The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-08-23
The Famous Book
of Death

BY CHARLES E. BAXTER
90. 1923. Western Newspaper Union.)

connect Mr.. Harold Thayer with thu
murder of his uncle"
So spoke Grinning, the famous pri
vate detective, who had been called II
investigate the death Of Rufus Thayer
to the local police chief.
"Im inclined to agree with you," an
swered Rogers. "Of course, he In
herited all the old mans property
"And would have come into 1t In the
course of a few years, anyway" Grin.
ming responded
Harold Thayer had urged Grinning
to come to the house and investigate.
The circumstances were these: Rufus
Thayer had retired to his country seat
after a distinguished career as a
judge in Burma, extending over many
years. He had brought with him a
number of Burmese trophies, among
them the famous Book Of Death, from
a Buddhist temple, which he had pur-
chased at great cost after the sack
Of Mandalay, many years before.
He had never found time to prose
lite certain studies, but now he had
spent his retiring years going into GER
tain obscure ritual practices of a Bud
dhist sect. The Book of Death con
tanned the secret Of these rituals.
1t was so called because tradition
said that every person who had ever
attempted to unravel these mysteries
through the book had come to a yi0-
lently sudden end.
Old Thayer had been found dead
at his desk with the open book before
him.
Grinning looked at the book, stud
led the quaint pictures that adorned
the extraordinary text, and shook his
head.
"We must get Palgrave, the Bur-
mese authority" he said.
But surely you don't attach impor-
lance to the legend?' asked Rogers.
Grinning was non-committal. Pal
grave arrived next day, a queer little
old man with fiery whiskers and
snow-white hair. He examined the
book carefully through a microscope
in the presence of Thayer, Grinning
and Rogers.
you say your uncle was found dead
on the very day he began the study
of this book?" asked Palgrave.
I'VE found him dead in his chair.
He-please be careful, Mr.. P%algrave;
the edges are stuck and it might tear
easily.
P~algrave was lingering the book.
This tradition" he began. Has any
other person died, to your knowledge,
after reading it?"
"My uncle spoke Of several but
he had had the book shut away for
many years." answered Harold
Thayer.
"Let me caution you not to touch 1t,
then" Palgrave rejoined. II shall
have to conduct certain investigations.
i. No, leave it open, just as it
is, upon that table. Thanks, gentle
men,
"But what are you going to dol"
questioned Grinning, when they were
outside.
81 shall take it up to my labora-
tory tomorrow and have the ink care
fully analysed. 1t may contain a toxic
agent"
Surely, not after so many yearsY'
asked Rogers. The three had de-
;cended to the living room, leaving
Harold Thayer upstairs.
There are certain poisons that give
tut imperceptible aromas continu-
'usly. You must remember that the
Whole book is heavily printed in wood
lock type; the Illustrations are
masses of color; in fact there is al
most as much ink as paper there.
low it is quite possible that the
ombine with these chemical agents
D produce a sensible chemical dis
barge. L may instance prussic
cid, the inhalation of which causes
Immediate death. However, that is at
resent theory, and"
"What's that?" cried Rogers.
There was the sound of a body fall $
lg in the room above.
Without a word Palgrave dashed |
the room, the others following. He {
urst open the door of the room above.
n the floor lay Harold Thayer, quite |
cad. The book was open on the
bile. Palgrave bent over him. He ]
aised his hand. The thumb and ;
lger-tips were wet. '
Quicker action than I anticipated"
i'd the expert. I blame myself very II
UGH for not having foreseen that. '
i'll, Thayer ought to have obeyed my v
lstructions. He was so afraid / =
ould tear the book that he tried to II
the pages. Unfortunately :
did it with a moistened thumb and '
refinger. !,
tits an old, very old Oriental trick, Z
ntlemen. You'll find it in the ),
'abian Nights. The poison vas used :,
stick the leaves together at the 4