The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-02-11
CHAPTER XIV.
THE M1cHAELov1TcH DIAMONDS

M. Pigot, cool and imperturbable, held
out to us, with a little smile, a hand
showed not a culver OF emotion-his
gauntleted hand; and l saw that, on
the back OF 1t, were two tiny depres-
| sions. At the bottom OF each depres-
sion lay a drop of bright red liquid
blood red. / told myself, as stared at
1t, fascinated. And what nerves of steel
this man possessed! A sudden warmth
Of admiration for bin glowed within
me.
That liquid, gentlemen" he said in
his smooth voice, "is the most power
full poison ever distilled by man. Those
two tiny drops would kill a score OF
people, and kill them instantly. Its
odor betrays its origin"-and, indeed,
the air was heavy with the scent OF
bitter almonds-'but the poison or
nothing compared with this. This poison
dinarily derived from that source Is as
is said to have been discovered by Remy,
the remarkable man who brought about
the death of the Duo d'Anjou. Its dis
tillation was supposed to be one OF the
lost arts, but the secret was redts
covered by this man Crochard. No Sc
cret, indeed, Is safe from him; criminal
history, criminal memories-the mys-
teries and achievements Of the great
cOnfederacy OF crime which has ex-
listed for many centuries, and whose
existence few persons even suspect
all this is to him an open book. 1t is
this which renders him SO formidable.
No man can stand against him. Even
the secret OF this drawer was known to
him, and he availed himself OF II when
need arose."
M. Pigot paused, his head bent in
thought and 1 seemed to be gazing
with him down long avenues of crime,
extending far into the past dismal ave-
nues like those OF Pere Lachaise, where
f%Vv, oh
every step, one came face to face with
a mystery. a secret, or a tragedy. Only,
here, the mysteries were all solved, the
secrets all uncovered. the tragedies all
understood. But only to the elect, to
criminals really great, were these ave-
nues open; to all others they were for
hidden. Alone of living men, perhaps.
Crochard was free to wander there I'M
challenged.
Some such vision as this, say, pass
ed before my eyes, and had a feeling
that NJ. Pigot shared in It: but after
an instant, he turned back to the cab
met.
Now, NJ. Simmon," he said briskly,
In an altered voice, If you will have
the kindness to hold the drawer for a
moment in this position, will draw the
| serpent's fangs. There is not the
slightest danger" he added, seeing that
Simmonds very naturally hesitated.
handle of the drawer. and help 1t open,
while the Frenchman took from his
pocket a tiny flask of crystal
"a little farther" he said and as
Simmonds, with evident effort, drew
the drawer out to its full length. tiny
two tined prong pushed itself forward
from underneath the cabinet. There
are the fangs," said NJ. PigOt. He
held the mouth of the flask under first
one and then the other, passing his
other hand carefully behind and above
them. The poison Is held in place by
what we in French call attraction
capillaire-I do not know the English;
but drive it out by introducing the air
behind it-ah, you see!"
He stood erect and held the flask up
to the light. 1t was half full Of the red
liquid.
Enough to decimate France"
he said screwed the stopped care
in his pocket. Release the drawer, If
you please, monsieur" he added to
Simmonds.
1t sprang back into place on the in
slant the arabesqued handle swapping
up with little click.
You will observe its ingenuity" said
NJ. Pigot. Tt is really most clever. For
whenever the hand, struck by the pois
oned fangs, loosened is hold on he
drawer the drawer sprang shut >as you
see, and everything was as before-ex-
cept that one man more had tasted
death. Now 1 open 1t. The fangs fall
again; they strike the gauntlet but for
that, they would pierce the hand. but
death no longer follows. BY turning
this button, lock the spring. and the
drawer remains open. The man who
devised this mechanism was so proud
of 1t that he described 1t in a secret
memoir for the entertainment of the
Grand Louis. There Is q copy of that
memior among the archives OF the
Bibliotheque Nationals; the original is
owned by Crochard. 1t was he who
connected that memior with this cab
met, who rediscovered the mechanism,
rewound the spring, and renewed tho