Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/240

 desperately while he dragged the other to its proper position, talking all the while in that same unknown language. At last we succeeded in getting him to the place where I usually slept and laid him down. In a few moments he sank off to sleep.

Long the Doctor and I sat watching him, discussing his strange condition in all its bearings. The face turned toward us was in no sense Maurice’s; we studied it carefully and were both of the opinion that it was a face in which the  feminine strongly predominated. I took occasion to feel not only of the pulse but also the heart several times. That the pulse had a double action was undeniable, and it was  precisely the same with the heart. We could feel two distinct beats with each throb it gave. The Doctor made a most careful examination of the lungs also, but could detect no difference there.

“One thing is certain, George,” he said at last; “your friend has come back to us in a most remarkable condition. If he survives it will be a miracle. His whole internal organism seems to be deranged.”

“Suppose we call Padma in consultation?” I suggested. “He must be over his anger by this time. I’m sure he will not refuse.”

To this the Doctor agreed, and as he had been the offending party, it was decided that I should be the one to go and fetch the old lama, and I accordingly started down the cave  in the darkness, expecting to see the light which the lamas  always kept burning as soon as I rounded a certain angle,  for between our quarters and those of the lamas the cave  took a sharp turn.

Soon I caught the glimmer of the lamp and hurried forward more rapidly. I thought it a bit strange that I did not see Ni-fan-lu or one of the other lamas on guard, for one invariably watched while his companions slept, but not one of  them was visible now.

How still it was! I believe the slightest sound would have caused me to start in terror, for the recollection of  those unearthly visitants was still strong upon me. At last I reached the lamp, which rested upon a large flat stone  around which the lamas usually lay at night, and to my  astonishment could not discover a soul.

Like a flash the truth dawned upon me. I seized the lamp and hurried toward a small recess where Padma slept  alone.