The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-16

opcnei. seemingly sirhtiess. az nrsl. but
rapidly toking on a look Of intcllAgencs
la ten minutes the action Of heart ana
lungs was nearly normal, the creature
was able 20 stand. and there was no sign
Of any injury resulting from It's brief Dc
scent into the shadow,
II exhibited iassitude. and a queer sort
q discomfort. There was 10 indication
Of pain. The animal seemed merely Ia
capable OF taking any initiative. Finally,
however it strnycd toward HOLSTER. rub
bed against his leg and put SIS muzzle
into his outstretched hand, while unmis-
taxable tears gathered la its eyes. hol-
lister took the brute into his arms. where
IL lay. licking his hand. and seemed 70
b. comforted.
There. you Sec" said Hslpin. ''rhs dos
IS well enough"
quite So" replied Hollister; and since
you insist. I'm willing 20 give you an
other trial But remember. the truth. the
whole truth. and nothing but the truth
this time"
Halpin raised his hand aud promised
solemniy. wheTeupon HOLSTER poured from
that very flask which Halpin had taken
from the cabinet . draft that I judsc
would nearly have filled an after-dinuer
coffee cup Of the average size. lie showed
no great care in measuring the dose.
The tailhlrd took the glass In his hand.
hesitatsd a moment. and then hastily
drank TO the last drop. He tossed the
glass upon tie table aud c0ught u as
Il was rolling over the edge.
This has no od0r" said ].
After Il has been exposed 20 the ar
for while" said HOLSTER, - develops
the odor that you doubtless noticed 10 the
room. The taste Is faint. but quite agree
able. Wei. Haipin. how do you feei2'
Happy" was the answer. for ] am
done with Il AN"
HIS voice had undergone a surprising
change. IL was deep. round and manly.
strongly contrasting with his usual suriy
tone. This change became even more
marked. and was accompanied by an al
tered manner quite In harmony. In the
closing moments he spoke with dignity ana
force.
Il have given you a promise" he said.
but / shall not be able 10 keep Il.
shall sleep. bun l shall not wake. Listen
TO me. MIR HOLSTER. You have killed an
imals with this drug. haven't your
Several" was the reply. but / used
an overdose"
1T wasn't chat" rejoined Halpin. 81
have taken notice. for have got most Of
tho creatures for you. II IL not the
overdose THAT kills: Il is the second dose!
Toll me have you ever given this twice
TO any animal and had II liver"
/ saw that even the imperturbahle Hol-
lister was shaken by this question. He
did not answer g.
II know that irs she truth" said Hal
pin. ''and thai Is why I wanted the second
dose. wanted 20 die"
There were other ways" said Hollis
ser. mildly.
How do I know" exclaimed Haipin.
How do ! know that when man puts
a bullet through his brain he's depd2 I've
never tried g. I've never tried the p0isons
that druggists SELL But this have tried.
This I can trust II has taken che soul
out Of my body once. and this time II will
not bring q back ] am at the end OF this
world. thank God"'
The extraordinary resonance OF hts
voice due I suppose. 10 che greatly slim
ulated respiration and nervous exeitation,
softoned IN the last sentence, and became
almost like music.
saw HOLSTER quietly take post q the
mans side In another instant he extend
ed his powerful arm, and Halpin dropped
across It like a man stricken from the
| clouds.
We laid Halpin upon couch. and Inn
mediately proceeded 60 examine his condi-
ton. His word had fllod me with alarm.
aud a. / bent over the unconscious form,
1 asked HOLSTER anxiously what he
thought OF Halpin's theory that animal
life could not Withstand two trials OF this
| drug.
There may be something in a." he re-
piled in n dreamily speculative tone.
whatever the explanation may have
/ been. the fact Is that Halpin was dead ]
| shall make no mystery there. Our ut
most efforts. continued for hours, failed
I 10 restore him. From I o'clock IN the
afternoon tll 10 IN the evening we work
"a without cessation. but without result.
| Then we summoned an ambulance from
| Rellevtie Hospital and delivered the body
/ into the care Of surgeon TO whom We
| declared that the engineer had taken some
/ sort Of poison In our presence. that we did
| moi know the nature OF H. and that We
mad done our best 20 restore him. -
I am q duly qualified physician. the story
passed inspection. I secured promise
| mat nothing should be left undone at the
hoepltal; aud. indeed. the mos, extraord-
/ mary ana persistent efforts az resuscita-
lion were there made. but vainly.
/ when We three were left alone Hollis
Ter asked whether anything that we hae
seen would deter us from IN adventure
| whlch he had planned, the nature Of
/ which was. Of course, quite clear. he
uevtng chat he had secured a drug which
| a, mo unfortunate Haipln had SAID
took the soul out OF the body. Il was his
intent that we attempt the mysteries o.
another world together.
"ft produces" said he what may h
| called a temporary death. In the case
~ mar. ] believe that the interval Is &C.
| cupied with actual experiences OF 10
| ture-or al least anothcr-state, and tha
shls miserable man. when he stood hers
before us tonight, possessed knowledg'
that did not exist elsewhere IN this world
unless the fables OF eastern occultism b
true"
IL f. n perfect certainty" said Col
win. THAT our late friend believed that
ne knew what death Is. ana that he has
found Il agreeable. / sec your scheme
HOLSTER. and ] appland n. We three vii
take this drug. and pass an hour to
gether-vho knows whore! am with You
body ana soul and the phrase has a new
meaning in this adventure"
HOLSTER blew a cloud Of smoke into
tho air. ana watched II melt and van
ISM Then ne throw his cigar away: and
rising. nlled three small glasses from ths
same fiaffk which had furnished Halpir
With the draft be had 40 much desired.
Colwin's eyes spsrkied with eagerness
but his body trembled with fear. lie was
peculiarly sensitive 40 peril. yet he dc
lighted IN t. Its nature was such tina
nothing no possessed assumed value III
he feared its loss. and the presence o
death that means che loss Of all thil
world turned enc dross 81 his existence e
pure gold. Ills frame shook with the teF.
ror ana the JOY Of this last hazard.
Holnsser. on the contnry, was quite
onlm. though by no means Indifferent
For my part. ] was STRUGGLING with NJ