The sun., 1905-10-22
The Egyptian Charms
ftttSttttt
Message Of the Trinkets Clutched in
a Dead Mans Hand. ~ ~ II

lhc wnA ~ rfeity Ilcsit trhirsly pfntty
Abel Stead hnd tHid but @an' @tohiiJn
~ the condolences - hts friend and frll'N
student crufgr knlv cYni' ally claaalns
them with tho fnVines n nl other lotefp
ful nov, aa he 70, allied every detail ~
his meeting with Alicc Nomalne ncuofy
Imagination, horcp, l'fc iiscf all a"m"d
tn spfina from her, ~ with her they must
forever abide
She wap 40 wealthy " waa proclamation
to think - II, hut shc was 80 wealthy IN
hcr own right without disheartenins con-
ditiona or restraining relations Only .
,lotins old aunt TO guard, who already
liked him. who aeon must die, and then
leave more unconditional wealth.
She was so cordial 40 undeniably friendly
and pleased Had there not been some
thing warmer than mere friendship In her
glance, 40 expressive, 40 neetng2 She
was accustomed to George they had been
sweethearts from childhood-but did not
custom stale and might not a now interest
le all the more attractive for being for
hidden?
All, II II nigh have been; II II now might
te! Was IL not natural for man to fight
for existence? With life, wealth. love,
suddenly appearing within reach for the
first. for the only time, could he, could
any one, shrink from grasping 80 complete
an opportunity
What then intervened opposed Only
breath, lightly unconscio,sly drawn-the
breath OF the friend who relied on him.
So Stead mused as he sat by Georges
bedside administering draughts OF the
poison and then Of its antidote. and noting
the symptoms that verified 80 closely their
great discovery.
Medical students both. from the first
they had been deeply interested in toxi-
cology. Then the indiscreet enthusiasm
Of young professor had inspired them to
experimentation as secret as 1t was dan
gerous.
They believed that they had discovered
an antidote for an obscure vegetable poison.
and 80 strong was their faith that they had
not scrupled, first one and then the other.
at a personal test. Stead had already
taken the poison and come out unscathed
from it's influence under the care OF his
friend. This evening it was Georges turn,
and thus far the care of Stead had been
just as faithful, just as protecting.
So complete an opportunity! Stead
looked around suddenly, as II there must
be some evil prompter at his side. He
really had not thought of his ability to imi-
tate Georges handwriting. They had
joked about it once or twice, and then had
put it aside as a trifling coincidence, mem
tioning it to no third person, he was sure
But now7 Suppose George should be
found dead in his bed from poison, as he
might readily be, would not note by his
side to Alice not only explain. but perhaps
also drive the young girl from grief by its
proof Of unworthiness?
The clock struck the half hour. 1t was
time to give another minute dose OF the
poison-minute, that is, to be controllable.
to be safe.
Stead sprang to his feet. He stood for
the moment with arms outstretched, as If
entranced
Again he saw Alice as he had met her in
the garden at the old Romaine home; with
the sunlight on her hair, the hues OF the
flowers matching, not rivalling, the colors
and tints of her eyes and cheeks She
smied-invitingly? At least she embodied,
she meant, future, life, everything.
Stead turned noiselessly to the night
stand He filed a graduated glass; he
raised the patient; he held it to his lips.
George drank drowsily, like an infant
Like an infant he settled back into dream
less sleep.
What next' 1t was not probable there
could he any ro,sng. But yet, George
was vigorous his wits alert.
Should he come to himself for an instant
he would comprehend--he would concen-
trate all his dying forces on revealing such
treachery. Might he not be able to ecrawl
ooo,cipr lipoo Port hon
to be cautious.
Stead drew up the chairs, heavy with
books into a barricade by the bed. He
placed pens and pencils, ink and pads
out of reach in the closet. He turned down
the lights.
Without a glance, without thought,
save an all filing joy, he slipped through
the door, locking it behind him. He crept
unobserved down the stairs. And out into
the night he fled like belated ghost!
In an hour Stead returned prepared for
every contingency. He stopped for ice
water in the lower hall, chatting pleasantly
with the landlady of his evening at the club
and of the strange moroseness he had
noticed recently in Knox. He sprang
lightly up the stairs and into the room.
He placed the note on the night stand by
VnC pfllul OF pOlSOIl. he lOOktu toWdTu tnt
bed-God George had moved after all.
There was no time to spare from giving
tho alarm. The corpses right hand hac
clinched-the left hand pressed over 1t az
If to protect something precious. Steat
wrenched apart that stiffening clutch
1t held one, two, three, four, five different
colored gems, rainbow solidified, cluster
OF prismatic light, each with a tiny COLDER
chain dangling from ii.
Where had they come from? He hac
never seen such thing before. And wha
did they mean? Something leading, some
thing revealing, no doubt.
Best, then to be cautious. Stead thrus
the jewels into his breast. Then, with
loud cry, he bounded down the stairs will
his tdings.