Evening star., 1909-02-14


Yesterday, and found sort of treadmlll where
two dogs were working themselves almost to
death, tor no apparent reason Whatever
There was bed and a table and things in one
OF the rooms of the lower floor; but there was
nothing up stairs but the dogs, the treadmlll
and table that looked as If it had been used
for dissection.
A STRO had stood listening to every word
As Naleska spoke, his face cleared
crimson silk robe, tossed his turban into
a corner, and on the instant appeared as the
virile, keen man of activity.
Il have it," he exclaimed. 1T is all over :.
District Attorney Tullver will have no more
mysterious attacks OF fatigue! The boodling
BROOKLYN Aldermen will be prosecuted from
now on with al despatchl"
He went up to Ealeska, and gently led her
to a seat, laughing at the wonder in her eyes
Listen" he said Il had it all deep in nv
memory; but until this moment | couldn't
make connections with it and apply my knowl-
edge to this case. Now l recall everything
Herr Weichsrdt, Munich pathologist, some
years ago made some experiments which
showed that fatigue was an actual pathological
condition. In other words, he proved it was a
disease, by discovering the germ and inocu-
lating living organisms with it. He took some
anirnals,-pigs, if | recall aright,- made them
work till they were almost dead of fatigue
then removed the tired muscles and extracted
lated other animals. He found that a small
dose of his serum culture caused all the char
acteristic symptoms of fatigue in the patient
and that a heavy dose produced even death. =
But how could this gang administer such
a polsont
Through the manicure, whom they had
engaged and paid, of course. All she had to
do, after she had received the serum from the
man YOU saw was to dip her iaail scissors into
the solution, and then clip the cuticle so as to
draw blood. The merest scratch would suffice,
and no noticeable sore IN the finger would be
caused; but the toxic germs would permeate
the veins and be distributed all over the body
1t was the fact that she had cut Tulliver 5
finger that aroused my memory; then the
story Of the treadnil instantly suggested
Weichardt's 5 experiments. 1t was devllIshlv
subtle plot. You see, they didn't dare actually
to poison him, or give him any easily recog-
nized disease. MI they needed was to put HIM
out of business for day at critical mo-
ments when they needed time to prepare their
fight"
Then you'll tell Tulliver'"
Certainly. With the police behind him, he
can easily run down the plot and do what he
wishes about it. Most likely he'll see that the
manicure girl leaves town, and let the rest go. :
NALESkA looked thoughtfully at the huge
crystal ball on an ebony table in front of
her and spoke as if to herself. Il wish some
other symptoms besides fatigue could be trans
mitted in that way. One might infuse some OF
the District Attorneys own strenuosity and
honesty, for instance, into persons who need
moral stamina.
Il can think of better things than that to
do" Astro gazed dreamily at the pretty.
flushed face in front of him. His eyes fingered
on the dark, curling hair, the lovely curve of
the neck, the gracile girlish hands the sensi-
tive mouth, the cunningly nodded figure, and
he sighed.
What would YOU try to give me, if you
were undertaking the experiment? Valeska
asked without looking up.
Astro did not answer Instead he took one
more long tender look at her, and walked
swiftly into his laboratory.
The next Seer o. Secrets story, " The Heir 10
Soothoid." uM appear February 2S.