The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-03-31

Jney QlQ. Dluu you take any OLucI
precautions?"
ooh, yes. reported the attempt to
Judge Elverson. He gave me the two
dogs"
Two?"
Eyes. Rags and Tatters. Both
killed right here in this room"
Average Jones became, suddenly
very much worried about the second
button of his coat. "Er-where were
your" he drawled.
II was here when Tatters got his
death. l had gone to the Mushroom at
the farther end of the hall when Rags
was poisoned"
WAS there evidence of poison?"
Pathological only. In Tatters' case
it was very marked He was doing
in a corner near the radiator when
heard him yelp and saw him swapping
at his belly. 1t was like strychnine
poisoning. Before l could get vet
Urinary here he was dead"
What about the other dog"
Rags? That was the day before
yesterday. We had just come over
from Flatbush and Rags was nosing
around in the corner"
WAS it the same corner where Tat
tiers was attacked?"
Yes; near the radiator. He seemed
to be interested in something there
when l left the room. ! was gone not
more than two minutes"
Lock the door after you?"
1T has a special. spring lock which
had put on myself"
Average Jones crossed over and
looked at the contrivance. Then his
glance fell to a huge, old-fashiOned
keyhole below the new fastening.
You didn't use that larger lock?"
mo. l haven't for months. The
key is lost, think"
Retracing his steps the investigator
sighted the hole from the radiator,
and shook his head.
Its not in range he laid. go on. I"
LAS l reached the door on my re-
turn, heard Rags yelp. He was paw
ing wildly at his nose. The veterinary
didn't believe it was strychnine. Said
the attacks were different. Whatever
it was, couldn't find any trace of :
in the stomach. The veterinary took
the body away and made a complete
autopsy"
Did he discover anythina?"
Yes, The blood was coagulated
and on the upper lip he found a circle
of small pustules He agreed that both
dogs probably swallowed something
that was left in my Office, though
don't see how it could have got there"
That won't do" returned Average
Jones positively. "a dog doesn't cry
out when he swallows poison, unless
it's some corrosive"
1T was no corrosive. l examined
the mouth"
What about the radiator?" asked
Average Jones, getting down on his
knees beside that antiquated contriv-
ance. 1T seems to have been the
center of disturbance"
IF you're thinking of fumes" re-
piled the chemist, 81 tested for that
1t isn't possible"
mo; l suppose not. And yet, there's
the curious feature that the fatal in
fiuence seems to have emanated from
the corner which is the most remote
from both windows and door. There's
no fire-escape and it's too far up for
anything to come in from the street"
Average Jones examined the walls
with attention and returned to the
big keyhole, through which he peeped
After politely offering some chewing
gum to his host, he chewed up sim
gle stick thoroughly. This he rolled
out to an extremely tenuous consisten-
cy and spread it deftly across the un-
used keyhole, which it completely
though thinly yelled.
Now, what's that for?" inquired the
chemist, eying the improvised closure
with some contempt.
Don't know, exactly yet" replied
the deviser cheerfully
'All right" agreed young Mr.. Dorr.
Whatever your little game is. I'll play
it. Give me your address in case you
leave town"
LAS l may do. l am going to hire
a press-clipping bureau on special or
der to dig through the files of the
local and neighboring city newspapers
for recent items concerning dog pois-
oning cases."
Dog poisoning seemed to Average
JOKES to have become a popular pas
time, judging from the news items
from the clipping bureau. Several days
were exhausted by false clues. Then
one morning there arrived an article
from the Bridgeport Morning Delin-
Gator detailing the poisoning of sew
eral dogs under peculiar circum-
stances. Three hours later he was in
the bustling Connecticut city. There
he took carriage for the house of Mr..
Curtis Fleming, whose valuable Great
Dane dog had been the last victim.
Mr.. Curtis Fleming revealed himself
as an elderly gentleman all grown to
point: Pointed white nose, eyes that
were pin-points of irascible CLEAN, and
Who are your" he demanded ran
cidly, as his visitor was ushered in.
Average Jones recognized the type
He knew of but one way to deal with
it and retain self-respect
"Jones!" he retorted with such as
founding emphasis that the monosyl-
liable fairly exploded in the others
face.
well, well, WELL" said the elder
man, his aspect suddenly Modified.
Don't bite me. What kind of a Jones