The Spectator., 1916-05-26

she laughed. She selected a peach and began eating it on the way up to her room.
 The maid passed on into the library.
 Whats this?" inquired Florence, as the maid held out the basket. She selected a peach and was about to set her white teeth into it when Jim in- terposed.
 Wait a moment, dear" Florence lowered the peach. Jim turned to the maid. "Who sent it?"
 T don't know, sir. A messenger brought it, saying it was for Miss Hargreave."
 Let me see If there is a 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 say?" returned Jim gloomily They may have learned that they cannot beat us, no matter what card they turn up. l may be wrong, but take my advice and throw them away. Good Lord, what 8 that?" startled.
 Some one cried!"
 70, 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. "l 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-
  looked like certain poison which had for its basis the venom of the cobra.
 Will she live?"
 70, yes. But she'll be a wreck for some months. Send her to the hos pital where I can visit her frequently. And I'll take that peach along for analysis. No police affair.""
 No. We dare not call them in. . said Jim.
 That's your affair. I'll send down have species of paralysis; but thatll work off under the treatment A strange business"
 "So it is," agreed Jim grimly.
 Florence knelt beside her friend s bed and cried softly.
 "You called me just in time. An hour later, nothing would have saved her. She would have been paralyzed for life."
 Jim accompanied the doctor to the door and went in search of Jones. He found the taciturn butler eying the fruit basket, his face gray and drawn, though his eyes blazed with fury. "Poison!"
 "A pretty bad poison. too," said Jim "We can't do anything. We've just got to sit still But in the end well get them. That she devil ."
 No, my friend; that he devil The woman is mad over him and would commit any crime at his bidding. But this is his work. We want him. He wasn't without courage to send this fruit, knowing that would instantly suspect the sender. Yet. have nc definite proof I could not hold him in court in law. He will have bought the fruit piece by piece. the basket in basket shop. He will have injected the poison himself when alone. Poor Susan! That messenger was without doubt some one over whom he holds the threat of the death chair. That's the way he works" Jim tramped the room while Jones butler returned after while. What about that blank sheet of pa per?"
 Tt has to be dipped into a solution after that you can read 1t by heating I have already dipped 1t into the solu tion. The moment the heat leaves the sheet the writing disappears again The ink Is waterproof. I'll show you. Jones got candle from the mantle lit it, and held the sheet of paper very close to the flame. Gradually, almost imperceptibly. letters began to form on the blank sheet. At length the mes sage was complete.
 Dear Hargreave-The Russian min ister of police Is at the Blank hotel under the name of Henri Servan. He is Investigating the work of the Black