The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-10-02
CHAPTER XII
In Which a Rolls-Royce Runs
Amok

WxOm In9 DaCnrOOm CATeIuuy CdhIyAA6
4 saucer In his hand. The girls an
nouncement that Number 10 had start
ed at once had been received with a
satisfied grunt, but he had spoken no
word. And the girl, glancing through
4 the door, saw him, with his shirt
sleeves rolled up above his elbows,
carefully mixing two liquids together
and stirring the result gently with
glass rod. He was completely abb
sorbed in his task, and with a faint
smile on her face she went back to
the sofa and waited. She knew too
well the futility of speaking to him
on such occasions. Even when he
came in, carrying gloves on his hands,
she made no remark, but waited for
him to relieve her curiosity.
He placed the mixture on the table
and glanced round the room. Then
he pulled up one of the ordinary stuff
armchairs to the table and removed
the linen head-rest, which he carefully
soaked with the contents of the
saucer, dabbing the liquid on with a
sponge, so as not to crumple the linen
in any way. He used up all the liquid
and then, still with the same meticu-
lous care, he replaced the head-rest on
the chair, and stood back and sur
veyed his handiwOrk.
Look all right? he asked briefly,
"Quite," answered the girl. whats
the gamer"
"Drummond has got toN sit in that
chair" he returned, removing the
saucer and the sponge to the bath
room and carefully peeling off his
gloves. Hes got to sit in that chair.
my dear, and afterward that linen
affair has got to be burnt. And what
ever happens'-he paused for a mo-
ment in front Of her-"don't you touch
it."
Quietly and methodically, he con.
tinued his preparations. as If the most
usual occurrence in the world was I'M
progress. He crossed to the sideboard
and extracted a new and undecanted8
bottle of whisky. From this he with
drew about a dessertspoonful of the
spirit, and replaced 1t with the con-
tents Of a small phial which he took
ont of his waistcoat pocket. Then he
forced back the cork until it was right
home, and with the greatest care re-
placed the cap Of tinfoil round the topI
of the bottle. And the girl, coming
over to where he was working saw
That the bottle was again as new
"What consummate artist you are,
cheri!" she said. laying hand on his
shoulder. 4,
The Reverend Theodosius smiled and
passed his arm round her waist.
"One of the earliest essentials of our
-er-occupation, my little one, is to
learn how to insert dope into an APT
parently untouched bottle"
But do you think you will get him
to drink even out Of new bottle?"
Il hope so. shall drink myself
But even If he doesn't, the preparation
on the chair is the essential thing
Once his neck touches that"
With an expressive wave Of his
hand he vanished once more into the
bathroom, returning with his coat
Don't you remember that Italian
toxicologist- he remarked.
sWe met him in Naples three years
ago. and he obligingly told me that he
had in his possession the secret of one
OF the real Borgia poisons. | remem-
Der | had u most interesting discus
sion with him on the subject. The
internal application Is harmless; the
external application is what matters.
Fhpf oil VIII !,
be induced to take 1t internally as
well it acts very much better"
"Fransioli?' She frowned thought
fully. Wasn't that the name Of the
man who had the fatal accident on
Vesuvius?"
THAT'S the fellow" answered the
Reverend Theodosius, arranging a
siphon and some glasses on Al tray.
"He persuaded me to ascend it with
him, and on the way up he was foolish
enough TO tell me that the bottles con-
tanning this poison had been stolen
from his laboratory. / don't know
whether he suspected me or mott was
an Austrian baron at the time, If
remember aright-but when he pro-
ceeded to peer over the edge of the
crater at a most dangerous point
thought 1t better 70 take no risks. So
-er-the accident occurred. And
gathered he was really great loss to
science"
He glanced at his watch. and the
girl laughed delightedly.
ut will be interesting TO see if his
claims for 1t are true" he continued
tnoughtfully. II have only used 1t
once, but on that occasion mad
vertently put too much into the wine.
and the patient died. But with the
rIglI quantities it produces-so he
and saw him experiment on
Ia type of partial paralysis, not
bf the body, but of the mind. You
see you can hear. but you can't
Tx and you can't move. What ulti-