The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-12
snuff-like

"a ~ht EAosFAt$. SGETD4N
Il am about TO tell YOU. Mr. Holmes.
all that actually occurred. for you al
ready know so much that il il clearly
10 my interest that YOU should know
ALL | nave already explained the
relationship in which / stood TO ,hs
T~regennis family. For the sake Of
the sister l was friendly with the
brothers. There was a family quarrel
about money which estranged this
man Mortimer. but ii was supposed 10
be made up. and / afterwards me; him
as | did the others. He was a sly. sub
tie, ScheIning man, and several things
arose which gave me a suspicion of
him, but l had no cause for any posi-
tive quarrel.
one day, only a couple Of weeks
ago. he came down 10 my cottage and
l showed him some OF my African
curiosities. Among other things. |
eXhibi'ed this powder, and l told him
OF its strange properties. how il slim
ulates those brain centres which con-
troll the emotion OF fear. and how
either madness or death is the fate OF
the unhappy native who is subjected
TO the ordeal by the priest or his
tribe. | told him also how power
less European science would be 10 de-
tect it. How he took il l cannot say.
for | never left the room. but there is
no doubt that it was then, while / was
opening cabinets and stopping 10
boxes, that he managed to abstract
some of he devils foot root. l well re-
emil how he piled me With ques-
tions as to the amour and the time
that was needle for its effect. but |
little dreamed that he could have 4
personal reason for asking.
Il thought no more Of the matter
until the Wears telegram reached me
at Plymouth. This villain had thought
that l would be at sea before the news
could reach me, and that l should be
lost for years in Africa. But | re-
turned at once. OF course. | could not
listen to the details without feeling
assured that my poison had been
used. l came round to see YOU on the
chance that some other explanation
had suggested itself to you. But there
could be none. | was convinced that
Mortimer TregenniS was the murder
| er; that for the sake of money, and
with the idea, perhaps, that If the
other members Of his family We're all
insane he would be the sole guardian
of their joint property, he had used
the devils-fOOt powder upon them.
driven two of them out of their senses
and killed his sister Brenda, the one
human being whom l have ever loved
or who has ever loved me. There was
his crime; what was to be his punish
ment?
Should / appeal to the law? Where
were my proofs? l knew that the facts
were true, but could | help to make a
jury of countrymen believe 50 fantas-
tic a story? 1 might or / might not.
But I could not afford to fail. My soul
cried out for revenge. / have said to
You once before, Mr.. Holmes, that L
have spent much of my life outside
the law, and that | have come at last
to be a law to myself. SO 1t was now.
I determined that the fate which he
had given to others should be shared
nv hir,co1f EithHr that or would
do justice upon him with my own
hand. In all England there can be no
man who sets less value upon his own
life than l do at he present moment.
Now I have told you all. You
have yourself supplied the rest. /
did. as YOU say. after a restless night.
set off early from my cottage. l fore
saw the difficulty Of arousing him, SO
l gathered some gravel from the pile
which you have mentioned, and L USED
it to throw up TO his window ne
came down and admitted me through
the window of the s~itting-room. LAID
his offense before him. l told him that
I had come both as judge and execu-
toner. The wretch sank into a chhlI
paralyzed at the sight of my revolver.
1 lit the lamp, put the powder ABOVE
it, and stood outside the window,
ready 10 carry out my threat TO shoot
him should he try TO leave the room.
In five miutes he died. My God. how
he died, But my heart was flint. Tor ne
endured nothing which my innocent
darling had not felt before him. There
is nv story. Mr.. Holmes. Perhaps. il
YOU loved q Woman, YOU would nave
done as much yourself. At any rate. !
am in your hands. You can take what
steps YOU like. AS have already
said. there is no man living who can
fear death less than ] do
Holmes sat for some little time in
silence.
What were your plans-?' he asked
at last.
II had intended 10 bury myself in
Central Africa. My work there is out
half finished
Go and do the other half. SAID
Holmes. II at least, am not prepared