Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-10-28

tons for trains which either did not
run or did SO with exasperhting IN
punctualiiy. We went straight to the
house and called Mr., Clayton out o.
bed. Crewe held up the cigars.
Now, Mr.. Clayton, we must act
quickly" he said, "or you will hnd
that the quarry will have flown. Can
you bring selim to the house as soon
as possible?"
II will do SO at once" said Mr.. Clay
ton, much mystified.
IF he refuses to comet said.
HE will not refuse. ! can procure
a warrant from Mr.. Tighe. our near
est magistrate. But may ask"
Il would rather say nothing" crewe
answered. at is desperate hope,
and yet It seems built upon something
of a foundation. At any rate It VIII
do no harm May be allowed the
setting Of the little drama?"
by all MEANS" Mr.. Clayton an
swered.
He set on as soon as ne mad
snatched hasty breakfast Of bread
and milk, and, after two hours Of wait
ing. Crewe and saw him reappear
with Selim. The servant came IN
blandly; he was as suaye In his de-
meanor as he had been pictured;
nevertheless thought could discern
an uneasy glance in his eye.
"Sit down, Mr.. Selim." said Mr. Clay
, ton. "These gentlemen are friends OF
Claude Bamwell's and wish to inter-
[ rogate you"
/, ~ shall be delighted to do every
thing in my power to assist them."
, said the Indian, seating himself easily
: at the table. IF only could believe
r that the unhappy young man was not
: guilty of my dear masters Death
do you smoke, Mr.. Selim?' asked
D Crewe abruptly.
I The Indian started violently; then.
a recovering his composure, replied:
A 'I am not much OF smoker, SIR
But you have smoked? VIII you
oblige me by smoking cigar with
me?" And he produced the box OF
Bornoes.
| never saw such change come
over a human countenance as came
over the Indians. For moment he
gasped like fish out OF water. Be-
fore he could regain his self-posses-
sion Crewe had placed before him
sheet Of paper and pencil. Upon the
paper was written:
81 swear that / and alone am re-
sponsible for the death OF my master,
Sir George Bamwell."
"As an alternative to smoking. per
haps you will sign this" said Crewe
"You may do BOTH" he added.
The Indian collapsed into his chaiI
with a CHASTITY smile.
mo. | will smoke" he said, pushing
the paper away.
Crewe calmly lit cigar, and ther
applied a match to the Indians. And
there they sat, smoking In perfect 81
lence. while we others gathered
around in strained expectancy
Come, throw away your cigar
selim, and sign that paper" salt
Crewe, after pause. The lndian'
cigar now had an inch of ash on 1t
Crewe's was hardly trimmed.
Suddenly, as If inspired by som
inyincible determination, the India
began smoking furiously. The smok
came from his mouth in puffs. HI
cigar was half consumed. The s
lence deepened. Some dreadful trai
edy seemed to depend upon the issu
of that smoking match.
"Selim," said Crewe. laying dow
his cigar, Sign that paper" And .
removed the cigar from the Indian
mouth.
l saw the Indian shoot out trer
bling claw. He grasped the pencil an
wrote his name almost illegibly b
meath the paper. Then he glanced !
to our faces with pitiful smile ="
is finished" he said, and picked
the cigar again.
Crewe leaped toward him and tri'
TO wrest the cigar from his mouth. b
the Indian, with grip Of steel. he
Crewe's wrists. all the while drawil
in and putting out the smoke In thi'
clouds. The ash was lengthenin
Still none of us stirred. We we
fascinated into inertia by this stran
drama.
All at once the end came. saw
ashen pallor overspread Selin
swarthy face. He choked; he beat
air with his hands; then, without
sound, he toppled over to the grouE
Mr.. Clayton raised him quickly,
u one look into Selim's face was su
ONE cient to tell US all that life was end
inc "You see, gentlemen said Grey
"as I had suspected, those cigars We
pro- highly charged with volatile pois'
Cn variant of prussic acid. Selim }
sni' given the box to Claude to present
80, his father, or, rather, had cunniul
,a contrived that Claude should purchi
ny the box at the store in Tilbury. wit
he had it placed on sale. The reas
why no poison was found in the eli
butts was that 1t had already be
drawn out of the cigars into the luz
of the victims.
ssYou know that az one smokes