The Ordway new era., 1913-05-16

himself had already told me. would
have saved her this recital. but 1t was
new to DR.. Addison and so ! allowed
her to proceed.
'It was plainly evident to Moran"
she pursued. that McNish-or at
least the gentleman he supposed was
McNish-did not recognize him. and
his delight at this discovery was un-
bounded: for 1t gave him opportunity.
quite unexpectedly, to arrange all his
plans for most ingenious campaign
OF torture. What that campaign con.
sisted of. of course. you already know.
Mr.. Clyde. and presume DIR. Addison
does. too" 90
yes" I replied. II have told the
doctor"
What you don't know. though" she
added. is how 1t was managed"
I'VE have been told something about
amyl pearls."I suggested.
"Aniyl pearls?" queried DR.. Addison.
curiously. te
With as much clearness as possible
explained to him what ! meant by
using this admittedly inaccurate term.
"lncredible!" he exclaimed. Can 1t
be possible that there is such an an
aesthetic as this. and We have never
even heard of 1t before?"
There can be no doubt about its
existence" answered. 81 myself have
experienced its effects. though l have
never actually seen 1t put in opera
ton"
But 1t was Miss Clement who was
most convincing.
Il have never seen either 1t or its
effects. Doctor" she said. but l am
willing to believe even more marvel
lous things than that where the Chi
nese are concerned. You must remem-
ber that as a race they are most jea-
ious Of their knowledge as well as
their possessions. Just now. after all
their many centuries Of a civilization
greater in some respects than our
own, we are beginning to learn some
thing Of them and their ways, and
should not be at all surprised to dis
cover that In chemistry. in medicine
even, they have forgotten more than
we know. Soy assured me that not
l only for days, but for weeks. he him
self came and went about Mr.. Cam
eron's-or. as he called 1t. McNish's-
country place without being either
seen or heard. simply by using this
ether Of invisibility. 1t was he who
delivered the three letters. It was he
who cut the head from the portrait.
and 1t was he who broke the mirror;
and yet no ono saw him on the
grounds or in the house. and indeed
there were very few who saw him in
| the vicinity. Again and again, he as
| sured me. he could have taken his VIC
Tins life but that he was intent on
innicting punishment more protract-
edly horrible than mere sudden DEATH"
"Who wrote the letters?" I asked.
MORAN"
T thought so. And Moran killed
the Chinaman who worked for him."
"No; there you are wrong. Mr..
Clyde"
Then who dfd?"
"Soy himself. He learned OF how
that boy. unable to control his hatred
| of ths fSan. who had slain some one or
more Of his kinspeople, carried back
the head that had been cut from the
portrait, borrowed a rifle from Mr..
Cameron's own gamekeeper, and shot
the canvas full Of holes. 1t seemed to
Soy, then. that in spite of all his and
Moran's careful preparation this would
surely involve trouble. and that once
more their quarry would slip through
| their fingers. And to prevent the pos
sibility Of any more unrestrained fer.
vor on the boys part, Soy beat him to
death"
II know Soy, or Peter Johnson as
he called himself, managed the kidnap-
ping from the yacht" l said, but
shall never understand how 1t was
done. Did he speak of that?"
| "Over and over again. It was he
who learned. of the intention to take
| the cruise. At first they thought they
would have to change their plans and
carry their enemy OF before he had q
chance to take to his yacht. But Soy
maintained that that would be too
crude method; whereas to let him
think that he had escaped and was
safe away, and then, at the very mo-
ment Of his triumph, to snatch him
from seeming security, would be the
very refinement of cruelty the avenger
SO much desired. And SO the proper
ties we're secured at some fabulous
figure-I forgot Just what they paid
for that fast power boat-the scene
was set. and the great act of the
drama, with Soy still the star, was
carried to successful climax"
But" made question, II don't see
how Soy could take such risk. II it
had been McNish instead of Cameron.
he certainly would have recognized
him. when he was brought aboard
from the disabled dory."
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