The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-11-18

u !, was II the large room az
his apartment that .AUrriIis Saith
smoke these words. |, w. "a r"vus
in which he wuS accustomed to re-
c",vc many S;rIu@e vts.JurS-poi!c"-
men. bcSgarS. burglars and nail
Gnuaires. !; Wis - uillItUIlr" to
whom the words We're addressed but
he would not have altered the cool
drawl OF his vu.ce L Il h:tt been the
~rotcnttte u Sow" eastern country
or a dangerous fanatic from any ct
the foreign quarters Of ;he sr'at
city in which he lived.
But offer YOU your OWN price"
exclaimed the visitor with something
Of appeal upon his handsome. old
face. You may have thousands
for the work OF a few hours
1t isn't Il question OF money" re
turned Smith. "A hundred dollars
would probably be my Zee il took
the case. The fact j.. Mr.. Hardy.
that have knocked off AL work tor
a month or 50 n order to make some
psychological experiments which are
outlined in an old volume that has
come into my hands
And YOU will not lift a finger 10
eve IN innocent mar from going
10 the electric ChaIr?"
He may not be innocent" said
Smith. and. il he Is. l might not
he able to ave him."
81 am a personal friend OF the
district attorney" continued Mir.
HARDY. He says that Boauchamp.
the old curio dealer, is doomed I'M
less you take the case"
Doomed TO what?
Death"
And is death such n terrible
thing" asked Smith with a smile,
III 50. Il seems TO me that We are
ali in a rather bad mess since we
all have 10 meet il. | spent many
wears in India ard dug rather deep
w into some OF the eastern teach
ings, The result is that | believe
death IS much better and ~pleasanter
than birth. Lock a mau up Tor lie
and I pity him; kill him and be IS
better of than YOU are
"If YOUR theory were accepted as
truth" answered Mr.. Hardy. regard
ing his companion in some ast"nisn-
ment. the race OF markind would
soon vanish from suicide.
The man who kills suffers; no;
tho MAI who is killed" was h
quick reply. You have not studied
the phenomeou OF death. Mr.. Hardy.
To XIII Yourself is quite as bad as
10 Kill your neichbor-foc YOU
DO you mean to state that YOU
pave any definite knowledge OF what
happens after DEATH
"I:h-huh," said smith, perhaps
\ silence followed In which Smith
oDened a battered book which he had
been holding on his knee.
What Is the book you you'd
rather read than save q human lie:
asked the old visitor with It touch
Of sarcasm in his voice
Book OF the Dead" was the quiet
reply. 1t is an ancient Egyptian
ritualistic work attributed to Thot-
Hermes-found in collins OF very Ole
mummtes."
BAH" exclaimed Mr.. Hardy,
rising and turning 10 the door. the
district attorney said you were the
mos, expert criminologist in the city
and lind you "a crank
Tell me something" said Smith.
suddenly closing the book as his
visitor reached the door. Tel me
why a wealthy nan like yourself 3
so intensely Interested IN TINS
Beauchamp. a poor cur!o d"al"r''
Because ne once ri9ked his Ia"
In front Of a subway train u save
nv dog" was the answer. spoken
very simply.
Aurelius Smith rose lansuid,y
from his chair and stretched his
lanky frame in various directions
before slipping out Of his dressing
gown
In that case" he said. Il will
take the case and since your COG
probahly has no bank account, there
will be no fee
Thus It was that Smith tackled
tho CaSe winch tIlep III INC N'' ~
oak-paneled library Of the district
attorney. II was a fitting place Cor
mysterious happenings. Only n
huge, wood FIRE threw its pickering
light about the COZ and the
shadows il cast swept with increos-
ins size Into the farthest II
The room. too, wa An OLD room IN
an old house. and the feeling "t age
was strong within II.
Before the fire sat Samuel Ford
ham. the master OF the oom and on
the house in which II was and ot
much OF the city in which he lived.
Many feared Samuel f"rdham: q
few loved him; none h"littled h,in.
The district attorney ros" IRON hts
chair as a servant parted the heavy
portieres 10 admit Il visitor. In u"
center OF the room the hands OF IN"
two men met in a grip CT strong
attachment.
You are always welcome. Jim
Hardy" said the district attorney.
but | am afraid that You haF"
come upon a hopeless GRAND