The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-05-12

I'M rnzing 6xediy at the table be.
fore him. His cigarette tip
IL glowed and failed. Some one
suggested drinks. The captain asked
barrow what he would have, but the
question went unnoted.
"How passed the next six months
I could hardly tell you," he began
again, quite abruptly. AT times was
bored-fearfully bored Yet the ele-
ment Of mystery, OF uncertainty, of
underlying peril, gave n certain zest
TO the affair. In the periods of dull
ness found some amusement in visit
ing the lower camp and batting the
niger Slade will have told you about
him. He possessed quite fund of
voodooism. He possessed more before
got through with him. Yes: II he
had lived 20 return to his country
fancy he would have added considera-
bly, TO Afro American witchlore. You
remember the vampire bats, Sls1c?
And the devil fires? Naturally didn't
mention to you that the devil fire
business wasn't altogether as clear TO
me as | pretended. II wasn't. though
But ut the time 1t served very well ms
an amusement All the while real
ized that NIX self entertainment was
not without its element of danger too.
I remember glances not altogether
friendly. but always little doubtful.
n little awcd Even Handy solomon,
practical as he was, had a scruple or
two OF supersiItionain his makeup on
which one might work. Only Eagen-
Slade, ! mean-wasl beyond me there.
You puzzled me not little in those
days. Slade Well
Did I say that was sometimes an
noyed by the doctors attitude? Yes. II
seemed that he might have given me n
little more of his confidence. but one can't
judge such mIn as he was. Among
the ordinary affairs of life he had relied
OH me for every detail. Now he was in
dependent of me. Independent doubt
II he remembered my existence at
fines Even in his blacklist moods of
depression he was sufficient unto him
self 1t was strange. How he did
rage the day the chemicals from Wash
ington went wrong! | was washing
my shirt in the hot water spring when
he came boiling out of the laboratory
End keeled me over. came out pretty
Indignant. Apologize? Not at all lie
just spnttered. His nearest approach
20 conference seemed to indicate a de-
sire that should go back TO Washing
con ut once and destroy a perfectly
reputable firm of chemists. Finally he
Gained down and took IL out in enter
ing II in his daily record He was
quite proud of that daily record and
remembered TO write in it on an aver
age of once a week.
Then the chesC went wrong. Wheth-
er it had rusted bit or whether the
chemicals had got in their work on The
hinges | don't know, but one day tie
professor, Of his own initiative, recog,
nized my existence by Juggling his box
out In the open and asking me TO fix
II. Previously he had emptied II. II
was rather a complicated thing. with
an inner compartment over which was
a hollow cover. opening along one rim.
That conjectured was designed to
hold some chemical compound or salt.
There were many minor openings, too,
each guarded by similar hollow door.
My business was with the heavy top
cover
1T should shut and open softly.
gently explained the professor 80.
Not with-a- grating spund-to be-accom-
panied he added with his curious eff
feet of linked phraseolOgy.
Half n days work fixed II. The lid
would stand open of itself until tipped
nj considerable angle. when it would
fall and lock. Only on the outer shell
was there lock. That one was good
bit of craftsmanship.
$50. Percy. my boy said the doc
tor kindly. that will with sufficient
safety guard our treasure. When we
obtain it, Percy. When II entirely fin
ished and completed shall be-
"And when will that beg | asked.
"'God knows. he said cheerfully. II
progresses
whenever | went strolling at night
he would produce his curious lights