The Calumet news., 1912-06-14
CHE
ADVENTURE
or TIE
OWLS FOOT

time in thought with his face sunk in
his hands. Then, with a sudden i'm.
pulsive gesture, he plucked a photo
graph from his breast pocket and
threw It on the rustic table before us.
''That is why have done it," said
he.
II showed the bust and face Of n
very beautiful woman. Holmes stopped
over it
Brenda Tregennis," said he.
"Yes, Brenda Tregennis,' repeated
our visitor. "For years have loved
her. For years she has loved me.
That Is the secret of that Cornish Sc
clusion which people have marveled
at. II has brought me close TO the
one thing on earth that was dear to
me. could not marry her. for have
wife who has left me for years. and
yet whom, by the deplorable laws Of
England, l could not divorce. For
years l waited. And this is what we
have waited for" A terrible sob
shook his great frame, and he clutched
his throat under his brindle beard.
Then with an effort be mastered him
self and spoke on.
The vicar knew. He was in our
confidence. He would tell you that
she was an angel upon earth. That
was why he telegraphed to me and
returned. What was my baggage or
Africa TO me when learned that such
a fate had come upon my darling?
There you have the missing clew TO
my action, Mr.. Holmes"
Proceed" said my friend.
Dr. Sterndale drew from his pocket
a paper packet and laid it upon the
table. On the outside was written,
''Radix pedis diabon," with a red pol
son label beneath it. He pushed It
towards me. II understand that you
are a doctor, sir. Have you ever
heard OF this preparation"
"Devifs-foct root! No, have never
heard Of It,"
1T is no reflection upon your pro-
fessional knowledge" said he, "for /
believe that, save for one sample in
a laboratory at Buda. there Is no
other specimen in Europe. II has
not yet found it's way either into the
pharmacopeia or into the literature
OF toxicology. The root is shaped like
a foot. half human, half gostlike;
hence the fanciful name given by
botanical missionary. II is used as
an ordeal poison by the medicine-men
in certain districts of West Africa,
and is kept a secret among them
This particular specimen l obtained
under very extraordinary circum-
stances in the Ubanghi country" lie
opened the paper as he spoke, and
disclosed a heap OF reddish-brown,
snuff-like powder.
well. sir?" said Holmes, sternly.
81 am about TO tell you, Mr. Holmes,
all that actually occurred, for you al
ready know so much that it is clearly
10 my interest that you should know
all. ! have already explained the re-
lationship in which I stood TO the Tre-
gennis family. For the sake of the
sister ! was friendly with the broth
ers. There was a family quarrel
about money which estranged this
man Mortimer, but IL was supposed to
be made up, and'I afterwards met him
as / did the others. He was a sly.
subtle, scheming man, and several
things arose which gave me a suspi-
cion OF him, but | had no cause for
any positive quarrel.
zone day. only a couple OF weeks
ago, he came down TO my cottage and
/ showed him some OF my African Gu
riosities. Among other things, / ex.
hibited this powder, and | told him
of its strange properties, how II stim.
uiates those brain centers which con-
troll the emotion of fear, and how
either madness or death is the fate OF
the unhappy native who is subjected
10 the ordeal by the priest OF his
tribe. / told him also how powerless
European science would be TO detect
II. How he took IL / cannot say. for
l never left the room, but there is
no doubt that il was then. while I
was opening cabinets and stooping TO
boxes, that he managed to abstract
some Of the devirsfoot root. / well
remember how he piled me with ques-
tions as TO the amount and the time
that was needed for its effect. but I
little dreamed that he could have a
personal reason for asking.
Il thought no more Of the matter
until the wears telegram reached me
AZ Plymouth. This villain had thought
that would be at sea before the news
could reach me, and that / should be
lost for years in Africa. But I re.
turned at once. or course. could
not listen to the details without feel
Ing assured that my poison had been
used. came round TO see you on the
chance that some other explanation
had suggested itself to you. But
there could be none. I was convinced
that Mortimer Tregennis was the mur-
derer; that for the sake of money.
and with the idea. perhaps, that IL the
other members of his family were all
insane he would be the sole guardian
OF their Joint property, he had used
the devil's-foot powder upon them.
driven two OF them out OF their senses,
and killed his sister Brenda, the one
human being whom have ever loved
or who has ever loved mo There vvaa