The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-09-03

special testing tubes. II you'll allow
me, I'd like to exa mine this cup of
bouillon. You might come round, too,
IL you will"
The captain nodded
I'D better stay here for time" he
decided "I'll follow you presently"
The service of dinner was resumed.
Laura, however, sent plate after plate
away. The captain watched her anx-
iously.
II can't help it, she explained. Il
don't know whether you've had any
talk with Mr.. Quest, but we've been
through some queer times lately. |
guess this death business Is getting
on my nerves.
The captain was startled.
you don't for a moment connect
Mrs. Foston Rowe's death with the
criminal you are in search Off" ne
exclaimed.
Laura sat quite still for moment.
THE bouillon was offered first to
Mr. Quest" she murmured.
The captain called his steward.
Where did you get the bouillon
from you served-that last cup, espe-
cially?" he asked
From the pantry just as usual,
sir" the man answered. at was all
served out from the same caldron."
Amy chance of anyone getting at
it,"
Quite impossible, sir"
In Quests stateroom the doctor,
the professor, Quest and Lenora were
all gathered around two little tubes.
which the criminologist was examin-
ing with an electric torch.
mo reaction at ALL" the latter NUT
tered. This isn't an ordinary poison,
anyway"
The professor, who had been stand
ing on one side, suddenly gave vent to
soft exclamation.
"Wait!" he whispered. wait!
have an idea"
He hurried off to his stateroom.
The doctor was porting over a volume
of tabulated poisons. Quest was still
watching his tubes. Lenora sat upon
the couch Suddenly the professor
reappeared He was carrying small
notebook in his hand, his manner be-
trayed some excitement. He closed
the door carefully behind him.
Il want you ALL" he begged, ito
listen very carefully to me. You will
discover the application of what am
going to read when am finished.
Now, IL you please"
This he began, "is the diary of a
tour made by Craig and myself in
northern Egypt some fourteen years
ago. Here is the first entry of i'm
| port:
| MONDAY-Twenty- nine miles southeast
| of Port Said. We have stayed for two
| days at little Mongar village. have
| today come to the definite conclusion that
| anthropoid apes were at one time deni-
zens Of this country.
| TUESDAY-Both Craig and I have been
a little uneasy today. These Mongars
| into whose encampment we have found
| our way, are one of the strangest and
| fiercest Of the nomad tribes. They are
| descended, without doubt, from the an
cient Mongolians, who invaded this coun-
| try some seven hundred years before
| Christ, but have preserved in a marvellous
! way their individuality as race. They
| have the narrow eyes and the thick nose
| base of the pure Oriental also much OF
| his cunning. One of their special weak
4 nesses seems to be the invention of the
most hideous forms of torture, which
| they apply remorselessly to their enc
/ mics.
WEDNESDAY-This has been won
derful day for US, chiefly owing to what
must place on record as an act of great
bravery by Craig, my servant. Early this
| morning, a man-eating lion found his
way into the encampment. The Mongars
behaved like arrant towards. They fec
right and left, leaving the chiefs little
daughter, Feerda, at the brutes mercy
Craig, who is by no means an adept ir
the use of firearms, chased the animal as
he was making Off with the child. and
more by good luck than anything else
managed to wound 1t mortally. HI
brought the child back to the encamp
ment just as the chief and the warrior:
of the tribe returned from a hunting ex
petition. Our position here is now abso
| lutely secure. We are treated like gods
and,s approaching my weakness for al
matters of science, the chief has toda,
explained to me many Of the secret mys
i teries of the tribe. Amongst other things
he has shown me wonderful secret poi
son. known only to this tribe. which they
call Veedemzoo. 1t brings almost instan
DEATH and is exceedingly difficult to trace
The addition of sugar causes curious
condensation and resolves 1t almost to ;
white paste. The only antidote is a sub
stance which they use here freely. an'
which is exactly equivalent to our cam
phor.
The professor closed his book
Quest promptly rang the bell.
Some sugar" he ordered, turning
to the steward.
They waited in absolute silence
The suggestion which the professor
disclosure had brought to them wa
Supplying, even Quests fingers, as
moment or two later he rubbed tw'
knobs of sugar together SO that tn
contents should fall into the tubes o
bouillon, shook. The result wa
magical. The bouillon turned TO
strange shade of gray and begal
slowly to thicken.
ct is Mongar poison!" the profes
sor cried with breaking voice.