The Irish standard., 1900-11-17
thing, tossed in weird and grotesque
contortions in seething vortex.
Murdoch had escaped the justice Of
CHAPTER XIV.
TIE MURDER SYNDICATE.

1 wv
forbade you to do u stroke of work
to-day, or even to leave your bed; and
here you are scribbling away just as
though nothing had happened. Itell
! you when man has the narrow squeak
you have, there has been tremendous
/, strain upon his heart, and it is posi-
lively dangerous"
Don't scold, old man; I have never
in my life been better than feel to-
day. And, besides, this work could not
be postponed
ooh, pshaw! That is what nine out
of every ten patients say to their physi-
clan. They are modestly convinced
shat the world must needs come to a
standstill if they cannot accomplish
their tiny mite of work.
DR.. Thurston, who had assumed his
frown of professional severity, pro-
ceeded to feel the reporters pulse.
well, you are in luck; better than
you deserve. Almost, any other man
would have been laid up for week by
the experience you have been through.
And here you have the face to recover
without the assistance of the medical
profession, and in spite of your insolent
disregard of my express orders to leave
work alone for the present. Now, there
is Sprague-"
"Ah, what of Sprague?" asked the
reporter, anxiously.
"Sprague has had close call. But
he is safe now. If tender and intelli-
gent nursing count for anything, he
will probably be up in day or two"
Miss Murdock-"
Eyes. She has professional nurse
to help her; but she has insisted on
taking charge of the case herself. And
an excellent nurse she is, too, and a
charming girl into the bargain-and
what is more, n noble woman"
docs she know of her fathers
death?"
81 broke the news as gently as
| possible. Shc-tooll it much more calm
ly than I supposed she would. There
evidently was but little sympathy be-
tween her and her father, Pr
ION her side, at any rate"
Yes. Her first act on learning of her
fathers crimes was to send for law
yer. She refuses to touch cent of his
money, and has instructed her attorney
to make such resolutions as may be
possible and to- turn the rest to char.
liable institutions. This leaves her al
most penniless; for the property she
held in her own right from her moth
er's estate amounts to very little. For.
tunately, Sprague is rich enough for
both. What are you doing there, it ]
may ask?"
DR.. Thurston pointed to bundle
which lay upon the table.
'"That is Murdock's autobiography
a legacy to me. The package was found
near his yalise in the death chamber
He had addressed it to me at the las,
minute"
did it help you in your account o
the Knickerbocker bank case for til,
Tempest?"
"a little; but naturally, Murdock'
account of that crime was not com
plete. The entire journal, however
is of absorbing interest. It is q pit,
that it cannot be published"
why cannot it be published?"
1T would be dangerous to the wei
fare of society. Murdoch was an CT
traordinary genius in his line; Their
is marvellous originality and ingenu
ity in his work. His crimes, mum
bered by the hundred. were all o
capital Importance in their results
all deep-laid and skillfully executed
1t is hardly likely that such anothe
consummate artist in crime will cx
list once century. To publish til
details of his schemes would be t
put formidable weapon in the hand
of the vulgar herd of ordinary Grim
fnals, who lack the Imagination 9
this brilliant villain.
II tell you, Thurston," continue
sturgis, with what seemed very Xix
enthusiastic conviction, "this ma
was the originator of almost ever
. unsolved mystery which has nor
plussed the police during the last 1
years. He had his agents in every im
portant center throughout the cour
try; agents working under potent ii,
centfves, and yet working in the darl
for few of them have ever known VIII
held the mysterious power which d
, rected their every move. Murder ha
, been done wholesale; and so quietl
and mysteriously has the work bee
accomplished that, in all but this las
case, the detectives have found n
clue whatever which might lead l.
an explanation of he sudden and ur
accountable disappearance Of wealth
men, whose bodies, shipped to th
Manhattan Chemical company b
Mur1locl1's agents, were quietly an
systematically made away with in Il,
chemists laboratory"
"He was the fiend incarnatei" e,
claimed the physician.
: 'Well," said Sturgis, after a MI
ment of thoughtful silence, "at an
rate, lie was not wantonly cruel. Z
} was heartless: he was pitiless; bu
), his cruelty was always means to q
: end, however selfish and illegitimat
5 that end might be. His cruelty
that, in measure, Of every huma
!, being destroying life that he may l:y
and trampling upon his fellow me
. that he may be comfortable. B.
: tween Murdoch and the rest of us Their
was difference Of degree, certainly
but was there difference of kind?''
There is one thing which I car
not yet understand" said Thursto,
, "and that is, why Murdoch shout
| have nnShad ia n 1,tlncifv "a Tho roir