Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-03-13


the room the insect found the remains
of the jelly on the plate by the boys
bedside, and settled down to enjoy this.
killed il with a flick of my handker-
chief. Hardly. however, had done so
when again l heard buzzing, aud IL
seemed to me that this time the sound
came from behind a wardrobe in one
corner; 1t was not continuous. but was
intermittently sandwiched in between
intervals Of silence. as though another
wasp were imprisoned there. and were
making spasmodic efforts to get out
| went to recOnnoiter, and presently the
yellow insect crawled out. and. escap-
ing the blow which l aimed at it,
started in its turn to perform the irri-
tatingly sonorous voyage of discovery
round the room.
Then a strange thought struck me:
Why should there be this succession
of wasps coming thus mysteriously in
TO bedroom. long after the hour when
these insects, in the ordinary course
of things, would be abroad? And why?
| looked Al the jelly. The third wasp
had already settled upon it. Great
heavens! was this the clue for which
l had been seeking?
| examined the wardrobe again. 1t
concealed a door which communicated
with the next room-Mr. Sugden's.
My suspicious were being rapidly con-
firmed.
With a feeling almost of elation l
took an empty tumbler and carefully
inverted it over the jelly dish, impris-
oned the busily feeding wasp. And
then l rang the bell.
Mrs. Wolford answered the summons
herself. l showed her the wasp. and
explaining that l had formed a some
what strange notion about it, asked
her to stay with Ronald while | went
TO my room to test my theory.
Ten minutes later | was in Sugdens
room. l went in without knocking. and
taking no notice of his presence, walk
ed straight up to the door of communi-
cation between his room and Ronald's.
and examined it. Fixed in a corner of
one of the panels, l found funnel
shaped piece of tin. My hypothesis
was almost proved now. for this plain
! ly was the path by which the wasps
had entered, and the analysis | had
hurriedly made of the fragments of
jelly told me only too clearly the MUIR
derous errand on which they had been
sent.
| A low, chuckling laugh behind me
caused me to turn sharply round, and
cold shlver ran down my spine at
what l saw. Sugden was covering me
with revolver, and the cleaning bar
rel was within six inches of my face!
so, DR.. Meldrum," he began slowly,
watching me the while with an evil,
cat-like alertness, you have been spy
! ing upon me? No. l wouldn't try
rush, if | were you; you might get
| hurt. This revolver is really loaded"
| He spoke quietly, but there was
CLEAN in his eyes which l knew and
feared, for | had seen ii once before
| in time of danger shining in the
| glances of a hOmicidal maniac.
Il must congratulate you, DR.. Mel
drum" he went on, upon your acu-
men, for | see you have suspected my
little winged messengers of death
| What, by the way, is the death which
they carry? Did you find out? Strych-
| nia?-nO, DR.. Meldrum, not that. It
was something much more deadly than
strychnia, though its effects are, |
grant you, similar. What do you think
of ptomaines-the poison that is bred
Of putrefaction? More artistic than
your strychnia. / think, and infinitely
more deadly; for I've improved on the
book methods of preparation, | may
tell you, and this little four-ounce jar
(Which contains merely scientifically |
prepared putrefaction of rabbits |
BRAIN will kill you if you so much as
dip scratched finger into it,
He had laid down the revolver while !
he spoke. and | thought | saw my |
chance. With quick movement | tried |
to grab it, but he was quicker; and al !
most before had risen from my chair. |
the revolver was in his hand, and he |
had me covered again But he had
not expected that would make the at |
tempt, and the start which ne gave |
caused him to spill his horrible liquid. |
which trickled slowly over his left !
hand. and fell in big, oily drops upon |
the floor.
Too bad Of you, DR.. Meldrum," he /
said, with mock chagrin, "to make me |
spill my elixir Of death; before it has
finished its work, too! All well, 1t |
has not been altogether wasted, since |
one victim has fallen already by its !
means. You doubt me? | assure you | |
speak the truth-the late DIR. Wolford |
is my witness"
You sneering fiend," | cried. In an |
access Of hysterical fury, you lie! He
died of heart disease"
And shall tell you why he diedY' /
went on the maniac, with rising ex-
citement. II loved the woman he mar
ried; loved her for years; loved her
long before he ever met her. She knew
This and She scorned mo