torment. If I had a short doze during the day I was made restless and uncomfortable by frightfully hideous dreams which made me loathe the idea of falling asleep., My emaciated fra«ne iras thoroughly bent up with paiu. I could not move without sufforing acutely, and if death had hailed me I would have welcomed it with ioy." " What kind of attention did yen receive ?"

" Considering that' I was so bad that I had to go to the hospital you may know that' I wanted the very host attention obtainable, and I must say that I got it, but the medical men did not understand my case—at least, t-hoy could not relieve me. Wheu I loft the hospital I was fairly done up and disheartened, but I was soon under the care of another doctor, who said my internal, organs were, very much diseased. After being under his treatment for a long time without any good results I discontinued Ilia services and engaged another doctor, • whose medicinos turned out to be equally unsuccessful.lj>Thus I went on from one'medical rnau to another till I must have been treated by six doctors altogether, and the whole lot of them did not do' me a pennyworth of good. I then thought my disease was incurable, and I was so worked up with a feeling of melancholy that I dare not even hone."

"Did you try any medicines besides the doctors' ?"

"Yes; till I was sick aud tired of trying. Ido not think there is a modicine placed upon the market which I have not'given a fair chance. They '.vera all the same—not worth the cork they were stopped up with. There is an exception to every rule, however, aud Qlenionts Tonic proves the truth of this saying. Yes; a friend told, me that Clements Tonic had cured him, aud asked mo to give it a trial. I bought a bottle of Clemonts Tonic and it did me so much good I was encouraged to keep 011 with it. _ I felt the awful stomach and chest pains getting easier and easier till they faded away, and I again looked forward to meal time with a hungry interest. By degrees my back was relieved from the agonies which had so often do'iibled me up, and my head became clear. Indigestion troubles were stopped and sleep was restored by Clements Tonic, which ultimately cured my livor and kidney diseases, and made mo sound." "Will you allow me to report your case?" "You may publish these statements in auy way."

And this was so. For Jack with dismay reflected that Nash might have murdered the Count after all. Had he not wild that very morning that the Russian would (rouble Rebekah no more; had he not hidden Jack himself take warning? Perhaps after his quarrel with the Count- he had followed him to the cottage, and when Ivan went towards the sandhills had crept after him to strike him down in a. lit of jealous rage. Jack remembered also how jlie had considered Nash a dangerous ruffian. Appearances were certainly against the husband of Rebekah.

Tyson considered the question, and determined on a course of action. He first sent a telegram to Nicholas, telling him that his mastc-r was dead, and bidding him come down at once. Then Jack went oft' towards the sandhills, not so much to see the body as to find but if the Persian, Hafiz, were still staying in Chesleigh. Waddy hail mentioned that- the Parsce had resided at Mrs Parsons'*. That was just at the foot of the sandhills, and it was in the direction of the sandhills 'that Ivan had gone. Jack knew the neighbourhood well. Here lie had spent the greater part of his hoyhood, and often in the summer mornings when the east was red had he mounted the sandy ridge to rivli down to the embrace of the sea. Why the town had been built, in sncn a place it was hard to say. since the folks who dwelt therein had nothing to do with the sea. On the other side of Chesleigh stretched lines of alluvial land whereon wheat was grown; but towards the sea the ground was bare and treeless, the soil, sandy. At length came the mounds of blown sand, heaped up ridge behind ridge. Over these the long beaches sloped down to the muddy waters of the German Ocean. The sands looked firm enough, and were firm in many places; but here and there were treacherous quicksands, quick to engulf the unwary. Many were the legends that were told about these terrible, insatiable, devouring sands, that had swallowed up men and treasure and animals. < But Jack did not climb the'sandhills at the moment. Ho stopped short at a cottage, which was the last of the straggling houses on this side of the town. It was a lonely cottage set in'the middle of an untidy garden, and was the property of an ancient woman called Parsons, who would: assuredly have been burnt for a witch in days of old. Why the Persian should have taken up his abode with such an old hag and in such a dismal lodging it is hard to say. Jack thought, however, that the man was poor, and chose the cheaper place. Mrs Parsons would board and lodge him for almost nothing, and thus he could keep a watch over the model at the cost of a moderate outlay.

Mrs Parsons tottered to open the weather beaten door herself.

"My gentleman's in, of course," croaked Mrs Parsons, looking wickedly at Jack as though she would have liked to cast a spell upon him; " lie hardly ever goes out."

" Ask him if he will see Mr Tyson." "Oh, I know the name," grumbled the ancient, hag. " Man and boy, I know you! All, and a, nice one you were to steal apples. You should have come to the gallows long ago if all had their rights. Well, I'm going—going," and leaving Jack in the passage—an evil-smelling place—she went in at'a side door to announce his visit.

Shortly she returned to say that "her gentleman" (she never called Hafiz by his name) would see the visitor, and Jack soon found himself seated in a. chair opposite a suave, smiling, tiger of a 1 man, almost obsequious.in his demeanour. Hafiz seemed to have something of the flowery tongue of the Bengal Babu about him, for he drivelled 011, thanking Jack for having called, until that gentleman cut him short. He saw that Hafiz was no easy man to deal with. Moreover, it would seem that he was on his guard. "Let ns come to the point, Mr Hafiz," said Jack impatiently. "Do you know who I am? "

"I have tlie idol, remember, in my house. You have not even the Jade Eye." -.Hafiz moaned. "It is true, it.is true," 1110 whimpered. " and what is the tine withI out the other? But the son of Eblis who

"Certainly, certainly," said the Persian, spreading out his hands. "Count Ivan, my very good friend, told me. Mr Tyson, the nephew of the English gentleman who had the god Jansheo." "Yes. And I have the god Janshee in my own care now. So if you wish to see your god—Count Ivan said that it was your god—you must come to me." "I!" the Parsee spat. "What dirt is this you would make me eat. lam a follower of our holy prophet Zoroaster, 011 whom bo peace. But the idol Janshee is in the Museum," " Not now. I removed it last night. It is now in my cottage. If you have the Jade Eye, Hafiz, you can come and place it in its rightful place." The face of the Persian changed, and he looked grey. " What know you of the Jade Eye, sir?" he asked in shaky voice. "All that Count Ivan could tell me." " And that is not much. I told the Russian a great deal, but not the whole; all, 110. I iun too wise for that. And you knew all?" he jeered. " AlLthat Vassia Koscliei could tell me," said Jack, with a sharp glence to mark the effect of his chance shot. • It went home, for Hafiz stopped Ms smiling and wriggling, and his face took on an expression of terror. "What know you of him?" he asked. "Ah, I do not choose to tell you what I. know," replied Jack, who was completely in the dark, bui did not tell this rogue so. "You can ask himself, Hafiz." " But it is impossible. He is in Siberia," groaned the man, then conscious from Tyson's face that he had said too much, he muttered an oath. "In Siberia? Ah! And Count Ivan comes from Tobolsk!" "Oh, ccrtoinly," chuckled Hafiz so merrily that Jack perceived his mistake. "He came from Tobolst. He said so to you, sir. I know he did." "Well. Wo will see what 'Vassia Koscliei says. He, at least, is in England. " Here?" Hafe looked as though he was about to run away. "It is not. true." "I can prove it to be true," said Jack serenely; " but I alone know where he is to be foijcid. Tell mo your story, Hafiz, and I will take care that iliis man does you no harm." Hafiz, however, recovered hjmself, and proved to be mare cunning than Jack had expected. " Vassia Koscliei can do me no harm," he said composedly, "I knew him in Siberia. A scoundrel." "Ah! So you were in Siberia also?"

" I have been in many places, sir," said the Persian sullenly, " and I know liow to deal with people," he added significantly. "Will you knew how to deal with the

English police?'' Hiifiz grinned and shrugged his shoulders, With his wicked black eyes mid allow face, he looked like a demon; and the round cap with the gold embroidery added to his Oriental appearance. "I have done no wrong," lie said complacently. "It is true that I seek for the Jade Eye, but in such a search there is nothing wrong." "Not wht-u to obtain it a murder is ccmwitted?" "I know nothing of that," retorted the man with a brassy staTe, "Not of the death of Marthas?" said Jack, with a sneer. "Well, we will say that, you are ignorant of that Haliz, But what of the murder of Count Ivan?" If Jack ever suspected Hafiz of being the cause of the Count's death, the illusion was dispelled by his demeanour just now. The Persian sprang up with a grey face and chattering teeth, His hands opening and closing like one insane. "Ivan dead! he gasped, and added a long string of ~words in Persian, which, of course, Jack did not understand. " It's a lie" lie added in Eng. lish. ■" You want to make me talk!" He shook a lean fist' in Jack's face.

"Behave yourself, Hafiz, or I'll.be forced to kick you," said the imperturbable Englishman, "Ivan is dead; —and vou know it."

"Know it! If I had known it—hail!the Jade Eye! How did he die?"

Persian's guilt. " You killed liim, my 1 friend." said .Tack, "as you killed Marthas." I Still Hafiz paid no attention. "Oh! the Jado Eye—the Eye of riches!" lie wailed. "Shall I ever seize thee—" here he eliat into a string, of native words, and anon picked up his English again. "To think that I shotfld have Been so near, yet -never get thee!"

"What do you mean?" asked.Jack suspiciously.

The Parsee seized Jack by the arm and thrust forward a fierce face. "I want to know who killed Ivan," he said, " tell me— tell me! I must get the Eye. Oh! who killed him? I'll make you rich if you will tell me who killed him. The Eye—the Eve!"

"Do you mean to say that Count Ivan had the Jade Eye?" "Yes. He murdered Marthas. He told me so himself. ,He showed me the Eye, and came here to seo . if it could be placed in the socket. But your man—the soldier Waddy—prevented it being done. I was glad—glad. Iran would have got all—all— and-:—"

" All what?" asked Jack, prickin gup his ears,

Hafiz suddenly shut up, and became more composed. "I say no more," he said, "bnt if I can liiid out who killed Ivan, I'll follow him to get the' Jade Eye. Were 1 Ivan's Count killed Marthas? "

"Yes. He was robbed, if that is what you mean." Hafiz moaned, and Jack went on rapidly, " Do you mean to say that the pockets turned out?"

"So lie told me, and w'nat man would put his head into the noose by such a saying if it were not true? The manner of the slaying he did not tell me. But this Ido know, that lie. showed' me the Jade Eye. and made haste to come here that he might " here Hafiz stopped.

"Go on," said Jack Tyson, in perfectly level tones.

"There is 110 more to be said," replied the Persian indifferently.

"He was murdered last night not very far from here—strangled, Hafiz, as Marthas was strangled. But this time they did-not find the white silk handkerchief embroidered with gold. You took it away with you this time, my friend. But the second murder was not so cleverly executed as the first, Hafiz. I am afraid the police will catch you this time. Hafiz paid no attention to the accusation. He walked up and down the room waving his lean amis and talking excitedly to himself. Sometimes he would talk in English, then lie would relapse into some native dialect. He was terribly moved by the news of the murder; Jack could see that, and see also that the man was innocent. His surprise was no mere acting: Bub it was to Mack's interest tojirctcnd to believe in the

flew the BnasiaTt nrasb tero the Eye. I will quickly search/ Mm out. Ia tho inquest to be Md, sir?"

"This afternoon, at Daly's Hotel.' And Jack rose to go.

'"Good," said 1 Hafiz. "I will be there. It maybe that with all-fee talk I may learn somewhat o! this matt who strangled my friend."

" Was he your friend or your enemy, Hafiz?"

" I am a poor man, grve-ine -a copper," whined the Persian in tie true tone of a street beggar. Jack laughed. "Yon are too clever for met But, remember, when the end comes that the last word lies with me. Never shall you touch the idol Janshee unless I know vdiat this quest is about. Now you know."

Hafiz sat down, and witli his beady black eyes watched Jack walking back to the town. Then he said something that was not precisely a blessing. Finally he spat and chuckled. "It is in my mind that things will fall out as I imh" murmured the Parsee. • "Hai! Am I a fool to be cheated by a white-faced Sahib? No! With the day comes the man, and then—" Hafiz opened and closed liis hand convulsively. "It will overflow, with money," he whispered, and chuckled again. Jack walked off sorely puzzled. Hafiz certainly had nbt killed the Count, else he would not have been so disturbed over the loss of the Jade Eye. He declared that Ivan had skyed Marthas for its sake. This also was true, for why should tho Persian tell a lie when no profit wasforthcoming for his trouble? But if Ivan was ' the assassin of the Jew, Rebchh must lenow something about the crime. Only by her evidence could Ivan have proved his'alibi had he got into trouble. But then Eebekah was as mysterious a person to Jack as Ivan had been, as tlie Persian was. .

"Well," said Jack philosophically, "we shall see what comes of the inquest."

(To be continued.)