The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1915-09-24

my chemical chest with me, and some
special testing tubes. If you'll allow
me, I'd like to examine this cup OF
bouillon. You might come round, too,
if you will"
The captain nodded.
"I'd better stay here for a 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," he
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. eft 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
a soft exclamation.
"Wait!" he whispered. wait! l
have an idea"
He hurried off to his stateroom.
The doctor was porting over 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.
'T want you ALL" he begged, ito
listen very carefully to me. You will
discover the application Of what am
going to read when I am finished
Now, if you please
"This," he began, sis 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-n 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 denl-
zens Of this country.
TUESDAY-Both Craig and I have been
little uneasy today. These Mongars
into whose encampment we have found
our way, are one of the strangest and
| descended without a doubt, from the an
cient MongoUans, who invaded this coun-
try some seven hundred years before
Christ, but have preserved in marvellous
way their individuality as a 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
| nesses seems to be the invention of the
| most hideous forms Of torture. which
| they apply remorselessly to their enc
mics.
wEDNESDAY-Thi has been won
derfu1 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 fled
| right and left, leaving the chiefs little
| daughter, Feerda, at the brute's mercy
| Craig, who is by no means an adept III
| 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 it mortally. he
| brought the child back to the encamp-
| ment just as the chief and the warriors
| of the tribe returned from a hunting eX-
petition. Our position here is now abso'
| Iutely secure We are treated like gods
| and, approaching my weakness for al
| matters of science, the chief has today
| explained to me many of the secret mys'
| teries of the tribe. Amongst other things
| he has shown me a wonderful secret pol
! son, known only to this tribe, which they
| call Veedemzoo. It brings almost 1nstan'
death, and is exceedingly difficult to trace
| The addition of sugar causes curious
| condensation and resolves it almost to
white paste The only antidote is SUD.
| stance which they use here freely, ano
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 was
Supplying, even Quests fingers, as
moment or two later he rubbed two
knobs of sugar together so that the
contents should fall into the tubes o.
bouillon, shook. The result wa:
magical. The bouillon turned to
strange shade Of gray and begar
slowly to thicken: