The Irish standard., 1898-08-27

little room where dim light shone
over the transom. Lampkin tried the
latch, and. finding the door unlocked,
he pushed it open. The room had
shelves on all three of it's walls, and these
shelves were we'll filled with all sorts of
bottles.
"His laboratory" said Lampkin.
mo, cannot tell you what to do. Ah!I
have an idea"
The doctor took down bottle and
read the label and then uncorked it and
applied it to his nose.
''Ether," he said. "This bottle re-
minds me of an experiment once saw
performed at a medical college. A thief
was made to confess under the influence
OF ether. In the first stages of anaesthe-
sia subject almost invariably becomes
talkative and will talk about exactly
what he desires most to keep back"
"Bring it upstairs. for the love of
mercy" cried the detective. "It can't do
my harm"
AS they entered the reception-room
Kola's questioning glance became fixed
on the bottle in the Doctors hand.
"Huh!" he grunted, "you need not try
to give me that. Iwon't take it,"
"Find Inc a towel, Hendricks" was all
the doctor said. He spoke like de-
termined man who is thoroughly angry.
Hendricks darted into bathroom
near by and returned with the required
article.
"Now lay his lordship on the floor"
the doctor said.
Kola wriggled like an eel. but, with
Hendricks ut his head and Sergt.
Denham's determined hands at his feet,
they soon had him laid out. DR.. Lamp
kin folded the towel into the shape of
funnel and saturated it with the fluid
from the bottle. Then he started to put
1t over Kola's mouth and nose.
"Hold on, give him one more chance"
ordered Hendricks. "Where is Gielow,
Kola?"
The only answer the Indian made was
to close his lips tightly.
'The devil is trying to hold his
BREATH" cried Lampkin.. "I'l show
him trick that will beat that. can
make him take it,
And, holding the towel over Kola's
nose with his left hand, he, began to
punch him violently in the chest. This
proceeding made the Indian gasp for
breath. and forced him to take deep
draughts of the ether.
"Good, good!" approved Hendricks,
as Kola's body began to grow limp.
"Give him some more!"
"Oh, no, he must not be too deeply
under it," objected Lampkin. "He is
just right now. Let him loose. I'll man
age him as easily as a rowboat down
stream. Now, if he will only talk!"
Kola's face was bloodless. For mo-
ment there was no sound inside or out
side of the house. Lampkin raised the
towel little, for the lips of the Indian
were moving.
A harsh laugh broke from the death
like face.
Its the wisdom of the east"
chuckled Kola. "l'll never be suspect
ed, and when Hendricks is out of the
way, shall be free. Yes, free, and rich,
and as powerful as king"
There he paused. Lampkin held up
his hand to warn the others not to
speak, and in q distinct voice said:
"But Gielow-will he be found?"
"Never!" burst impulsively from
Kola's lips. mo one else knows the Sc
cret door. No one would think of the
head of the dragon"
The eyes of Hendricks and the doctor
met. Hendricks flashed knowingly,
and he grunted as he turned and ran
into the hall. A moment later Lamp
kin followed, finding the detective ex-
amining the walnut dragon at the foot
of the stairs.
y II believe on my life that the head of
the thing unscrews," Hendricks ex-
claimed, excitedly. "See where it has
been rubbed by use. BY Jove, have
I'll"
Grasping the head in his hands, Hen
bricks gave it a powerful wrench, and it
began to turn. In moment it came
off, and they saw, protrnding from a
hollow tube in the neck of the dragon,
steel rod with a ring on it's end. Hen
bricks tried to push the rod downward,
but it resisted his efforts. Then, as
cending the steps till he was above the
ring, he pulled it steadily upward. A
little bell inside the dragon rang. This
was followed by creaking sound un-
der the hall floor, and a tall gilt-framed
plate-glass mirror in the brick wall
near by leaned outward on one side.
Running to it, Lampkin pulled !. out
and found that it turned on hidden
hinges. And behind the mirror was re-
vealed doorway and narrow fight
Of stairs leading downward into the
darkness. There was lantern on the
first step, and Hendricks lighted it, and
holding it above his head he hurried
down the stairs. At first the steps were
of wood, but deeper down they were Of
unhewn stone.
Perhaps 40 feet from the surface of
the earth, they found themselves in
long. narrow cavern, which wound
abount like serpent's trail. And when
they had gone perhaps 200 yards from
their starting point they found them
selves stopped by brick wall in which
was rusty iron door. The door was
locked. but bunch Of keys hung on
hook near by.
eve have found him." said Lampkin.
Hendricks nodded as he began to try
the keys in the lock. After many fail
ures, the door was finally opened. and.
in the combined light of the lantern
and streak of daylight that came in
at tiny crack in the rock they saw,