Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-04-13
A dry ohnckle was the only answer.

1
aIf he is dead, do not sec what good
o doctor would be- A detective might |
nrove of more assistance to you. sir.
His owes were searching the figures Oh
the paper on the ceiling.
"That is where YOU mistake, Doctor.
T mover vet called on detective to ana
me in case, but more than once naNc
been well assisted by a lawyer or uoc-
tor. In the present instance you ha'c
made mistake which | hasten 10 cor
rect. | did not call you in to consulC
with the old physician, nor even 10 au-
minister an antidote, as you may nave
thought from my asking you TO 1etcn
along your case, for even al thaU mo,
ment l knew, beyond all shadow OF
doubt, that the renowned old Dr. sea
bury was dead man."
"Pardon me, then, Mr.. Ketcham' out
what in the deuce did you call me in for?
| A doctor is powcrless after death comes.
"Powerless to save, perhaps, but not 10
aid the stern arm of legal vengeance.
His impressive words sounded like the
striking of gong.
There was something back of this. l
had believed it a natural death, OF, aG
the worst. suicide. His words suggested
deeper vein.
"Mr. Ketcham, am I to infer that
crime has been committed here?"
"You are to look for evidences OF MUIR
der"
l sprang to my feet.
"Before l do so, you must tell me
what YOU know of this strange thing
for I cannot work in the dark
IL
There are few little things which you
NAV not care to hear, but the main part
of the story shall be yours SIT down
again. There is time enough for work. "
I settled myself in the easy chair, ana
prepared to listen.
The old detective was good story
teller. His voice was low and impressive,
and he brought out the strong points IN
| his line with an emphasis that forced
; them upon my consideration.
81 have known DR.. Scabury for some
six months. He came to my Office one
day, and made my personal acquaintance
BEFORE that time l had made use OF him
in his professional capacity on several
occasions, and had come to respect him
highly.
son the occasion of his visit to me, he
l gave me to understand that he had an
enemy of whom he was in mortal fear, a
= marty who had once followed him from
India TO England, seeking his life, ant
4 lost track of him there.
4 "Of late the old Doctor had beer
warned in some way that the enemy nae
discovered the fact of his being in New
= York. and not day passed without nj
being in fear of visit from this party
= who had sworn that oceans should no
stand in the way when vengeance 10
some real or fancied wrong was to b.
wrought
t sJt worried DR. Seabury so that h
e could not sleep nights.
: "At his suggestion l had privat
a telegraph wire run from his house to m,
j. den, where some one was TO be al"a!
Oh hand to answer call.
d @Tbis was not the first time such
= lucky windfall had come to me, ana
man is fool when he refuses 10 cater
It the whims of rich man.
- "Some months went by without an
If alarm. and | began to look on the thin
l. as soft job. .o
"To-night at ten minutes past two
l. was aroused from light slumber by tn
ID alarm.
at had come at last
"Luckily had thrown myself on
ID sofa in the den without more than Klcl
ing my boots off, so that in one minute
s. was out on the street and running for a
G. was worth in this direction.
Id "a made good time, and in not mo-
I'd i@than ten minutes reached the house
es aThe Doctor had shown me how
IF omen the door, and | entered quietly
@AIl was as still as graveyard, and
I'D me terribly suggestive.
"Ihe gas Jet in the lower hall was
Ir. lowed to burn low all night, SO easl
found my way up stairs.
@This door. which we used in enterln
at was locked on the inside
he 81 listened. but could not hear even t
I'd, slightest sound.
as @The Doctor had shown me means
entering his Office and study adJolnl
this room, by way of closet IN an
an lumber room next TO it.
,rd @When I entered here that windt
,ed was omen as YOU see it, the lamp far
and 1ckered in the draught, ana the
| physician lay there-dead.
TT, "At first | thought be might have 4
)lu Jne pdDgS VI dpplO"NAii'S
me and, lacking the power to cry out, II
he pressed the knob in the wall beyond
led there. which sounded the alarm
al my den.
the "A minutes examination convinced
that such was not the case, Tor III
nat other hand, tightly pressed, he held I
it'll odd little fiask-a miniature phlal'
He handed it to me.
,le, 1t was made Of crystal, and contalr
in few grains of powder.
ed, I drew out the stopper and smeI
'on of the contents, feeling rather than
;. ing the eyes of Mr.. Ketcham upon me
us @You recognize the scent, Doctor?"
'SS- asked, somewhat eagerly for him.
nr 81 do, emphatically.
hg- aft is an odor which, once caught,
.,to ~ never be mistaken. Am rght?"
'iVo @Perfectly so, Mr.. Ketcham."
W ~@What is it that crystal phlal c
,tS tains?"
nvs, 81 am almost ready to swear a
y of "f grains of most singular and dea
l oi poison found in the Pyramids of Eg
anI .nI "a poison that has baffled the knC
III" world to tell the origin of or find an
.,1 tidote for. Dr. Seabury himself offe
a'u' no means of determining its orit
ana which is lost in mystery"
"I thought so Just such a poi'
lch- then. as a man might take if he
sired to battle the skill of the best ph
'oVh cians?"
self. Gt 10 certain death. D
is q oo~ tho ho6 aOoin and 0pn0