The Red Cloud chief., 1894-10-19

major: run mp to quarters and give
the alarm. lie sure to bring back
Doctor Pa1gravc with you, too"
For u little over two months now, II
horror Of mystery aud death had
hung Over the garrison.
Officer after officer had been mys-
%tcriously and appallinglv stricken
down by death in rapid succession.
As iicckford had declared, Colonel
Valentine made the ninth victim.
The symptoms were the same in
each and every observation-disclosures
paralysis, with intense speeches.
agony for the tlccting moment, then
death as by an apoplcctic stroke of un-
parallclcd swiftncss.
Medical authorities were equally ut
fault.
Snake bite was suggested more than
anything else, but then the symptoms
were different in many PARTICULARS
from those attendant upon the bite of
the cobra, which is responsible for
ninctccu-twcnticths of the fatalities
from this cause in India.
Moreover, why should II commits.
stoned officer have been the victim in
every instance never once II private
soldier or any II in comparatively
humble employment about the post?
Thus an element Of private malice
or vengeance seemed to enter into the
mystery.
Doctor Mardyn, who, aS the colonel
! said. had once been II professional de-.
t~cctivc. took "a great interest in the
mysterious deaths. lie found that
there was one man who had been in
the immediate vicinity of each of the
successive victims, and this man was
the llindoo, Mahmudi.
The man had borne II good rcputa-
tion at Madras, but upon making in
uuirics. the doctor discovered that
along ne coast. where he vas en-
ploycI before coming to Madras, he
ha, he reputation of being viudictivc
a rcmorsclcssly ~rcvcngcful To the
H. / degree, although always uIdcr
the cloak of a s~ervilc and trcachcrous
amiability.
Moreover the IIindoo had lived long
in Sumatra. where he was associated
as "A boy with the terrible thugs.
After thu coloncl's funeral, Mardyn
was one o; a group of officers who
were discussing the last mournful
event i'm the mess room, when Nah.
mudi-who had again been taken into
the scrvicc-passcd with his accus.
toned salaam, and carrying the in
evitable bamboo wand.
An idea suddenly occurred to Mar.
dyn.
Here, Mahmudi--A word with you,
nv mani he called out. "Let IN,
look at that staff of yours u moment
The man looked startled, but speed
ily recovered his self. possession
though instead of advanciM : he drew
back.
This, shaib," he murmIrcd, hold
ing up the wand. "A simple, inof
fensive rced-that is all"
"Give it TO me, l say cried MardyI
sternly enough now, and with II sig
nificant vchcmcnce that at ono,
aroused the interest of his com
panions. "A simple reed. yes; bu
why has it always been your con
pan;on just prior to each OF thes'
mysterious deaths with which you
presence or proximity has invariabl,
been associated? That is what I wan
to know. Let me examine the staff
say"
But at this juncture the Hindoo, 4
the surprise Of everybody, suddcnl!
took to his heels, with n terrified cry
The young surgeon, however, wa
after him in an instant.
The Hindoo was ovcrtakcn; ther,
was n brief struggle for the posses
sion of the staff, and then to the gen
cral a%mazemcnt, Mahmudi uttered
shrill scream, and fell asst shot.
1T is fate he gasped, more com
posedly, rs they surrounded him
"Accursed sahibs! yes, | was the mur
derer of one and all of them, and
glory in the record"
lie then stiffencd out, and Instant
expired.
A cry of horror then arose, as n lit
tie serpent was perceived darling ii
ugly head out of the wand which tn,
naval surgeon car. fully held in hi
hand.
Doctor Palgravc, the post surgeon
assisted Mardyn in the eXaminatio
of the reptile that followed, and the
the mystery of the successive fatal
ties was solved at last.
The serpent was n specimen of tn
cchys carinatn, which is never NOR
than II few inches long, and is so hon
ribly vcnomous that its bite is capt
BILE Of causing death in "A few second.
The murderous llindoo had only +,
vived an ancient custom among IL
dian criminals by coniining it in I'll
hollow Of his bamboo wand, so tn;
its head just barely protrudcd ut III
open end.
Then the mercSt touch of his unsui
pecting enemy or object of his resen
= ment with the tip Of the innoccn'
e looking but diabolical weapon woul
| cause the snake to plunge its fans
into the dcfcnsclrSs flesh. and deaf