Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-03-04

up and returned to the dlnlng room
Although he had only been out OF
the room a few minutes, he saw al
once that Smith was imbibing. toe
freely The old port had turned his
bloated face to a dull purple. He
now reclined on his cushions, holding
glass in one hand and a decanter
of whisky in the other. He was de-
scribing in grandiloquent phrases the
delights Of Asiatic life.
"No girls can beat the girls here"
he said. "Here's 20 themw
He drained his glass after having
| pushed the decanter to Paul.
| "He wants to get Paul drunk,
thought Jacques. But Merseins had
adroitly spilled his wine and his
whisky down the back of the cushion.
He made a sign to Jacques to get rid
| of his in the same manner.
Paul had not touched the pipe. He
now took cigarette from Jacques's
case.
The two friends had suspected, and
| with reason, that the tobacco in their
| pipes might have been tampered with.
They had taken the precaution not to
touch any wine or eatables until their
host had done so first. The table had
been cleared. All that remained was
the coffee and liquors. Some white
forms appeared before the open
windows. They whirled round gid
dily. The music in the garden that
had ceased now burst forth, and
there was a loud din of tambourines.
Some veiled dancing girls came into
the room, dancing on the tips of
their toes. =.
"You are not drinking, gentle
men!" cried Smith in thick voice.
He filled up the glasses.
Three beautiful women came in
and reclined at their feet. Jacques
and Paul stared at this scene in
amazement. They drank little
from their glasses and managed to
spill the rest.
Some Oriental perfumes were
thrown into brazers and placed
about the room. The heavy, subtle
aroma mingling with the fumes
from wine and the smoke was
enough to intoEicate any man.
Jacques began TO feel his head
whirl. He got up noncholantly and,
with his hands in the pockets of his
wide pantaloons, he walked over to
Smith. He gave him a smart clap
on the shoulder. The commission
agent looked up and laughed fool
ishly.
Come, both of you, and sit down
beside me-" he added thickly, and
the girls will dance before u.s."
Smith sat on his divan, swaying
to md fro; the two friends sat be-
side him, but slightly at his back
so that they could exchange signs.
"He is getting terribly drunk"
said Paul in low voice.
"No whisperingw cried Smith; he
was sober enough to see that his
guests had not consumed as much
as he. "Fill your glasses" he said;
eat, drink, and be merry, for tomor-
row we die"
They all laughed. 1t was almost
midnight. The women continued to
dance. Smith staggered to his feet
and gave toast to them. Then he
drained MS glass, fell back on his
cushions, and closed his eyes. At
a sign from Jacques, Paul did the
same. A few minutes, later, from
all appearances, the three men we're
in a stupor. The women still con-
tinued to dance mechanically. Soon
the music ceased. and Girodet came
softly into the room. He sent the
dancers away. They trooped down
the garden, changing their tambour-
ines as they went.
you can CO." he said to the three
women who reclined on the cush-
ions; "thcre is no need for you to
stay longer"
He looked down at Smith and
gave him a slight kick. Dead
drunk" he muttercd. "His love of
drink spoils everything. But I'll
soon pull him together"
As soon as he had left the room
and they were alone, Jacques started
up, all alert.
Stay where you are, Paul." he
whispered, "Rnd pretend to be asleep.
If he sees you have moved from the
door he won't enter the room. But
be ready to help me-"
Jacques quickly undid the thick
silk cords that were looped about the
portieres, and stationed himself be-
hind the door. Paul remained
stretched out, so that Girodet would
see him upon entering the room. He
came into the room and walked over
to Smith, but before he could utter
a cry or defend himself he was
thrown to the floor, gagged, and
firmly bound hand and foot. Jacques
picked up the bottle that had fallen
from his hands. He opened it and
smelled it.
Ammonia" he said; "that's for
Smith. He won't get it."
There was not a sound to be
heard in the house. They saw that
there was no danger of Smith wax
ing up for some hours, but to make
sure of him they bound him as they
had the other man.
"He wanted to get us drunk and
then get the receipt" said Jacques;
"my head is whirling, and you look
like a man who has dined not wisely
but too well. Well have some of
this"
They helped themselves to some
ammonia and soon their heads were
clear and they felt only an intense
fatigue.
Girodet was struggling on the
floor. They took him by the feet
and shoulders and carried him into
the next room and locked the door
upon him. Then they crept softly