The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-05-16

y INV hAAA
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.
One day, only a couple Of weeks
ago, he came down 10 my cottage and
l showed him some of my African GU
riosities. Among other things. | ex-
hibited this powder, and | told him
or Its strange properties, how it slim
ulates 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
to the ordeal by the priest Of his
tribe. | told him also how powerless
European science would be to detect
1t. How he took it / cannot say, for
l never left the room, but there is
no doubt that 1t was then, while l
was opening cabinets and STOPPING to
boxes, that he managed to abstract
some of the devil's-foot root. | we'll
remember how he piled me with ques-
lions as to the amount and the time
that was needed for it's effect, but I
little dreamed that he could have a
personal reason for asking.
81 thought no more Of the matter
until the wears telegram reached me
at Plymouth. This villain had thought
that | would be at sea before the news
could reach me, and that l should be
lost for vnarC In Afrino DIT M
turned at once. or course, ! could
not listen to the details without feel
ing assured thai 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. / was convinced
that Mortimer Tregennis was the MUIR
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 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 l help to
make a jury Of countrymen believe
so fantastic a story? | might or l
might not. But | could not afford to
fail. My soul cried out for revenge.
| have said to you once before, Mr..
Holmes, that | have spent much Of
my life outside the law, and that
have come at last to be a law to my
self. So 1t was now. | determined
that the fate which he had given to
others should be shared by himself.
Either that, or l would do justice upon
him with my own hand. In all Eng
land there can be no man who sets
less value upon his own life than
do at the present moment.
Now I have told you all. You have
yourself supplied the rest. | did, as
o say, after a restless night, set off
early from my cottage. l foresaw the
difficulty Of arousing him, so / gath
cred some gravel from the pile which
o have mentioned, and / used it
to throw up TO his window. He came
down and admitted me through the
window of the sitting-room. l laid his
offense before him. l told him / had
come both as Judge and executioner.
h wretch sank into a chair para.
lyzed at the sight of my revolver.
lit the lamp, put the powder above II,
and stood outside the window, ready
to carry out my threat to shoot him
should he try to leave the room. In
five minutes he died. My God! how
he died! But my heart was flint, for
he endured nothing which my inno-
cent darling had not felt before him.
There Is my story, Mr.. Holmes. Per-
haps, If you loved a woman, you would
have done as much yourself. At any
rate, l am in your hands. You can
take what steps you like. AS | have
already said, there Is no nan living
who a fear death less than | do"
Holmes sat for some time In silence.
What were your plans?" he asked,
at last.
T had intended to bury myself in
Central Africa. Ny work there is but
half finished"
Go and do the other half" said
Holmes. II, at least, am not prepared
to prevent YOU"
DR.. Sterndale raised his giant fig.
ure, bowed gravely, and walked from
the arbor. Holmes lit his pipe and
handed me his pouch.
Some fumes which are not poison
u would be a welcome change" raid
he. * think you must agree, Watson,
that 1t is not a case In which we are
called upon to interfere. Our i~nvesti-
cation has been independent, and our
action shall be also. You would lot
denounce the man."
Certainly not,'I answered.
II have never loved, Watson, but II
l did, and II the woman / loved had
met such an end, ! might act ever as
our lawless ~lion-hunter has done. Who