Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-10-13
ished IN smoke At times I awoke as from a

dream to sense Of the extraordinary and
alarming position In which I found myself,
and then rose and rushing to the door
shook it violently, to see whether by any
accident it might have been opened as I lay
in silence on my couch. But for the most
part maintained the compo5ure which fell
upon me after I knew that we were fairly
out at sea, and allowed my fancy to run riot
In those imaginary meetings with my darl-
ing which form the solace Of all absent lov-
ers
By and by the gloom Of my room grew
deeper and I knew that night was stealing
on struck a match and looked at my
watch. It was five o'clock. These four hours
had passed more quickly, and despite the
gale which the ship was encountering, far
more comfortably than the three hours that
had elapsed between my capture and the
commencement Of our voyage. was think
ing somewhat wofully Of the long hoursSf
darkness which now lay before nls, when
noiselessly flood Of silvery light filled the
cabin. Startled by its sudden appearance, I
looked up only to discover that an electric
light was shining above my head in its pear
shaped glass 1t was only when this hap
O1QeQ ana "uGIl / 1clU dll llle COullOTG OIL U3.
ing at last able to survey my abode at case
for tho artificial light was far brighter than
the natural one had been-that realized the
striking apprehension with which l had re-
garded The prospect Of night spent in alb
solute darkness in such place.
"If only had book now" said to my
self, "and-why yes, should really enjoy a
cup of tea Surely the millionaire would
not begru lge me that if he knew how much
shou ID relish it!'
Hardly had the words passed my lips than
heard the click Of key, and then saw
that tho little trap in the door had been
opened and that Flinter was regarding me
with sardonic smile upon his ugly face.
All authorities on the subject are agreed as
to the surprising effect which solitary con-
finement has in tanning mans spirits. I
found now that the authorities were right
Instead of making wild dash at the spot
where the ill-omened countenance of my
captor was visible, I sat still and merely in
dulged myself with silent stare of Iisdain
in return for his grin of derision.
He shifted audibly, inhaling the fumes Of
tobacco with which my little room was
filed.
"Enjoying yourself pretty well, it seems
to me- You do right. No good in kicking
when you can only hurt yourself by it. Be
civil and quiet and you won't be kept 50
long perhaps as you suppose where you are
now. came to see if you would like some
dinner"
"Dinnerl" said. II thought the meat
you left for me was intended for my dinner;
and 1 really found it very good" Seeing
that I had given up for the present the
thought Of trying violence, I felt it better to
keep up in his presence the air Of philosophic
coalness which I had adopted for my own
comfort
No; lunch" he replied, sententiously.
You'll have good victuals here If you only
behave yourself. If you give me your prom.
ise to keep quiet, I'll bring you your dinner
as soon as 1t is ready"
hesitated for moment. troubled by the
thought Of keeping any terms with such a
ruffian, but then l somewhat sullenly gave
him the promise he asked. He Immediately
disappeared.
In about half an hour he returned, and,
throwing open the door, entered with tray,
which he balanced as the ship rolled as
cleverly as a steward on board a Cunard
liner could have done. In a surprisingly
short space Of time he had cleared away the
remains Of my morning meal, and had laid
upon the table dinner such as few captives,
/ venture to say, are indulged with.
"Ship's rolling too much for me to bring
you any soup; but there's fish and outlets and
partridge. cheese and celery, and a pint OF
champagne. It's as good dinner, bet, as
you would have got in Scarborough"
livery good, indeed, am sure. It Is OF
no use, I suppose. asking you, MIR. F!inter,
why am here;" he shook his head; but at
least you might tell me where I am going"
"No use asking questions" he responded,
shortly. because why: I never answer
'em. So that's plain. But if you keep quiet,
as I've told you already, you shall be as we'll
served with food and drink as if you were
the old man himself. Now is there anything
more you wantr'
II should like book to read"
"a bookl Oh, yes; if that is all, you shall
soon have book. Bless me, I'll bring you
an armful the next time come, if only it
will keep you quiet"
He left me to partake of my dinner in soli-
tude. I did justice to it, and despite my un-
pleasant situation and my dislike, not to say
dread, of the ruffian who was responsible for
my imprisonment, l felt almost cheerful
when he presently returned, carving nearly
a dozen volumes in his arms, in addition to
some blankets for my use during the night
"There's books for you!" he said, tumbllng
them in pile on the chest Of drawers
snake what you can of them; they're nothing
in my line"
And right eagerly did avail myself OF his
invitation to do so when 1 was once more
left alone. It was true that l was disap-
pointed with Mr. Fiinter's choice in literary
matters. One of his volumes was a list OF
the Royal Yacht Squadron, two more were
works relating to the art OF navigation
fourth was nothing more than a series OF
tables of logarithms, fifth was an odd vol
ume Of that venerable work, "RusselPs His
tory of Modern Europe;" then there was
well-thumbed copy of "Buchans Domestic
Medicine" a dictionary, a copy OF Thomas
Moore's poems, and. last Of all in the pile,
Guy and Ferrier's "Foransc Medicine"
1t was this book which, though it was at
the bottom Of tn, heap, attracted me first
1t did so partly becaus, it was the only work
which had modern appearance in the col.
lection AMI partly because my own medical
studies had given me Oil interest in it Ihe
rest of the books were old and battered. l
could not imagine how they had been intro
duced into such a palace as the Golden
Hawk The copy Of Forensic Medicine"
was in good preservation. and was evidently
the latest edition of that standard work
- ;.fo hands onA frIrpa1 IN the
title page 1t was the edition, saw, OF
1875. The bindin, was quite new, and the
pages we're clean The book apparently had
hardly been opened. was holding it lightly
in my hand while + speculated as to how
such volume chanced 10 have come here,
when found that it had opened, almost, as
it seemed 10 me, of its own accord, at a par
ticular page knew in a moment what had
happened When the volume was first
bought it had evidently Eeen opened at this
page, and the reader, whoever he might be,
wishing to keep it open there, had bent the
stiff new back in such way as to make
something like spring of it-a spring
which, when the volume was held in GER
tain way, caused it always to open at one
particular place Any Of my readers who
cares to destroy the outward appearance of
q new book may by simple experiment
satisfy himself of the possibility of doing
this.
What was the subject which the person,
who had apparently looked at no other part
Of the volume, had been studyingl
I glanced careless.y down at the printed
page, and the first word saw was "Strych-
MIA" Strychnia, poison! Wild thoughts
coursed instantaneou,ly through my brain.
1 saw that the chapter which some
one had been studying with the closest
care-for the pages were we'll thumbed--was
that in which the whole subject Of poisoning
by means of strychna the symptoms, the
dnsa the fatal nariod and tha nost mortnn