Evening star., 1917-11-04

side OF each, as he examined IL, was
white. with brownish fibrils. or scales.
salmon pink, changing gradually to al
most black in the older specimens. But
search as he might for what knew ne
was after in none did he find anything
at the base. and no cup" as 1t Is called
As he rose after his thorough search
I saw that he was completely baffled.
Il hardly thought you'd hnd any
always been very careful OF my mush-
rooms"
"You have certainly succeeded ad-
mirahly." he complimented.
Il hope you will let me know how
Mf Mansfield Is" she said. as we start
ed back TOW ard our car on the road.
1t seemed gratuitous for Kennedy to
promise. for I knew that he was by no
means through with her yet. but she
thanked him. and we turned back
toward town.
well" I remarked. az we reeled OK
the miles quickly, Il must say that
that puts me all at sea again. What
can you do now"
"Do?" he echoed. "why, go on. This
puts US a Nsep nearer the truth. that's
all"
Far from being discouraged at what
had seemed to me to be fatal blow to
the theory. he now seemed to be actu-
ally encouraged. Back In the city. he
lost no time in getting to the labo-
ratory again.
A package from the botanical depart
there for Kennedy. but before he could
open it the telephone buzzed furi-
ously.
I could gather from Kennedy's words
that 1t was Helen Grey.
II shall be over Immediately" he
promised. as he hung up the receiver
and turned to me. Mansfield is much
worse. While get together some ma
terial I must take over there, Waiter.
l want you to call up Miss Hargrave
and tell her to start for the city right
away-meet us a. Mansfield's. You'll
find their numbers in the book--or else
you'll have to get them from Miss
Grey"
as automatically as possible Kennedy
had taken a vial from q medicine chest
and then from cabinet a machine
which seemed to consist of q number
cylinders from which ran tubes. An
upright roll Of ruled paper supported
by clockwork arrangement for re-
volving 1t and a standard bearing a
recording pen. completed the OUTFIT.
Then we dashed over In the car to
Mansfie'd's again. bearing the several
packages
Miss Grey was pale and worn as she
met Us In the living room.
He's had sinking spell" she said
TREMENDOUSLY. "Dr. Murray managed to
bring him around. but he seems much
weaker after It,"
Another convulsion and sinking
spell is about all he can stand" re-
May I try something?" asked Ken
nedy. hardly waiting for the doctor to
agree before he had pulled out the lit
tie vial which had seen him place IN
Deity Kennedy injected some Of the
contents into Mansfleld's side. then
stood anxfously watching the effect
The minutes heightened. At least he
seemed to be growing no worse.
In the next room, on a table. Ken
nedy was now busy setting out the
scroll of ruled paper and its clockwork
arrangement and connecting the vari-
Gus tubes from the black cylinders in
such a way that the recording pen just
barely touched on the scroll.
He had come back to note the still
UNCHANGED condition of the patient.
woman in the early thirties entered,
followed by Helen Grey. 1t was Nina
Lettch.
"oh. isn't it terrible! I can hardly
believe It"
I recalled what Miss Grey had said
about Mensffeld's attentions. It was
evident that. as far as Nina was con-
cerned. her own attentions were mo-
n"nol'zed by the polished physician.
His manner in greeting her told me that
Fleming Lewis hustled In. and lit
tie later the tension was broken by
the arrival of Madeline HarFrave.
The circumstances were so strange
that none Of them seemed to object
while Kennedy began to explain
briefly. that. as nearly as he could de-
ternine. the Illness of Mansfield might
be due to something eaten at tho sup
per. AS he attached the bands about
the necks and waists of one after an
other of the guests. bringing the little
black cylinders thus close to the mid
die of their chests. he contrived to
convey the impression that he would
like to determine whether any one else
had been affected in lesser degree.
His preparations completed, Kennedy
opened the package which had been
left at the laboratory just before the
hasty call from Miss Grey. AS he
did so he disclosed several specimens
OF mushroom of pale lemon color.
with a center of deep orange. the top
decked with white bits. Underneath
the gills were white and the stem had
a sort of veil about 1t. But what in
terested me most and what was look
ing for was the remains Of sort OF
dirty. chocolate-colored cup at the
base of the stem.
IT suppose there Is scarcely any need
of saying" began Kennedy. "that the
food which I suspected in this case 10
the mushroomA Here I have some