Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-02-19

her room.
The maid passed on into the library.
whats this?" inquired Florence, as
the maid held out the basket. She
selected peach and was about to set
her white teeth into it when Jim in
exposed.
Wait a 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 if there is 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"
"Horrible!" Florence shuddered.
But they do not want to poison me.
I'm too valuable. They want me
alive"
who can sayg' 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
that?" startled
Some one criedt"
20, Miss Florence!' exclaimed the
maid. terror stricken as she recalled
Susan's act. Miss Susan took a
peach from the basket and was eating
it on the way to her room!"
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 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 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.
That's your affair. I'll send down
the ambulance. Keep her quiet. Shell
have species of paralysis; but that'l
work off under the treatment. A
strange business"
$50 it u.s." agreed Jim grimly.
Florence knelt beside her friends
bed and cried softly.
You called me just in time. Al
hour later, nothing would have saved
her. She would have been paraIyzet
for life"
Jim accompanied the doctor to thu
\ door and went in search of Jones. HI
found the taciturn butler eying th'
fruit basket, his face gray and drawn
though his eyes blazed with fury.
"Poison!"
"a pretty bad poison. too," said Jim
I'VE can't do anything We've jus
got to sit still. But in the end wei
get them. That she devil :"
NO my friend; that he devil TIL
woman is mad over him and woul
commit any crime at his bidding. Blu
this is his !, rk. We want him. H
wasn't without courage to send thi
fruit, knowing that would instantl
suspect the sender. Yet, have n
definite proof. l could not hold hir
in court in law. He will have bough
the fruit piece by piece, the basket /
a basket shop. He will have injecte
the poison himself when alone. Poo
Susan. That messenger was withou
doubt some one over whom he hold
\ the threat of the death chair. That
the way he works"
Jim tramped the room while Jone
carried the fruit to the kitchen. Tn
butler returned after a while
. What about that blank sheet of p,
|. per?'
: 1T has to be dipped into a solution
after that you can read it by heatin
!. have already dipped 1t into the sol
: ton. The moment the heat leaves tn
!. sheet the writing disappears agail
The ink is waterproof I'll show you
= Jones got candle from the mantl
:. Lit it. and held the sheet of paper ver
!, close to the fame. Gradually, almol
4 imperceptibly, letters began to form @
:. the blank sheet. At length the me
: sage was complete.
n Dear Hargreave-TheR Russian mi
/. lister of police is at the Blank hot
q under the name of Henri Servan. H
v is investigating the work of the Blac
e Hundred in this country and can fire
4 you from their vengeance If you su
o ply the evidence needed"
Il Now, what evidence can he want,
asked Jim.
r Such as will prove Braine an und
Q sirable citizen"
l. "And then"
Quietly pack him off to Russi
II where he is badly wanted"
Q Who sent this message?"
I. Zone of our mysterious friends. "
II have few, as you already know. b
I'll go and make this man Servan
g visit. have seen the real ministe
g. and IL this man is the same one, som
thing of Importance may turn up.
shall want you somewhere abor
Here, I'll let you have this letter. R
n member, heat brings 1t out and CO
p air makes 1t vanish. Now I'll go ,
8. for a moment to see how that po
d. girl is getting along. We are luck.
If there's no gainsaying that"
You're clever man, JONES'" sa
Ie Jim.
ID Jones turned upon him, his ia
Is grave. The two men looked steadi
lie into each others eyes. Jones W
sr first to turn aside his glance, as
had something to conceal and Jim h
n. nothing.
:" When the ambulance took the Il