The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1915-02-12

terposed.
wait moment. dear" Florence
lowered the peach Jim turned to the
maid. Who sent it?"
Il don't know. sir. A messenger
brought It, saying it was for Miss
Hargreave."
Let me see II there is a card"
But jim searched in vain for the card
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 might
not be the healthiest thing in the
world"
What do you think?"
THAT in all probability they are poi
soned But there's no need trying to
prove my theory right or wrong. Ask
Jones. He'll tell you to throw them
away
"Horriblel" Florence shuddered.r
cut they do not want to poison me.
Pm too valuable. They want me
alive"
who can say?" returned Jim
gloomily. "They may have learned
that they cannot beat us, no matter
what card they turn up. may be
wrong. but take my advice and throw
them away Good Lord, what's
that?" startled.
Some one criedi"
20, Miss Florencel" exclaimed the
maid, terror stricken as she recalled
Susan's act. Miss Susan took a
/ OF
It on the way to her rooml"
Good heavens!" gasped Jim. Il
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 1t
looked like a certain poison which had
for its basis the venom of the cobra.
'Will she liver"
20, yes. But she'll be a wreck for
some months Send her to the hos
pital where can visit her frequently.
And I'll take that peach along for
analysis. No police AFFAIR.""
mo. We dare not call them In
said Jim.
the ambulance. Keep her quiet She'll
have a species of paralysis; but thatn
work off under the treatment A
strange business"
80 it 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.
{ "Polsoni"
D "A pretty bad poison. too" said jim
; I'VE can't do anything. We've ius'
Z got to sit still. But in the end wei
y get them. That she devil :"
o mo, my friend; that he devil. TIT
A woman Is mad over him and woul'
o commit any crime at HE bidding. Blu
II this is his work. We want him. H
wasn't without courage to send thi
r fruit knowing that / would instantl
'el suspect the sender. Yet, / have n
d. definite proof. l could not hold hir
in court in law. He will have bough
ri the fruit piece by piece, the basket 4
ie a basket shop. He will have injecte
d.. the poison himself when alone. Poo
Il Susanl That messenger was withou
doubt some one over whom he hold
Ig the threat of the death chair. That
G. the way he works"
Jim tramped the room while Jone
carried the fruit to the kitchen. tn
butler returned after q while.
a. What about that blank sheet Of pI
D. peri"
1T has to be dipped into solution
Fl after that you can read It by heatin
have already dipped It into the sol
ton. The moment the heat leaves II
sheet the writing disappears agai
The ink is waterproof Ill show you
Jones got a candle from the mantl
lit 1t, and held the sheet Of paper vel
close to the flame. Gradually, almo
imperceptibly, letters began to form {
the blank sheet At length the me
sage was complete.
Dear Hargreave-The Russian mi
lister of police is at the Blank hot
under the name Of Henri Servan. I
is investigating the work Of the Bla'
Hundred in this country and can fr
you from their vengeance If you su
ply the evidence needed"
NOW, what evidence can he want
asked jim.
Such as will prove Braine an unt
sirable citizen"
And then"
Quietly pack him on to Russ
where he is badly wanted"
who sent this messageT"
zone of our mysterious friends. '
have few, as you already know. B
I'll 60 and make this man Servan
visit. I have seen the real minist'
and if this man is the same one, SON
thing of Importance may turn up.