The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-09-24

u1SturDed. Here are my papers ready
for you, and here are two books to
which we may have occasion to refer
before we have done. Bring your chair
to the table, and we shall be able to
consult them together"
1 drew up to the table.
"You have already told me-" he said,
chat you have never to YOU knowl-
edge tasted opium in your life"
ITO my knowledge?" l repeated.
"iou will understand directly why I
speak with that reservation. Let us
go on. You are not aware of eve hav-
ing taken opium. At this time last
year you were suffering from nervous
irritation, and you slept wretchedly at
night. On the night Of the birthday,
however, there was an exception to the
rule-you slept soundly. Am I right so
far?'
"Quite right"
"Can you assign any cause for your
nervous suffering and your want of
sleep?'
II q assign no cause. Old Better
edge made a guess at the cause, l re-
member. But that is hardly worth
mentioning"
Pardon me. Anything is worth men
tioning in such a case as this. Better
edge attributed your sleeplessness to
something. To what?'
""To my leaving off smoking"
Had you been a habitual smoker?'
Eyes"
did you leave off the habit sud-
denly?'
Eyes"
"Betteredge was perfectly right, Mr..
Blake. When smoking is a habit a man
must have no common constitution who
can leave it off suddenly without some
temporary damage to his v sys-
tenn. Your sleepless nights are account
ed for to my mind. My next question
refers to Mr.. Candy. Do you remem-
Der having entered into anything like
a dispute with him, at the birthday
dinner or afterward, on the subject Of
his profession?'
The question instantly awakened one
of my dormant remembrances in con
nection with the birthday festival. The
foolish wrangle which took place on
that occasion between Mr.. Candy and
myself will be found, described at
much greater length than it deserves,
in the tenth chapter of B~etteredge's
narrative. The details there presented
Of the dispute-so little had l thought
of it Internationally failed to re-
u to my memory. All that l could
now recall and all that l could tell
Ezra Jennings was that l had attack.
ed the art Of medicine at the dinner
table with sufficient rashness and suf
ficient pertinacity to put eel Mr.. Can
dy out of temper for the moment. ]
also remembered that Lady Verinder
had 1nterfered to stop the dispute, and
that the little doctor and l had made
1t up again." as the children say, and
had become as good friends as ever
before we shook hands that night.
"There is II thing MORE" said En-
ra Jennings, (which it is very impor-
tant that l should know. Had you
any reason for feeling any special anx-
iety about the diamond at this time last
year?'
Il had the strongest reasons for feel
ing anxiety about the diamond. l
knew it to be the object of a conspir-
acy. and l was warned to take meas
ures for Miss Verinder's protection as
the possessor of the stone"
tsXEoc tho eofotv If %bo j;op,o,d A,,>
subject of conversation between you
and any other person Immediately be-
fore YOU retired to rest on the birthday
night?'
1T was the subject of a conversa-
ton between Lady Verinder and her
daughter
(Which took place in your h%earing?"
yes"
"Mr. Blake he said, IF you read
those notes now, by the light which
my questions and your nswe have
thrown on them, you will make two
astounding discoveries concerning your
self. You will find-frst, that you en-
tered Miss Verinder's sitting room and
took the diamond, in a state of trance
produced by opium; secondly, that the
opium was given to you by Mr.. Candy
without your own knowledge-as a
practical refntation of the opinions
which you had expressed to him at the
birthday dinner"
l sat with the papers in my hand,
completely stupefied.
TRY to forgive poor Mr.. Candy"
said the assistant gently. He has
done dreadful mischief, l own, but he
has done it i%nnocently. If you will
look at the notes you will see that but
for his illness he would have returned
to Lady Verinder's the morning after
the party and would have acknowl-
edged the trick that he had played YOU,
Miss Verinder would have heard Of II.
and Miss Verinder would have cues
1iOnn6 him and tho tr,1th u-hioI L,~