The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-07-20

with scarlet bloom, enclosing a large
yard A small garden was in cultiva-
ton. and the place was neat and prim.
Behind it a stone enclosure sheltered
several black hogs and a litter
of little pigs. Furtzhofer looked about
slowly. He noticed that beyond the en-
closure, in the vacant ground adjoin-
ing, a growth of poisonous herbs had
apparently come up at random. and
that two rarer varieties were in the
garden. a faint droning sound, like
the distant swarming of a hive of bees
issued from the open door of the house
The self-constituted detective crouch
ed down, following the hedge till he
reached the shadow of the stone pig
pen. There he came upon n discovery
that made him jump: only a rotten
pineapple. with What looked like an ar
row inserted in it. Karl approached.
The arrow was a fine, weIl-made fish,
spear. and Furtzhofer knew, as few
white men know, that the juice of the
rotten pineapple can be made a deadly
poison. Not a few of the weapons in
his rather complete South Sea collec-
/ ton had had their tips envenomed by
| that simple method. He looked at the
/ pineapple as it lay negligently thrown
on an ash-heap in the blazing sun;
then he glanced at the house again, and
| back at the imbedded fish-spear
! so he thought, that's it, ] won
/ der if the nephew knows. No. he
argued, Il fancy not; she doctors his
| spears for him while he is away, and
/ he uses them in all innocence. A very
| clever lady, Neula!'
He crept on till he reached the front
of the house again. Entering softly at
the gate, he slipped on tiptoe toward
the door Before him, on the floor, sat-
J or rather crouched, the witch-doctor.
She was young and handsome, after
/ savage, mysterious fashion. Her I'M
bound hair hung over her shoulders,
shadowing her face. Her lips were
well-shaped, though thick; her nose
was wide-nostriled. high bridged, and
intellectual. OF her body he could not
judge, for she was clad in a new black
holoku that spread out upon the floor
in stiff, crisp folds
She rocked slowly forward and back
muttering something to a packet on the
floor with a terrifying concentrate
and energy. However she might as
sist her ends by direct methods, she
eveidently was a thorough believer in
the added efficacy of prayer.
Karl watched with interest Neula
went on with her incarnation and slow
rocking, too absorbed to notice the in
truder At last his shadow, as he drew
nearer, darkened the doorway She
stopped suddenly and raised two eyes
blazing with such malignant power
that they made the doctor vince Theyl
were very large and bright. heavily
lidded, and slanting toward the tenn
pies: wonderful eyes at any time, but
n hoy ole ~ hi It'll +,
concentration of hate and fanatical ex-
citement, they We're nothing less than
an event in the mans life.
Neula said nothing for a moment |
but continued to look upon him with |
the bright, unwinking fiXity of a snake. |
Then she rose slowly from her place |
on the floor, and moved toward him |
with a 1.-THE, panther-like step, grace
full and strong.
Sorry to disturb you" said Furtz-
hofer, recovering himself; but I was
passing and saw your calabash on the
steps. I thought possibly you might
like TO sell it,
NO" she said shortly, 'T don't want
to SELL" She examined him from head
to foot venomously; but, glancing b. *
at his cheerful. handsome face her
manner changed. Below, at Kuu-
mas Silc lit6y nave SOIIlG lHeN
might let you have
He raised his hat thanked her. and
took his departure in the direction she
indicated. He found the place, and
asked for calabashes. There being none
at his price, he retraced his steps. Ne
ula was not to be seen as he repassed
the house and made his way back to
the detected gateway where his horse
was tied.
Loki met him with the information
that her sister had fallen asleep After
giving a few more instructions. he
took his leave of the tearfully CRATE
full nurse. and drove slowly home. For
many reasons he felt it his duty to
inform on the poisoner ar once. He had
sufficient proof to place her in confine-
nent; still. the evidence was so cir
,umstantial that she might eventually
escape her well-earned punishment.
Better wait for further developments,
lie thought; besides, he was more than
anxious to study the woman and faith
I'M her methods. She was too interest
ng a case to sacrifice.
On reaching home. he ordered the
ook to make and bottle n strong beef
roth. He would see that his patient
eceived plenty of unpolluted food
Then he Joined dear Theresa for
fternoon tea. and listened with one
ar to psychological platitudes.
The next day, bright and early, he
vas on his way up the valley He
ound his patient stronger. for she had
ested well. The fish that Aka had
rOught lay folded in a ii leaf. waiting
or his inspection. He stayed long e.
ough 10 see Liliha sit Up. propped
nth pillows. and drink the bottled
roth with evident relish. Then, tax
lg the suspicious package, he return
j to his. home.
He took the fish to his private study
nd examined it carefully. There We're
ark rings about the holes left by the
ny trident. and as he expected. an
lysis revealed the presence Of poison.
Re telephoned for a fellow practition-
:, to corrOborate his discovery 2 gainst \
le time of testimony. but he refused "
reveal more than the bare outlines
the case. He did not propose to
lare the excitement with any one.
\ few DAYS more and the doomed