San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-20
In Which an Amateur

ID
struggling with hysteria, in the hands
of my wife, a woman of stable dis
position and much tact: after which
1 returned to Alpin Stone, and to-
gether we completed the unpleasant
task Of disposing OF the snake.
add you observe Mrs. Sandys
closely?n he asked. "Was it your
opinion she acted as one would ex-
pect a woman TO act in the presence
of wholly unexpected and frightful
she. showed fright without such as
tonishment as you would expect TO
fmd?"
l considered. "She was exceeding
ly upset | said.
Naturally" he replied shortly,
"but was she astounded that any one
should try to take her life by such
an abhorrent means?"
Il can not say" said I.
q. "Nor can l." he said. more to him
self than TO me. 1T is of first i'm
portance. If the whole affair is in
comprehensive TO her, we have one
species of puzzle. If she had rea-
son TO expect murderous attack of
some kind. but was only surprised
and terrified at the manner of it. we
have quite different problem. What
do you know of these people?"
"Hush," j said, for L saw, out Of
the corner of my eye. the figure of
man come round the house and pause
at sight of us. / turned. it was
Mr.. Sandys. Mr.. John Sandys was
short gentleman with wide shoulders
and thick waist. His neck was I'M
usually short, and his wide face ha
bitually wore an expression which,
to give it the best. of it. was placid.
"Good afternoon" said Alpin.
"Howdy do?' he responded.
"a frightful thing has happened"
said /.
rs that so?" he responded in Eek
actly the tone he would have used if
l had mentioned my belief that it
would rain.
"An attempt" said Alpin. has
been made to murder your WIFE"
who did it," said Mr.. Sandys.
"Some one," said Alpin. "sent your
wife poisonous snake by mail"
"What kind of a snake?" asked Mr..
Sandys. Then. after a moments APP
parent study of the situation. Didn't
bite her. did it,"
He hesitated. as if striving TO cope
with the situation. Must have kind
of frightened her, l guess" he said.
"Mr. Sandys." Alpin said sternly,
edo you know of any reason why your
wife might fear murderous at
tack?"
"susan?' He pondered it briefly.
why, no
Have you or Mrs. Ssndys an en-
emy?"
II s'pose,' he said. "tlere's folks
that. don't like u.s. Everybody can't
like everybody. But that amt a rea-
son TO send snakes"
Hardly" said Alpin dryly.
"You will notify the police at
once?" said /.
what for?" he responded with the
minutest trace of irritation. There
amt any harm done"
Because, said / angrily. "the in
dividual who made this attempt will
try again. He must be discovered be-
fore that can happen"
1T is Natter said Alpin in an
odd tone. for Mr.. Sandys to decide"
With which he turned his back square
ly and walked ont of the yard. Mr..
Sandys, apparently, paid no attention
to our going. As we crossed the street
we met Mrs. Sandys returnings she
walked hurriedly and passed us with
out token of recognition.
jenkins" said Alpin Stone. when
we reached my piazza and dropped
into chairs. John Sandys is either a
very good man or very bad man. In
either event he is remarkable man."
He imofesses me as being clod,r
said !.
At that moment the newsboy threw
q folded paper upon the steps. /
opened it to glance at the days news.
The first item my eyes encountered
was a so-called feature story in the
middle of the page under the cartoon.
L imagine the occurrence of the word
"snake" in the headline arrested my
read it hastily and pass
cd it to Alpin.
The item. written in jocular vein.
described with much detail how some
unknown bad broken into the snake
house at the zoo. admitting himself
by cutting the pane from a window
with a diamond There were sur
misses as to the purpose and alcoholic
of the burglar: but the tell
ing point of the narration was the
fact that certain snake, cobra re-
Gently arrived from India, was miss
ing.
Perhaps" said Alpin, eve should
not have killed the reptile. Doubtless
it was valuable specimen"
He was silent moment. looking
apprehensively from time to time to
ward his own house. HIS especial
worry when engaged upon some crim-
inal problem was lest his wife should
discover his activity. Mrs. Alpin
Stone regarded her husbands PEN
chant for criminal investigation as a
low habit. savoring of large feet and
broad shoes and taking of snuff. which
she learned was habit common among
policemen.
1--WE may group premediated muir
ders," he said. Unto three general
classes. Those arising from greed
(perhaps n majority, those arising
from some of the numerous by-produ-
ucts of so-called love. and those aris-
ing from the desire for vengeance. 1t
has long been my conclusion that
crimes of fantastic nature have their
origin in the last"
Then" said I.
II incline TO believe this was an
attempted crime of vengeance"
But what" said i. "eould pretty.
little home body like
Mrs. Sandys have done to call down
such a horrible reyenge:-
"Jenkins.' he said solemnly. Z" there
is no such thing as commonplace
home body. The mere fact of her sex
invests every woman with tremendous
"Sandy's attitude said /. is
Doesn't be realize?
Ii piles the responsibility upon us.
does it not? If he refuses TO take
action for his wife's protection, we