Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-02-28

With the next room-Mr. Sugden's,
My suspicious were being rapidly con.
iirmed.
With q feeling almost Of elation
lVook an empty tumbler and carefully
inverted 1t ove the jelly dish, imprls-
oncd the busily feeding wasp. And
then I rang the bell.
Mrs. Wolford answered the summons
herself. Y showed her the wasp. and
explaining that I had formed a some
what strange notion about 1t, asked
her to stay with Ronald while l went
to my room to test my theory.
Ten minutes later l was in Sugden's
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 1t. Fixed in a corner of
one Of the panels, l found a funnel
shaped piece tin. My hypothesis
was almost proved now, for this plain
~ was the path by which the wasps
had entered, and the analysis 1 had
hurriedly made of the fragments of
jelly told me only too clearly the MUIR
derous GRAND on which they had been
sent.
\ low, chuckling laugh behind me
caused me to turn sharply round. and.
q cold shiver ran down my spine at
what l saw. Sugden was covering ME
with a revolver. and the cleaning bar
rel was within six inches of my face!
$50. DIR. Medium" he began slowly,
watching Inc the while with an evil,
cat-like alertness, you have been spy
ing upon me? No. wouldn't try a
rush. if 1 were you; you might get
hurt. This revolver is really loaded"
He spoke quietly. but there was Il
CLEAN in his eyes which l knew and
feared. for ! had seer it once before
In a time Of danger shining in the
glances of a homicidal maniac.
II must congratulate you. DR.. Mel.
drum" he went on. upon your acu-
men, fos' ! 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, DIR. Meldrum. not that. 1t
was something much more deadly than
strychnia, though it's effects are, l
grant you, similar. What do you think
Of ptomaines-the poison that is bred
of p~utrefaction? More artistic than
your s%trychnia, l think, and infinitely
more deadly; for I've improved OH the
book methods OF preparation, l may
tell you, and this little four-ounce Jar
(Which contains merely a scientifically
prepared putrefaction of a rabbits
hrain) will kill you if you SO much as
dip a scratched finger into it,"
He had laid down the revolver while
he spoke, and l thought saw my
chance. With a quick movement 1 tried
to grab 1t, but lie was quicker; and al
most before l had risen from my chair.
the revolver was in his hand, and he
had me covered again. But he had
not expected that l 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, DIR. Meldrum." he
said. with mock chagrin. ito make me
spill my elixir of death; before 1t has
finished it's work. too! All. well, 1t
has not, been altogether wasted. since
one victim has fallen already by its
a You doubt me? assure you l
speak the truth-the late DIR. Wolford
is my Witness"
You sneering tiend." l cried. in an
access of hysterical fury. you lie! lie
died of heart disease"
And shall l tell you why he died:"
went on the maniac, with rising ex-
element. 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 me.
And now. DIR. Meldrum, you have
thought good to come in my way! Well, |
| have five shots in this pistol-one for
you, for the boy, II for the moth |
err. the fourth for myself. and a fifth
in reserve. in case any of the others
should chance to miss. Shall l use them +
now? No. I'm in a quixotic mood to- /
night I'll take you IN level terms!"
With n Wild laugh. he fired the five /
shots into the crate. and then, throw /
ing the pistol to the floor, sprang tiger |
like at my throat. He was a stronger /
man than l, and he bore me down; but, !
in Il moment. even in the very act Of |
his rush. an agony of terror seized him. |
His grasp on my throat relaxed, he /
gave a wild shrek of torment, and then
his muscles quivered and stiffened, and
his body bent backwards like n bow.
Ellis wv vile drug, stealing into his
blood through the opening door left by
the scratch Of n tormented cat upon
his thumb. had seized him in it's cruel |
grip: and before the servants, alarmed
by the sound of the shots. had time to
reach the room. he was lying before
dead. slain by the venom OF his
own brewing.-Waverley.
L
infused Words. |
Jobs and bosses are two words which |