Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-09-18

~ first 1U01d 4 SdW 7Uas "Strychni0."
coursed instantaneously through my brain.
l saw that tho chapter which some
one had been studying with the closest
care-for the pages We're we'll thumbcd-was
that in which the whole subject of poisoning
by means Of strychnia. the symptoms, the
dose, the fatal period, and the post mortem
appearances are treated with masterly pre-
cision.
What did it means Let my reader place
himself in my position, a prisoner absolutely
at the mercy of q man whom I honestly be-
lieved to be capable of my crime, if he
wishes to understand the lark and terrible
fancies which forthwith took possession Of
my brain. Who could have bought this
book merely i'll order to study tie subject of
poisoning by strychnia with an innocent in
tention! That was the first question l asked
myself. Once more l remembered the awful
words of Gregson. Wa it possible that
murder was really about to be done at Great
Lorton Halls Nay, as tho man whom I
knew to be the only one likely to commit
such q crime was on board tho Golden Hawk
at this moment, might it not be the case that
the crime had already been committed, and
that while he was flying from justice he had
carried mo with him to prevent my being of
any SeA VACO W DtASJ w IL uuclc: Anu II
there had been murder, who was the victim!
Wa it the millionaire Or was it-corld it
benny darling9
l sat dazed and helpless for a time under
the horror of this new tram of thought. But
1 was now face to face with a problem which
demanded the full use Of all my faculties. II
l were to deal with it to any useful purpose, l
must treat it with all the GOODNESS aud dol.ber-
alton Of which 1 was capable. Gently closing
the book, flung my cigar aside, and going
to the bath room bathed my head in the
apparently an unlimited supply. Then !
came back to my seat amt carefully tried an
experiment which had occurred to me.
Laying the closed book OH its back on the
palm of my hand I allowed it again to fall
open at its own will. Once more it opened
at page 5SG, and again I read that first SEN
tence of the rage, which describes how "The
patient complains of a choking sensation,
and Of thirst and dryness of the throat; but
the effort to drink often occasions rigid
spasms of tho muscles of the jaw. Some
times there is foaming at the mouth, and the
froth may be tinged with blood" ETC., etc.
repeated tho experiment in another man.
ner; the result was the same. ltried it again
and again, and always the volume opened at
the same page. Yes. it was quite Gear to me
now that the owner Of this book had bought
IL Tor the simple purpose of studying the
subject OF poisoning by means Of strychnia.
All the pages of this volume, it is true, were
cut open. but it was only at this part of it
thai there were any Of those unmistakable
signs which showed that it had been read
and studied with care again and again.
read the whole chapter through with at
%tention, and it says something, think, formy
command over my own nerves that I did not
forthwith fancy that 1 was myself suffering
from that feeling of suffocation' which is
described as the earliest symptom after the
poison has been swallowed. For I could not
drive out of my mind the possibility that this
accidental discovery might have the deepest
personal interest for myself. If l had fallen
into the hands of a murderer, what assurance
had l that he might not try his frightful
arts upon mes The thought was one that it
was difficult to face with composure. I be-
gan to realize what is the lot of the captive
who lies in peril of his life, and who is power
less to defend himself against the unknown
doom which may be hanging over him.
Ierribls was the long night through
which l now passed. The gale had evil
IDENTIFY risen to a great height; and the mo-
ton Of the vessel was such as to be distress
ing even to the most experienced of sailors.
In place of the dead silence of the morning
my prison cell was now filled with that in
describible tumult of sound that marks the
progress of a battle between a good vessel
and a raging sea. l could hear the shrek
of the wind and the roar Of the waves, while,
even above these sounds rose that constant
grooming and creaking Of the straining tim
bers which showed how hardly the ship was
beset by the storm. l could feel too the
fury of the blows which each successive
! wave delivered against the side Of the yacht.