Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-29


skin in gruesome manner, and spoke
more plainly than ever of the deadly
virus which had been injected into his
veins.
Under the clear light which now
shone into the room from the outer
day, he looked frail, weak. pitiful. with
his hish-bred features framed in iron
gray hair.
Heffy at once hustled forwaxd be
side Osborne and Dual Laredo went
over and dropped into seat by win
dow. after the barest scrutiny OF the
bodies on the tables. | noticed his
dark eyes turn now and then to where
We were gathered about Wingafde;
but he made no movement to join ms,
maintaining the attitude Of an onlook
er rather than an active participant in
the scene.
Osborne threw back Wingardes
coat and drew open the shirt Here
is the wound" he said, pointing to the
puncture in the breast.
Dual bent slightly forward TO in
spect it closely
"Yep, that's it." declared Heffy.
"Glace found it, but ii was my idea
that the snake fanged the professor
first and that he pulled it loose and
flung it away an it hit Charley and
BIZ him ia tn neck. Gosh, can't you
see the DANCED thing settin' It's
teeth through that thin shirt the pro-
lessons got on an hangin' there wrisg-
ling"
IAN ingenious theory. surely" said
Semi, still viewing the little bh,e
puncture which had not bled even
enough to stain, by SO much as
speck, the silken fabric of the shirt.
Hefty nodded.
1T was that made Osborne finally
conclude it could be a snake bite" lie
ayerred. Before that he was puzzled
Senior Laredo thought that might be
the way of it, too
Dual nodded slightly. His eyes turn.
from the wound to Laredo.
The Mexican met his glance square
ly. Il thought, senior, that there
might have been something venomous
Among the rocks, where the Indian
was found" he remarked.
There are doubtless some deadly
thing in that region" said Semi.
This is typically envenomed
wound, made by an exceedingly sharp
and pointed object, which doubtless
conveyed its poison without cutting
and vessels, exactly as hypodermic
needle may convey Il solution beneath
the skin without drawing blood. Alb
sorption of the fatal substance would
be very rapid"
An the nature Of that substance?
You imagine what the thing could
have been?" Laredo continued to stare
directly toward MS as he spoke.
81 imagine it to have been probably
of an animal toxin in nature said
Semi. ITS effects on the blood or
ganizaton of these two men would
rather indicate something Of The pro
TEN strain of poisons. They, you
know, are the natural poisons really.
Humanity first drew its knowledge
of toxicology from Nature itself. Tie
earliest application. and the most
primitive, is the poisoning of arrows
and spears and darts. by substances
made from animal sources. The
Aztecs and American Indians used Il
special material obtained from rattle
snake venom. and the South American
Indians still use a venom made nom
the saliva of variety Of large toad,
the Bufus horr.dus."
you mean the peculiar appearance
of the bodies leads YOU TO believe that
their blood cells were diSor9anlZed to
some extentY Osborne queried quick
". He was observing Semi with what
| Judged was deep interest and
growing respect for his scientific quail
ificattpns
Dual nodded Yes. As physician
you evidently agree, judging from
your diagnosis
Most surely" Osborne appeared
pleased at this support.
"n my estimation your diagnosis Is
absolutely correct, doctor said Duel
He walked over tosthe Indians body
and began an inspection of the wound
in its neck.
Laredo rose and joined him. He
even began to whistle softly the meas.
ures OF "a Spanish waltz, while Dual
made his examination.
Abruptly Semi turned 10 Heify. In
which pocket did you find the mon
ey?' he inquired.
Heffy grinned "In neither one" he
replied "All found in a pocket was
hole. ] put my fingers through II
and found the bills inside the feller's
pants. He'd lost it II he hadn't been
killed, | reckon. It'd worked through
an there was just one end stickin fast
enough in the hole TO still keep EN-
from droppin'.'
Dual made no comment. Instead he
lifted one of the dead mans arms and
let it fall stiffly back into position.
"Still rather rigid" he remarked. II
Was wondering II il would be possible
ia Mace him in "A sitting pssitiou" lie