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

90, P"PNA-N idpptu lux Carried 10
ms door. The box might have con-
tanned flowers, but the habits and
CHARACTER of Mr.. Sandys made
flowers incredible. He was the type
pr man who might send his wife a
present of sirloin steak upon her
Plrthday or of waffleiron at
christmas, but for him to have sent
R box of flowers casually upon no
occasion whatever was unimaginable.
Alpin Stone, my adjoining neighbor
IA dealer in secondhand books
nd, SO have discovered, an individ-
al well worth cultivating-was trim
mig al1sa the he grass g;s aboY a flower-bed. I
"Alpin," said I. "a parcel has Just
cen delivered to the Sandyses, 1t
boks like flowers"
Then" said he, "Mrs. Sandys
hust have an indiscreet admirer."
1T might" said i. contain food. :,
III IT came from Sandys," said he.
might contain anything that is
eyoid Of beauty or sentiment, and
useful
But" said /, she's not such a bad
pap. Seems fond of his wife, and
e of him."
"A good husband and bountiful pre-
der,' said Alpin sententiously, but
empty. of imagination as puff
II is of honey
AT that moment Mrs. Sandys ap,
Jared in the door. Even Mt the dis
nee OF a hundred yards one was
Tare of her exceptional prettiness.
en though her features weresindis-
bguishable.
She stood in the door an instant.
king up and down the street; then
ylng Alpin and myself, ran across
porch, down the steps and to-
I'D us. She paused before my
use breathless.
viii you come? Will you please
ne-quick she said.
What has happened:"' said ],
ugh, Alpin already had moved to-
rd her.
The box. I'm afraid of the box"
en-, as We walked beside her
her pallor and trembling made it
parent she was the victim of no
mary fright-she said. II don't
wv what it is. l never feltN so
pre-. 1t isn't fright exactly, but
lind of loathing. The moment l
ched that box. it ovcrcame me.
pit that l had something horrible
my hands,"
You opened it," Alpin asked.
No-No!'
lpin paused. "You say your sem
On was one of loathing and hor-
Hes."-
Was the box light or heayy?"
1t vast was quite heavy"
Did it feel" asked AlDin. "alive
lead?"
t felt she said after a pause,
lignant."
There was no mechanical tick
Io.-
pin nodded to himself. In Mrs.
ly's hall he paused and said i'm
fntly, almost petulantly, The
The box -
'here." She pointed to table
be library where rested a con-
r some two feet long by ten inches
and six inches deep. 1t was
ped in stout Manila paper and
ed intricately by strong cord,
Ell anu klOIteu again.
approached it. No sooner had
pine within its immediate neigh
cd than Mrs. Sandys covered her
with her hands and uttered a
of moan. |, myself, was con-
of peculiar and highly dis
lble sensation, not unlike the
g one has in a rapidly descend
eyator. Alrin Stones face mir
some unpleasant emotion, but
ps were compressed and his
drawn. As if by a tremendous
OF. the will, he compelled him
b lay his hand on the cover of
OK. He lifted it, weighed it,
it. From the sound the box
ned some heavy substance. pack
sely in paper. He set the box
and the movement within con-
in turned TO look at me, and
as if confirming some con-
already made.
lit." he said. "Don't touch it
] come back. On your life.
unite knot. Or better. i
hrry the box into the garden.
along"
walked through the house to
ok yard, n little plot secluded
b shrubs, and Alpin placed the
the lawn; then he walked to
fruit-tree and ruthlessly cut
ig limb with his jack-knife-
with forking branches. This
med meticulously until he held
hand stout wand, some six
ng, with a crotch at its ex-
Sandys. stand at a distance,
You, jenkins, take that hoe
ready"
cord was unfastened. Alpin
ich, and with his wand loosen
wrapping paper, disclosing a
box of corrugated board. He
the tip of his wand under the
md flippcd it upward, posing
box was filled loosely with
amer such as is used to pack
objects. paper cut into mar
ps and looking like white ex-
That was all. Alpin reached
with his wand and stirred
of paperl
something emerged. Some
ark, sleek, loathsOme reared
om its concealment with
raceful. horrible. undulating
(, slowly swaying to and fro.
i uttered a cry. Alpin
brward deity with his wand.
was overturned amid a
ting Hopping and thrashing
I'D then Alpin turned TO me.
ored, and said in his natural
Have a look"
ured nearer. There, pinned
round. with the arms of
fork imprisoning its throat,
ing can be said TO have
as a reptile which / .recog-
the hooded cobra of the
Peninsula.
me-. said Alpin, almost with
"a man. unsuspiclous,