He sat peering at me with a strange, half-crazed expression on his face.
"When did you leave my uncle ?" I asked.
He sat as if unconscious that I had spoken.
I drew my chair to his side and repeated the words in a loud voice, but he did not seem to hear me.

Evidently the old man could neither hear nor speak.

In a moment he began groping in his pockets, and presently handed me a card which contained the following words: "If you can come, tear this card in halves and return the right half to him." I examined the card carefully.

The words were undoubtedly in my uncle's handwriting.

The back of the card was covered with strange characters in red ink.