The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-12-31

Hargreave."
Let me see If there is a card
But Jim searched in vain for the car,
of the donor At once all his suspi
cions arose. Don't touch them. Bet
ter let the maid throw them out
Fruit from unknown persons nigh
not be the healthiest thing in th,
world"
What do you Think"
That in all probability they are poi
soned. But there's no need trying t.
prove my theory right or wrong. Ash
Jones. He'll tell you to throw then
away"
"Horrible!" Florence shuddered
But they do not want to poison me
I'm too valuable They want one
alive"
Who can say?" returned Jim
gloomily. They may have learned
that they cannot beat US, no matter
what card they turn up. I may be
wrong, but take my advice and throw
them away. Good Lord. what 3
that?" startled
Some one cried!"
20, Miss F1orence!" exclaimed the
maid, terror stricken as she recalled
Susan's act Miss Susan took a
peach from the basket and was eating
1t on the way to her room!"
Good heavens!" gasped Jim. "I
was right. The fruit was poisoned" !"
Jim had head enough to send for a
specialist he knew. The specialist ar
rived about twenty minutes after Sus-
ans first cry. To his keen eye it
looked like certain poison which had
for its basis the venom of the cobra.
will she live?"
20, yes. But she'll be a wreck for
some months. Send her to the hos
pital where l can visit her frequently.
And I'll take that peach along for
analysis. No police AFFAIR.""
No. We dare not call them in"
said Jim.
That's your affair. Ill send down
the ambulance. Keep her quiet. She'll
have a species of paralysis; but thatIl
work off under the treatment. A
strange business"
so 1t Is" agreed Jim grimly.
Florence knelt beside her friends
bed and cried softly.
You called me just in time. An
hour later, nothing would have saved
her. She would have been paralyzed
for life"
Jim accompanied the doctor to the
door and went in search of Jones He
found the taciturn butler eying the
fruit basket, his face gray and drawn,
though his eyes blazed with fury.
"Poisoni"
"A pretty bad poison. too" said Jim.
we can't do anything We've just
get to sit still But in the end we'll
get them. That she devil ="
No, my friend; that he devil. The
woman is mad over him and would
commit any crime at his bidding. But
this is his work. We want him. He
wasn't without courage to send this
fruit, knowing that l would instantly
suspect the sender. Yet, | have no
definite proof. | could not hold him
in court in law. He will have bought
the fruit piece by piece, the basket in
a basket shop. He will have injected
the poison himself when alone. Poor
Susan! That messenger was without
doubt some one over whom he holds
the threat of the death chair That's
the way he works"
Jim tramped the room while Jones
carried the fruit to the kitchen. The
butler returned after a while.
What about that blank sheet of pa
per?"
1T has to be dipped into a solution;
after that you can read it by heating.
have already dipped it into the solu-
tion. The moment the heat leaves the
sheet the writing disappears again.
The ink is waterproof. I'll show you"
Jones got candle from the mantle,
lit 1t, and held the sheet of paper very /
close to the flame. Gradually, almost
letters began to form on |
the blank sheet. At length the mes
sage was complete.
Dear Hargreave-The Russian min /
lister of police is at the Blank hotel
under the name of Henri Servan. He |
is investigating the work of the Black
Hundred in this country and can free
you from their vengeance if you sup
ply the evidence needed"
Now, what evidence can he want?"
asked Jim.
Such as will prove Braine an unde-
sirable citizen"
And then"
Quietly pack him on to Russia,
where he is badly wanted"
Who sent this message?"
"One of our mysterious friends. We
have few, as you already know. But
I'll go and make this man Servan a
visit. ! have seen the real minister,
and If this man is the same one, some
thing of importance may turn up. I
shall want You somewhere about.
Here. I'll let you have this letter. Re-
member, heat brings 1t out and cold
air makes it vanish. Now I'll 90 up
for a moment to see how that poor
girl is getting along. We are lucky;