Charlevoix county herald., 1918-07-12
The Curse
of QuetZal:
BY J. u. GIEsY a J. 3. SMITH
Authors of Semi-Dual Stories
Copyright.
The Frank A. Munsey Co.
The Frank A. Munsey Co.

AohoWCu IL W q ucplu VI SOue luTtt
inches-far enough to prove that it
had reached the heart"
Dayton had been showing signs OF
excitement as Semi continued.
Good God!" he burst out at last.
''Tben they were murdered? Mr..
Dual, want you to find out who did
it. Find him and give him to justice.
Make him pay for the life of that
mild-mannered old man. Make him"
Patience" said Semi Dual. De
heve me, Mr.. Dayton, he shall be un-
yelled and justice shall be done. The
mills of the gods, Mr.. Dayton, are in
operation as much today as at any
time in the past, and they grind
exceeding fine"
Quite right. I beg your pardon. /
was shocked. You see have not fol-
lowed your later work in the matter"
Dayton subsidized.
Thus" Semi resumed, Il found
my calculations once more supported
by material fact. 1t became evident
that Wingarde and the Indian had
died from the effect of wounds admin
istered by stab with some poisoned
weapon.
Poisoned because of the condition
of their bodies, which showed the
effects of the toxic substance, in the
swelling and discoloration-the very
thing which caused DR.. Osborne to
seek an explanation in a possible fight
with serpent in the dark. The next
question presenting was the natural
one as to what the weapon might have
been. ] found an answer ready.
Gentlemen, / once saw a small
image of the cat-headed goddess of
-Bast. 1t, too, had handle something
like that described as being attached
to this image Of Quetzal which Pro-
lessor Wingarde found. But the han
die to the Egyptian idol was really the
handle of slender dagger of which
the image was but the masking
sheath.
THAT dagger was STEPPED in a
poisonous substance. so that a prick
from it meant death. AS you will re-
call, Mr.. Dayton, last night spoke of
the similarity between the basal ma
lures of mankind, past and present,
and of the skilfulness of the artisans
OF other days. At once / drew an
anology between the. image of Bast
and that of Quetzal, and / felt that
] knew the weapon which had been
used in this case, and thai pc n tho
Egyptian instance, II
poisoned blade - had Deen
~ = -, dipped in some venom
scn had maintained its active ma
are throughout all the years since it
was made"
Have you any idea of the nature
OF the poison?" Osborne inquired
with acute interest. Its physical
effects resembled snake poison so
closely"
There is even a possibility that its
source was snake venom" said Dual
1--WE know that that substance con-
tains various alkaloidal principles
which gave it its toxic effect. The
Aztec priesthood may have known
how to use them In preparing their
poisoned weapons, even as the Egyp-
ton priesthood did"
Osborne considered. "They had q
fiendish ingenuity" he said.
Having determined the actual
cause of DEATH" Semi once more took
up the interrupted thread of his expo
sition, 81 next determined to visit the
scene of the crime, to see IL perhaps
It were possible to read the story Of
the murder at that spot.
I'VE were aware already that |
had been led away from |
the hotel by one of his Indian guides. |
That, of course, presupposed pur-
pose on the Indians part and sup
posed object on the professors side |
for going.
But as the Indian had been killed |
also, and as he was in possession of |
some new currency notes, it appeared |
that he had been merely the agent Of |
a third party who had paid him to act |
as decoy. You will remember that
| asked to see the bills found on the
Indians body.
1.-The serial numbers upon them
were p 9174, 66374, and Z S57752A.
They were of an issue made by the
Anglo and London-Paris Bank Of
San Francisco.
Heffy dug into his pocket and pro-
iuced the bills.
you're right" he exclaimed after
A brief inspection.
Dual nodded.
"And three days ago this hotel re-
,eived a shipment of small denomina-
ion bills from that bank, as the clerk
himself and also the manager told me,
before / joined you at breakfast.
the bills found on Ute
Charley are of the same series, and
we're evidently given out by this hotel
% some one from whom the Indian
lad them"
by Jovel Did you find out who
rot a bunch of those bills?" Dayton
asked.
Dual shook his head.
Patience. One step at time.
Mr.. Dayton. That was the obvious
course. | inquired certainly, and re-