The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-05-31
The Snakes Eye
Copyright. by W. q. Chapman)

| roll-Captain Mainwaring."
The captain bowed and favored cor.
roll with brief glance: the nervous.
ness left CAROLS eyes and they grew
bright and steady He began to talk
eagerly to Pamela, the captain having
again turned to the lady with whom
ne mad been conversing. Soon after.
ward took my leave, returned home
and went straight to my laboratory. I
was engaged IN several experiments
OF an interesting nature, and I'm par.
tcuiar was anXlously developing some
photographs which | had recently
taken by means OF the Roentgen rays
had just retired into my dark room
when heard ring at the hall door.
My servant then raped and Informed
me that Mr.. Carroll had called, and
was waiting in my laboratory.
On entering the apartment In cues.
ZION / found Carroll standing where
the iull rays Of the electric light fell
on MS face. He looked cadaverous.
MS cheeks were hollow, his eyes had
Il disturbed and CLASSY expression. |
noticed that he had taken up some
proofs Of mine which lay on the table
They had bean sent to me for correc.
ton from the medical paper for which
l constantly write. When he heard my
step he threw down the sheets and
| came forward to meet me.
That Is an interesting article Hall.
fax" he said. 1T appears to relate to
a strange poison"
| 1t does" | returned: zone of the
most dangerous poisons known. As
you have read some of II. | will tell
you how came to write the paper. I
am much interested just now in the
| Roentgen rays, and make many expert
ments with the new light A few DAYS
| ago. while experimenting with ferro-
cyanide of potassium. accidentally
found that had evolved as a by-prod.
net that most dangerous drug. anhy-
drous hydrocyanic acid. The article
| Is written with a view to show the
danger which anyone unconscious OF
this fact might unknowingly run. The
poison causes instant death by inhala-
ton, and the process of making. with.
out certain precautions. is fatal"
1T Is an interesting study" OBJ
served Carroll. as he sank into a chair.
And now, doctor. have taken advan-
tase Of our old friendship 10 pay you
rather late visit. which the impor,
tanco Of my business must excuse.
You know all about Pamela ana my.
self Well, have determined that she
shall not marry Captain Mainwarins.
| gave her letter tonight which will
make her think deeply. She loves me.
Halifax; she does not love Mainwar.
ing"
You are not acting In manly
way, | said. severely. Il know that
Pamela was at one time attached to
you. but"
MY mind is made up" interrupted
Carroll Either the marriage will be
prevented. or shall commit suicide"
"You profess 10 love the girl"
said. stcrnly. and yet YOU would cast
such a terrible shadow over her liic?'
mo. would draw the line at that"
! he answered. III she marrics Main
! waring she need never know Of my
fate. | have given her people TO nm.
! derstand that | am going abroad. If
! | cannot effect the object for which |
visited YOU tonight | will allow her to
! continue in that belief want YOU to
| do me a favor. You are an old and in
innate friend of the family. VIII you
go 10 Mr. Crossthwaite tomorrow
morning and make n final plea for
me-"
impossible" / returned. 1T would
be useless. anyway. II YOU meant TO
interfere. why did YOU wait until the
eleventh hour?"
Because I have been ont Of Amcri-
On. The news Of tho engagement
reached me in Africa three weeks ago.
I took the first boat | could get. and
reached New York this afternoon. As
YOU will not interfere, ! must go to
see Mainwaring. | told Pamela in the
letter | gave her tonight of my inten-
ton. Mainwaring shall not marry her
without first hearing the whole story.
If in the face of that he persists In
holding To his engagement shall not
live TO hear the wedding bells ring.
And now | will bid you adieu. for the
present"
He shook hands with me and left
the house. He had been gone but
few minutes when, approaching the
table where the proofs of my article
lay. perceived that page s was miss
ing. On this page careful descrip'
ton of the use to which the deadly
acid could be put was given. A cry
of alarm escaped me as | saw that
small bottle of the drug itself which
had been standing near the manu-
SCRIPT was also missing. knew what
occurred. Carroll had seen the word
poison" in large letters on the iabe'
of the bottle. and had evidently
slipped Il into his POCKET before en-
tered the laboratory.
nut on my hat and rushed out. but
had not gone many steps before ! re-
memhered that / did not know Car
rolls address. He had spoken, how
ever. of visiting Captain Mainwaring'
The latter was stopping at the Now
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