Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-03-31

"What is the matter ?" he demanded.
Nothing" said II was quite cool
and collected by this time-'.I merely
wish to make another examination of
the chamber of the deceased"
He led me to it at once.
again scrutinized the body, this
time paying more attention to the face
and head of the dead man.
There was absolutely nothing to be
seen there that had not been seen be-
fore. then pressed open the mouth
slightly with my fingers, and, as did
SO, / felt, or fancied 1 felt, the same
slight sickness had detected on the
limp piece of handkerchief. / looked
into the mouth, and nearly trembled
for Joy to see there the clearly defined
white tinge of dried foam
For a moment 1 could hardly main
tain myself, and my heart beat SO
loudly that l was almost afraid my
companion would hear it and grow
alarmed.
However, did control myself, and
as soon as could trust my voice, said !:
''Is there no way by which this house
might be entered except by the first
story? ?"
"Oh, yes," returned the son, as COM
posedly as ever, 'there is door in my
apartment opening on an old, unused
portico, but this has been locked and
double-bolted all winter.
This observation was Just what 1
wanted, for it pointed out to me 3 way
to obtain a view of this mans private
room, and that, too, without exciting
the least suspicion.
"Will You let me see that door ?" /
asked.
"With the greatest pleasure, said
he ; 81 have already examined it my
self, and found it as secure as of old
but perhaps your more experienced eye
may detect some sign there that has
escaped me-"
followed him, and without the
slightest hesitation he led me to his
bed-chamber.
There was the door fastened as he
had said, and made show of looking
at it-but that was not what fascinated
me and riveted my attention at once.
The walls were full of shelves, and
the shelves were crowded with philoso-
phical instruments.
L left the portico door finally, and as
L was going carelessly remarked
"You seem to take an interest in
science ?"
"Why, yes," said he, smiling, 81 do,
and hatter myself that few men here
or elsewhere have a larger or better
collection Of apparatus than l have"
had touched him on his particular
vanity, and knew now that / might
search unmolested, and not only that,
but with his own proper aid, for the
instrument of death.
turned back, as spoke, and picked
up pamphlet from the study-table in
the center of the room.
The book was written in the italian
language.
have some slight knowledge of the
tongue of the modern opera, and l read
on the title page that the work was one
on the various modes of the destruction
of animal life, and that it was by Cas-
turiui.
And Casturini was the name of the
Professor spoken of in the newspaper
paragraph.
L felt that was working on the right
track.
/ laid down the volume and gradually
turned the conversation to the subject
of pneumatics, in the course of which l
asked if my companion had Casturini's
air-pump. He told me no. but that he
had his air-syringe.
/ asked to look at it.
For the first time the son turned on
me a hurried glance of alarm.
But managed to appear as if 1 sus-
pected nothing-as if nothing more
dangerous than love of science actuated
me in my Investigations.
And my companion was satisfied, for
he at once produced the air-syringe.
1t was a strange instrument, in shape
it was like an ordinary syringe. and
such as is daily employed in medicine,
only larger, perhaps twice as large as
any of that kind / had ever seen. 1t
was mounted on a stand of polished
walnut, like an electric mrchine, and,
indeed, looked like one-that is,
cylindrical one. 1t was furnished with
a crank. by which it was worked, and
had two large, funnel-shaped mouth
pieces. These latter we're not station
ary, but could be moved-brought
nearer together or more widely sepa-
rated, as circumstances required.
This, then, was the instrument of
death, and it performed its dread work
silently and surely and left no external
trace.
1 touched it with a feeling akin to
horror, and asked:
HAS this no other use than to de-
prive animals of life ?"
''None," was the smiling response.
'Csn you operate it ?"
''Better than any ever met"
Twas standing facing this man as he
made this boast.
/ laid my hand on his shoulder.
He started and seemed not to know
what to make of my conduct.
"Your crime is discovered, sir - said
1, sternly. "You are patrlcide, and /
arrest you for the murder of the man
who lies in the other chamber -
His face turned fairly purple with
rage and fear and then grew inky black.
He sat down in the chair without
word.
His courage, and above all things,
his incompatible audacity. had alto
gether abandoned him at this terrible
crisis
l spoke to him again and again
several times, but could get no answer.
Then 1 rang the bell and sent fer the
coroner's physician.
He came, looked at the man still sit
ting on the chair, speechless and black
in the face, and shook his head.
"This man has lost his reason % were
his fearful words. "What has caused
it?"
/ told him, and showed him Castu-
rini's air-syringe.