Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-02-12
at worried DR.. seabury 50 that he

sit worried DR.. Seabury so that he
could not sleep nights
eat his suggestion had private
telegraph wire run from his house to my
den, where some one was TO be always
on hand TO answer a call
This was not the first time such
lucky windfall had come to mo. and
man is fool when he refuses TO cater 10
the whims OF a rich man.
HSome months went by without any
alarm, and began to look on the thing
as a soft Job.
Tonight at ten minutes past two
was aroused from light slumber by the
alarm
at had come at last
Luckily I had thrown myself on
sofa in the den without moro than kick
ing my boots of, so that in one minute
was out on the street and running for all
/ was worth in this direction.
Il made good time, and in not more
than ten minutes reached the house.
"The Doctor had shown me how to
open the door, and entered quietly.
@All was as still as 4 graveyard, and TO
me terribly suggestive.
~1he gas jet in the lower hall was al
lowed to burn low all night, so I easily
found my way up stairs.
@Ihis door, which we used In entering,
was locked on the inside.
Il listened, but could not hear even the
slightest sound
1.-THE Doctor had shown me means Of
entering his Office and study adjoining
this room, by way of q closet in an old
lumber room next to it.
~When l entered hero that window
was open as you see it, the lamp flared
and flickered in the draught, and the old
physician lay there-dead.
AT frat I fhnuUbf ba MIGHT haua fa1f
the pangs of approaching dissolution,
and, lacking the power 10 cry out, had
pressed the knob in the wall beyond the
bed there, which sounded the alarm in
my den.
"A minutes examination convinced me
that such was not the case, for in his
other hand. tightly pressed, he held this
odd little fiask-a miniature phial.S
He handed IL TO me.
1t was made OF crystal, and contained
few grains Of powder.
drew out the stopper and smelled
Of the contents, feeling rather than see
ing the eyes Of Mr.. Ketcham upon me.
@You recognize the scent, Doctor?" he
asked, somewhat eagerly for him.
Il do, emphatically.
at is an OdOr which, once caught, can
never be mistaken. Am right?"
perfectly so, Mr.. Ketcham."
~What is it that crystal phial con-
tains?1
Il am almost ready to swear a few
grains OF most singular and deadly
poison found in the Pyramids of Egypt
"a poison that has baffled the known
world to tell the origin Of or find an an
tidote for. DR.. Seabury himself offered
no means OF determining its origin,
which is lost in mystery"
Il thought so. just such a poison,
then, as a man might take if he de-
sired to battle the skill of the best physi-
cians?"
shrugged my shoulders
at is certain death"
HGO near the bed again and bend over
! the dead man. See if you can detect
this Odor about his lips"
I did so, and reported in the affirma-
tive.
DIR. Seabury had undoubtedly taken
this most fatal Of pOisOns with suicidal
| intent
AS this fact became apparent to me, I
| began to feel master Of the situation.
All that Mr.. Ketcham had said now
| dwindled into insignificance before the
/ report Of my superior wisdom.
For the moment was pulled up with
a sense OF my Importance. Mr.. Ketcham
did not glance at me, but knew he was
well aware Of my condition.
| Afterward, looking back, wondered
how it was he did not literally jab a knife
into the balloon Of self-importance had
| inflated, and allow it to collapse.
vas indebted to him for letting me
down easy.
doctor, how about this poison; does
It leave any traces behind?" he asked.
THAT is the peculiar part of It, Mr..
Ketcham. 1t assimilates with the blood,
and passes at once into the system;
while it kills the action of the heart in
from ten seconds to minute, it would be
impossible for the most learned physician
to state positively that the man had not
died from natural cause-disease Of the
heart
The old detective gave a whistle.
"a most dangerous dust TO fall into the
hands of an INSCRIPTIONS man"
"He would become a modern male
Borgia, undoubtedly"
"Still the odor seems to linger, Doc
tor"
at will for some time; but it would
not be recognized by any physician who
had not received a special training in
this line Of his business"
~ presume, Doctor, on the face of this
matter, you are disposed to call it {
suicide?"
Undoubtedly, SIR"
@And would. return home with thai
conviction.
SIf you are done with me.S
81 might get on without your assist
ance from this point on, but for seVera
reasons, which I will not state, prefer
that you remain with me.
~As you will, sir"
ITO begin with, Doctor, how abour
this pOisOn-I have known those tina
clOgged the action of the heart to dis
color the skin upon the left chest, as the
returning blood failed TO find an cutie
from the pumping ventricle of tho
heart
81 have never heard OF that being tn,
case with this poison, sir. 4"
Itwould surprise you then to find tina
such was the ease?"
GVery much, indeed"
perhaps another thing would aston
ish you considerably Listen to me
Doctor. When DR.. Seabury snatched VI
that crystal phial and swallowed a small
part Of the contents, his Mortified eye!
rested upon the face Of the party he haC
so long feared, and who had followed
him about over most Of the world"
His voice was calm, his words impress
sive
They struck me forcibly, and loole'
at Mr.. Ketcham with great wonder.
AAre you sure of that, sir?7
Il am in possession OF facts which
warrant me in saying, beyond all SHADOW
Of doubt, that some agile party climbed
up the vines clinging to the side Of tn
wall OF the house, and crept in at tn
window
@When the old Doctor saw them, tho
scare caused him to swallow the poison
which he Kept near him for the purpose
and then striking the electric bell in the
| TIraN ma y