Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-03-01
I~S
J A DEATH-DEALING HAND.

~N~N/7
) A DEATH-DEALING HAND. Z
Upon the evening of December 3
1881, as the hand on the Wimbledon
station clock was nearing 4, the Lon
don train steamed in, and among the
passengers who allghted from it was q
man wearing long overcoat, with {;
rug over his arm, and carrying small
black bag in his hand.
His face was refined and handsome
He was young-only about 80. His
forehead was broad, and marked by
many lines like that of n man who has
been accustomed to hard study. The
eyes, beneath dclicntely pencilled
brOws, We're dark and penetrating, and
yet tender In expression. He wore
whiskers. and long, dropping mus.
tache helped to conceal n rather weak
feminine mouth 1t was face cal.
culated to impress one favorably, es.
pecially when the eyes We're lit up and
animated. Now, however, as he made
his way along the platform under tho
gas lamps, his eyes had deep rims
round them, and. with the snllow color
of the face, told of ill-health and har.
assment. :.
The man, indeed was i'll. He could
not sleep. Could one have turned UP
his sleeve and examined his arm one
would have found there the marks OF
recert wounds caused by the too fire.
quent use of morphla injections, re.
sorted to IN order that he might OBJ
tain rest.
Some months back, in 1879, rela.
ton, n brother-in-law of this man had
died suddenly, mysteriously, and since
that time sleep had almost deserted
the large. dark, tcnder-looking eyes of
the handsome traveller.
A very short distance from Wimble
don station was large building stu
atcd in Its own grounds. 1t was Il
school carried ON by n gentleman
named Bedrock. To this house the
man took his way, and to the servant
who answered the door he announced
himself as DIR. Lamson, who had called
to see his brother-in-law, one of the
pupils, lad of Is. In few minutes
DR.. Lamson and Mr.. Bedrock were
chatting together in the sitting room
when the door opened and lad ap
peared, bearing in his arms another
boy, whose healthy-colorcd cheeks and
laughing eyes seemed In strange con
trast to the evident helplessness of his
lower paralyzed limbs.
"IIullo, Percy" cried Lamson, as he
entered; "bless me, how fat you are
growing old boyr'
Sorry can't return the compli
mcnt," laughed the boy-Percy Nal
colin John-looking at his relatives
hnggard face. His boy friend made
him comfortable ON sofa in the
room, and I.amson, Bedrock and
Percy remained together alone.
II have called to see you, Percy,'
said I.amson because I'm going to
Florence. for a few months. and ST
shall pot be here again very soon. Oh
by the way, Mr. Bedrock, look herev
Lamson went to the black bag he had
brought, opened 1t, and took out q
small box. Look at these" he weni
on, opening the box. .'rhese are cab
sules saw in America when ] was
there last. See. They're just little
bags made of sugar and dissolvina
stuff. You put the medicine insid,
like this'-he walked to the table
where there was some white powdered
sugar In n basin, and filled the Gao
sule with it-"then you slip the top cap
on and swallow the whole thing, so.
And Mt the word lie put the capsule in
his mouth and swallowed 1t.
"A capital idea," exclaimed Mr.. Bed
brook. You cannot taste whatever
the capsule contains?"
Not Mt all. Try onc," said Lamson
and lie filled and handed one to til,
schoolmastcr.
Mr.. Bedrock took It,
Here Percy" exclaimed Lamson
filling another capsule with the sugar.
"You're n great pill-taker. Now it.
your turn"
The boy took 1t laughingly and
swallowed 1t, Lamson's dark ewes
watching him the while.
"And now must 60" he said. ave
got to catch my train. Goodbye
Percy goodbye, Mr.. Bedrock. I'm
sorry, Mr.. Bedrock" he added, as the
schoolmaster accompanied him to the
front door and they were in the pas
sage out of the lads hearIng-"I'u
sorry, Mr.. Bedrock, but l don't thinl
Percy will last long"
That same night, while the pale
faced, sleepless man was being whirl
cd away over the dismal, night-clat
country In the express train to Paris
Percy Malcolm John lay dying OF
some mysterious and sudden allmcnt
The best medical aid available wa,
Summoned, but all was in vain, ant
close upon midnight death came t,
close the unhappy boys agony.
The doctors who had attended hin
were not satisfied. They had never
before had case which presented
such strange textures, and dark hint.
We're spread abroad that death wa.
not due to natural causes, but ha,
been brought about by murderer,
hand. DR.. Lamson's name was men
toned in connection With them, an,
detective was sent to Paris to tlnt
him.
Five days later cab drove up II
the door of Scotland Yard, n gentle
man got out, and then turned to as
sist Il lady to alight. The two entered
the building-tlle headquarters o
those whose lives are spent in TN
travelling the mysteries OF crime an,
following with steps of vengeance tin
perpetrators of dark deeds.
II have called" said the gentleman