Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-06-04
N1&A
l. THE
J POISONED '
CIGAR
, &
BY JOHN N.

n GORGE VERNON, an attache Of his
III majesty's embassy at the court Of
Floritaria, sat waiting, The room was
a comfortable one, for the members Of
the Floritaria embassy had little to 60
beyond making themselves comfortable,
and Vernon, whose private income was
q very large one, had made this sitting
room of his a delightful combination of
a mans room at college and the bou-
doir Of a woman of fashion.
The whole of one side of it opened into
a conservatory. in which were flowers of
almost every kind, from orchids almost
beyond price to cabbage roses, and there
were a number Of strengthening and
strange smelling plants in that conserva-
tory as well, for George Vernon was an
ardent botanist.
Vernon sat deep down In a low bas-
ket armchair, watching the smoke Of his
cigarette as IT curled gracefully toward
the ceiling. The little crystal clock
upon the mantelpiece tinkled out the
chimes that marked the quarters, and
Vernon reused himself up out Of his
chair, gave himself a shake and
laughed.
The baron will be here in five min
utes,' he said. Il wonder which of us
will leave the room in an hours time.
And as he said the words he opened a
case of glasses, placed soda water upon
the table by it, put away the cigarettes.
and brought a little gold box, marked
Cigars"
Baron Heinrich Won Reitzenstein,'
announced the servant at the door. And
the baron came in, brought his heels to-
gether in true German military fashion.
and bowed to Vernon. Here | am, you
see. punctual to the minute, Herr Yer
non" said Baron Won R~eitzenstein,
Vernon looked at him without an
swering. Both were types in their way
of that most polished thing on earth,
a real man Of the world, and although
both of them knew that death was to be
the lot of one of them within the next
hour, a slight shudder was the only sign
of such knowledge either of them
showed. "a drink, baron?' said George
Vernon. Thank you, yes. Only alittle
soda. May | serve you? So And
both men touched glasses in the German
style and drank.
Health and long life toto which
ever one of us fate allows to leave this
ROOM" said Vernon, smiling, and,
Health and long life to one of us" re-
piled the baron.
Let me just run over the terms OF
our agreement" said George Vernon.
I'VE need not go into the reasons oil
our quarrel. We have quarreled, n
only the death of n of us can settle 1t"
The baron bowed.
VERY well, then. Neither of us is
a Frenchman, and we both look upon the
ordinary duel, with its seconds, its pub
LEFTY. its probable harmlessness, and its
reconciliation afterwards, as quite ride
ulous." The baron bowed again. ITO
avoid the punishment and the disgrace of
the survivor, We have agreed to end our
quarrel BY the cigar test, a method that
| learned in South America.
"In this box" and Vernon opened the
cigar-box with a little key that was at
tached to his watch chain, ARE several
cigars. | have stepped one of them in Il
preparation of that little plant with the
long fbrous leaves and the red flower,
which YOU can see in The conservatory.
The Juice of it is deadly poison, but 1t is
odorless and tasteless. Whoever smokes
the cigar stepped in this juice will die
in a few minutes, but his remains will
show no trace of the poison, and his
death will be quite painless.
"The doctors will ascribe it to heart
failure, and nobody need ever know the
truth, The survivor will throw the re-
mains of the cigar into the fire, and will
not ring for help until it is entirely ION
sumed. | need hardly say that he will
never make the slightest reference to
the reason of our quarrel, which, with the
manner of its settlement, will remain a
secret"
The baron drank a little whisky, and
In clear voice answered: "Letus smoke,
my friend. | feel assured that your
cigars are excellent Without evsn
looking at the box he took a cigar,
clipped off the end of 1t, and lit it from
the small lamp upon the table. YER