Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-10

wood matched eagerly at the glass and drained IL
at one gulp. Then he pressed his hand to his
heart and staggered back.
My God, YOU have poisoned me-" he gasped.
The pain! The painl / can't breathe"
You u be all right in a moment" Sartoris
said. II don't profess to your wonderful medical
knowledge but some things I know, and one of
them is how to treat a man in your condition.
What you regard as poison is strong dose of sal
volatile-as strong doue as I dare venture to
give even to powerful man like you Now drink
this coffee"
There ring Of command in the tone
which was not to be disobeyed. AS soon
Rertwood had regeined his power of speech he
drank his coffee. After the harsh, astringent
drug the flavor was soothing and gratifying. In
marveously short space of time the big man
grew quiet and little ashamed of himself His
face was less red. he became more quiet and sub
dued in his manner.
II am truly sorry, Sartoris" he said. "1'm
afraid was very drunk and rude just now. But
I was not entirely to blame. Would any be
entirely to blame who had led life like mne
The things that have seen, the things that
should like to find out! Then the madness
comes on me and must drink or destroy myself.
] fought for the possession of myself today until
I was mere nervous rag of a man, if I had
fought much longer | should have blown my
brains, out. And what would you have done
them"
The mans tone was eager, almost passionate
Sartoris bent his head down so that the express
sion Of his face could not be seen by anyone.
Say no/ more about it," he said You are
quite sober now, which is the important part of
the case. I will discuss the other matter with
you on future occasion"
The speakers tones were smooth enough, but
his eyes cleaned like Goals of fire. He was bend
ing again and fumbng with the straps of the
great packing case. Field, watching everything
intently, asked Berrngton what he thought of it
all.
Il hardly know what to think" the latter
whispered. "This has been night of surprises
therefore you will be prepared to hear that I
know the man Brentwood we'll"
''You mean that you knew him in India?"
Field asked.
'Yes, years ago. He was an army surgeon and
quite the cleverest at his profession that l
ever had the privilege to meet. He might have
made a large fortune in England but he got into
some trouble and had to leave the country. 1t
was much the same in India. Brentwood had
positive genius for the occult and underground.
After time very few white people cared to asso-
the dervishes and the mullahs and all that class,
whose secrets he learned. l believe he is the
only European who went through the process
Of being buried alive That secret was never be.
trayed before, and yet yonder fellow got to the
bottom of it. Also he learned all the secret poi
sons that they out yonder, and were pretty
sure that he was mixed up in the great scandal
that followed the sad death of the Rajah of Alb
ealli You recollect that?"
Field nodded. He had fine memory for all
stories of that kind.
I'VE always said that Brentwood was the actual
culprit and that he experimental with certain
poisons that produced quite new results. Some
said that the Rajah committed suicide Perhaps
the poison administered to him took that form
Anyway, Brentwood disappeared, and it was gen
orally understood that he met his death by falling
ont of boat when shooting sea fowl That was
the story that one of his servants brought back,
but we could never ascertain how far that fellow
was in his masters pay. A year later one of our
men came back from his long leave, saying he had
seen Brentwood at Monte Carlo, and that he ap-
peared to be bursting with money. Another of
ours was reported to have seen him after that, |
almost in rags in London.
There was no chance for further talk for by
this time Sartoris had released the straps of the
packing case and raised the lid. The others
stood around him, looking white and anxious, !
with the exception of Brentwood, who was smok. |
ing cigarette quite carelessly. With an inpatient
gesture Sartoris pointed to the case by his side.
Now, then" he said curtly, ARE you people
going to keep me waiting all night? Do you
think that cripple like me can do everything?
Give hand here, you men. whilst of the
others clears the table Pull the cloth off"
There was clatter of china and glass and a
clnk of bottles at the sound of which Brentwood
looked around with sudden spasmodic grin on
his face But Sartoris scowled at him furiously,
and he turned his watery gaze in another direc
ton. The table was clear now, and the Rajah,
with the help of the man called Reggie, and Rich
ford raised some inanmate object from the
trunk 1t was limp and heavy, il was swathed
in sheets like lay figure or a mummy. As the
strange thing was opened out it took the out
lines Of a human body dread object, full of the
suggestion of crime and murder and violence.
Harrington breathed hard as he watched.
"If we only dared to do something" he NUT
tered, IT suppose it is easy to guess what they
have there?"
EASY enough, indeed SIR" Field said between
his teeth "It is the body of Sir Charles Daryll,
There is a deeper mystery here than we are as
yet aware Of They are laying the body out on
that table as il for some operation. don't know
what to think; T."
Shut that door," Sartoris commanded in
hard, high voice. "There is deuce of draught
coming in from somewhere. You don't want that,
eh, Bentwood!"
Brentwood muttered that it was the last thing
he did desire The door closed with bang,
there was a long silence, broken at last by Zee
BILE cry of pain, cry something like that OF .
child who suffers under some drug Berrngton