Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-04-27

neT nauIs cl&>peQ ana uncla>peO owe
the tafrail l could tell how deeply the
threat affected her. | was IN doubt
whether to go TO her, and set her mind
at rest as far as l could, or to stop
Lyas, and carry him of 10 be inter
viewed by her lover.
As il was. | was saved the trouble
Of deciding by being obliged to take a
third course. Although had no idea
OF the fact, Mrs Maple. who had recov-
cred sufficiently to come on deck, had
been standing almost close TO my side
in the deep shadow, She attracted my
attention now by taintiuy again. as She
had done during the experiment in the
morning. For the next ten minutes all
NY thoughts were taken up by attend
ing to her. The stewardeSs had luck
lily passed at the moment ! found the
lady ~swooniDg, and We got her below
without anybody on deck being the
wiser. ! left her in the stewardess'
charge as soon as consciousness re-
turned. and hurried or to the cabin,
where ! had left Robin. He was still
there. wondering what had happened,
and we remained for a little while on
sidering what course we ought to pur-
sue, whether to put the matter in the
hands Of the captain, Or 70 content our
selves by warning the professor what
would happen If he continued to annoy
Miss Gavin. When we had decided on
the former course, we opened the cabin
door 10 carry it into execution at once.
But at the very doorway we met Katie
herself coming to US. her eyes start
ing with terror, her beautiful face
blanched.
IL have killed him. | have killed
him, TO save your life" She cried, hys-
terically. as she threw herself into
Robins arms, and without waiting to
hear more | hurried On deck, oppressed
By a terrible fear. I could understand
s plainly how hepoor girl could have
been driven into what vas scarcely a
crime by the panic for which her vic
tim himself was responsible. II she
had indeed killed Prof Lyas it was
clearly a case OF justiiable homicide,
but what jury could understand the
case sufficiently to view it as such? !
was sick with fear. and when ! reached
the deck, only to find that the professor
had really been killed, ! foresaw moth
ing but tragedy and horror in store for
the couple who had seemed the hap
pie>t in the world. The rest Of the
case / suppose you will remember read
ing in the papers at the time, ten years
ago
We could none OF us claim a memory
so long for newspaper reports, and
Maj bennett asked eagerly whether
Miss Gavin was acquitted.
she was never tried" said Mac
pherson. with his quiet smile. The
~murderess got off with imprisonment
for life"
The murderess?" we all exclaimed
in one wondering breath, and the doc
tor nodded.
Yes. Mrs. Maple. as she called her
self. She was, as YOU win have guessed,
an accomplice Of Prof. Lyas, and trav-
eled separately for the benefit OF their
schemes, They were well-known swim
oilers, and the willkilling was prob
ably part Of their stock in trade; it
must hare proved rather useful in
w~ringing money from nervous people
afraid of the man exerting his power
against them. His mistake was to use
il to the detriment Of his partner in
crime. II was his pursuit of Miss
Gavin, or Mrs. Robin Macpherson, as
she is now, which raised the jealousy
of an Unbalanced mind, and made the
ona 90 10 his cabin and stab him
Immediately she recovered from the
swoon into which She had been thrown
by hearing the conversation TO which |
too played eavesdropper."
But what made Miss Gavin accuse
herself Of the crime?' | could not help
asking.
That was the result OF a most re-
markable coincidence" explained the
home specialist. II left Miss Gavin,
you know, imagining that Lyas vas
about to kill her lover by his will
power. After the experiment in the
morning She never doubted his ability
to do %. Suddenly it came TO her as an
inspiration that her will might be
stronger than the professors, that If she
concentrated her mind on killing him
she might be able to save her lovers
life. At the end of her effort some
body rushed on deck with the news of
Lyas' death-a coincidence which would
be too remarkable for a story"
The doctor glanced at me as he
spoke, for he is, Of course, aware of
the use which | make of his club anec-
dotes.
IF it is true, ! must risk its i'm
probability" | said. But my readers
will want to know why Mrs. Maple
tainted during the experiment"
ut is a gift that some hysterical pa
ticnts have of becoming cataleptic at
will" answered Macpherson, readily.
you see cases Of it at public mesmeric
exhibitions sometimes"
bennett only had one more point to
settle.
II do not see what this has to do
really with the subject on which | was
speaking" he said, and the doctor only
smiled his quiet smile Pail Mall Bud
get.