The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-12-20
ALIVE or Dead?'
The Strange Disappearance of
Gerald RathbOne.
0y GUY rhoRNG.
CHAPTER XuI.-(Continued).
~ GUY rHoRN9.

CHAPTER xilI.-(Continued).
He ran his eye rapidly along the de-
canters. His throat felt as though it
was packed with hot flour. His mouth
tasted a. IL he had been sucking a
brass tap. His tongue vas swollen
and his lips we're hard, cracked, and
feverish. He snatched the brandy bot
tie from a spirit case, and poured all
that was in 1t into a heavy cut-glass
tumbler. Looking around for more,
for the tantalus had only been about
One-fourth part full, he saw a long,
wicker-covered bottle Of curacao, and
began to pour from 1t into the brandy.
Then, without water or minerals, he
began to Eulp down this astonishing
and powerful mixture, which, in a
fourth Of its quantity, would probably
have struck down the ordinary man
as q tree snaps and falls in a sudden
wind.
It had been Guests intention to
take enough alcohol to put him into
something like q normal condition, and
<hen to return to the laboratory to as
Sist at the concluding scenes of the
demonstration, and to enjoy in his own
0-licious and sinister fashion. But
IS the liquor seemed to course through
his veins and to relieve them of the in
tolerable strain, as he felt his whole
body respond to the dose of poison to
which he had accustomed 1t, thoughts
~ returning to the laboratory became
very dim and misty.
Here was this large, comfortable
room, with it's panelled walls, its old
family portraits In their massive gilt
frames. this 6re of wood logs In q great
open hearth. sending out SO pleasant
and hospitable an invitation to remain
9sery 1ber OF the wretch's body urged
him TO take the twilight hour and en-
~ It.
Guest sat down in q great arm chair,
0added with crimson leather, and gaz-
~ dreamily into the white heart Of
eke fire. He felt at peace, and for Ave
01nutes sat there without movement,
hooking. In the pickering freight, like
some grDtesQue Chinese sculpture
some god Of darkness made by q silent,
0o0n-faced mar on the far shores Of
tie YaneGsekiang.
Then Mr.. Guest began to move
ax2in; the fuel that he had taken was
6urning out. The mans organism had
become like n OF those toy engines
lhr children which have for furnace a
4G9le methyi lamp. and which must
constantly be renewed II the wheels Of
the mechanism are to continue to re-
volve.
Mr.. Guest rose from the arm chair
and. shambled over to the sideboard
sA1kxin. The bottle of q was still
almost full. though there did not ap-
pear to be any brandy.
That would do, he thought, and he
poured from the bottle into his glass
y II he had been pouring beer. The
wretchsd man had forgotten that in
his present state-a state upon the
very verge Of swift and hidden parox-
ysm and Of death-the long abstention
q the morning and afternoon had mod.
l6ed his physiological condition. More
over, the audiences OF these stealthy
potations In the dining room began to
have their way with him. He was q
nan whom It RI almost impossible to
make intoxicated, as the ordinary per-
ION understands intoxication. When
Guest was drunk his mind became sew
eral shades more evil; that was all.
But ct this memsat the man sue
Oumbe& md In Aa!f m hour his brain
WAS absolutely crowded and confused.
HaA1 forgoetsa both time and oc-
Gasion, and could not think coherently.
~ last he seemed to realize this him
ri. He rose to his feet and. clutch
fng hold Of the dining table, swayed
and lurched toward the dining room
door. There was . dim consciousness
within him Of something which was
1mminontly necessary to be done, but
which he had forgotten or was unable
70 recall.
What was 1T" he kept asking him.
eolf. with q thick indistinctness. II
Knew I had somethin' to do-somethin'
important. Cant think what It was"
At that moment his hand. which he
hAd thrust Into his pocket touched a
~.
i've got III" he said. "'Course,
know now. I must go down and put
tAo cap on Rathbone, after I have in
3ected the alcohol preparation. Will
I'm and I want to set In front Of the
screen and follow his thoughts-they
aro funnier than they yer used to be
boCore We told him what we were do
1ng to him. I'll just take one more
drink, then I'll 60 downstairs to the
ooJlar u once"
CHAPTER XIV.
AZ Iaetl
when the sounds Of amused laughter
r Lord I1Andsend's unconscious revela-
tin Md passed away. and that young
n~oblennan, slightly flushed indeed. but
I1Gln -aHh fhn ohflitv that :