La Junta tribune., 1898-11-02


wife would live.
II sought out tho medicine man. :"
continued Wilniore after u pause. ''and
after some persuasion he told me that the
weed ho bad found was of the sort sup
posed tn be used now by thugs instead OF
their former Strangling cord. Its odor
Wns poisonous, was emitted only at night;
must bs inhaled from the plant or from
sons article saturated with 1t; that the
thugs covered tho plant during the night
and collected the poison. lw
"Now. In the handkerchief had picked
IN In ths gardens recognized tho otiUr of
the plans-unnistakablyi it was the Nreil
Of tho Thug plant that the medicine
man had made mo acquainted with.
.'The girl. 1t seemed, was dying from
the effects of the poison. Who could bc
Administering Il and why, Whero Ind 1t
been ohtnincds What was to dor These
questions absorbed my attention.
II did not follow tho ladies farther To
save the girl. felt that I must not losc
moment
"rhut evening tho director of the gar.
dens was to hold an ut homo. Idccldei
bo go, to con1ide In the director. 1t came
to me Ike an inspiration that the Thug
plant might be in tho gardens. found
the d .rector's house crowdcd--it was nm
old FASHIONED lace, partly in the gardens.
When the host saw thc urgency of Iny
case. he arranged with some special friends
to take his place In entertaining the
guests Then he listened patiently TO NIL
had to say. making particular inquiries
concerning the Thug plant.
I'VE have specimen, hc said III
you come with me, we will obtain more
information about 1t. ttft
"In few moments we Ind crossed Kew
nvI an. r,I hrr Inv hNytpv
with MS the curator, one Of tho guests. We
consulted there IL pondcrous book ard read
all about the Thug piunt' and Its proper,
ties Then We went TO u department con-
taining n multitude Of drawers. Tabled and
numbered, An envelope, or capsule. was
produced As tho curator opened 1t ex-
claimed:
That's It'll smell 1t from herct
Has any one lately inquired about
this plantf' asked the director.
1becurator again consulted tho hooks.
There Is an entry here-yes, Colonel
- called. mndo special inquiries about
tho Thug plant" and wins taken to see
1t IN tho ralmho use.
1.-THE director asked Its number.
.oO63.' was tho reply
"'We will 20 to the Iulmhnusc.' said the
director. and have u look ut ''90G3' nnd
eco II 1t has been disturbed I believe it
IL good size 1t Is some time since saw
1t on its arrival
''He procured dark lantern and the
key of tho planthouse. We started for 1t,
The dirrtor told me what he knew Of the
colouel and his family 1t had occurred
tn me many times how little the girl re-
senIbicd tho colonel She was bis step.
daughter, was now told. The directors
wife knew the girls mother. She had
married second tire In few months
on coming Of age the rirl would inherit
considerable fortunc-the reversion OF her
property in case Of her deut. would bc to
the irother-'nnd IT that. said the director,
means the colonel.
"we were going through the herbaceors
garden and just emerged irto an evenue
when wc saw n figure passing rapidly into
the cypress walk
q Who's thats Eaid the director in
low tonc
-. :. THE colonelr answered, grasping
his arm
What IL he about no asked.
Lot N follow. snid. and careful
y. He niny he after the plant.
Down through the avenue Of cypress
trees VIC kept the colonel's shadow in view.
Then we watched him passing along the
margin Of the ornamental water Tho
shriii cry Of startled sea gull made rs
clutch one another.
''Let ms stand here. said the director.
We can watch tho house well We stood
by magnolia Tho colonel. with rapid
strides, made for the great house OF glass
He had to Cross a wide, unsheitercd spa o.
My companion had bad his doubts, hut tho
Identity Of the flgl. Q was now too clear
1T hei' he calculated
1.-THE colonel went r6u,.l to side en-
trance. We glided round also to Keep him
In view
. Why. said the director. he's In with
out a key! Some one hiss Lecn bribed We
will ro tothe opposite door Iknow where
the liant is.
moved our boots Taking them with us,
we crept In like BURGLARS
\ I'm "a few moments we reached the foot
Of . winding iron stairway PARTLY hidden
by creeping Plants and tho surrounding
palms and shrubs We ascented noise
lcssly
presently the director caught my arm.
stopped me and pointed below There was
the colonel He was leaning against a
palm trunk looking down intcntly at
bush covered BY q whItc cloth
"For i've hours We remained there, stir
ring only to case our Positions
"As morning approached wo saw the
colonel look Mt bis watch. which he had
done many times. then remove the hand.
ago from the plant, fold 1t. place 1t In
what WINS plainly an oilskin case and put
10 in his pos;kct. He left it AZ stealthily as
he had come So did we -
"We followed him to his house. He
opened the door with . latchkey.
Before he could cl0sc 1t VIC were on tho
step He had no time to refuse us admit
tAnce. .sfls s,y ~ as
".Colonel,' said tho director. we must
speak with you.
I" why nows' he answered.
"Ho was shaking with fcar Tho sur
priss was too much for him. Ho stam-
incrcsj, lost Lis voice and presently lost
control Of his muscles also. He recognized
the director. and doubles he knew me
also. We held him., each by an arm,
brought him Into tho dining room and
put him in . chair. Hc VS. In q nitiiul