Evening star., 1927-05-09

and deadliest poisons known. The
tiniest dose, the fraction of a grain.
causes death I'm few hours In fact.
II 10 10 powerful and deadly n drug
that no safe dose is given i'm the Brit
isn Pnarmacopoeia. while the nearest
step that has been taken to mark it's
vaIue as poisoning agent Is to name
the dose that can be given with
safety as the 200th part of a grain"
He lifted up the bottle.
Yes, that's sugar" he pointed TO
a nimy substance at the bottom.
Aconitine can only be given when n
der" '' P'"'
Bill waited while he made the rough
| test.
"Aconitine. said the doctor briefly
as ne put the bubbling test tube into
stand. Now. who on earth is die.
tributing that poison?''
| Is 1t difficult to come by?"
1T would be humanity imnossthIs
| Lor you 10 get as much as n grain
| from any chemist. In fact few chem.
lists stock tin proof Of wnIci,
nave none on board this ship. though
this Is the best-equipped ocean going
/ surgery I've ever seen"
! The steward had been dismissed
after the doctor had taken the test
in hand and was waiting hopefu1Iv In
the alleyway for news of the exneri.
ment and for that praise which he
nad every reason to think was his
que. Bill compromised by Shining
MIN a couple Of bills as he passed
refusing 70 satisfy his curiosity.
III take 1t kindly If you'll keep
an eye on my cabin and see who
goes IN and comes out" he said.
mere ii be $50 for YOU at the end
I nf tha 4
IL you catch the man who doped the
water"
| he had slept only very fltfullv that
AFTERNOON and realized, after he had
| taken up his post on the landing. that
IL would require all his resolution 40
remain awake until the early hours
or the morning. In his watch of the
night before he had learned a few
Things which he did not know: he
nad made friends with one of the
stewards who were on duty all night.
WITH the consequence that he was
served at intervals with strong. almost
nauseatingly strong. coffee. and this
| kept MIN alert until he heard four
Dells strike and corrected his watch.
whether the bells had some somnif.
erous effect or whether the mere
movement to examine his watch had
set in motion those toxins which pro.
duce siumber, but no sooner had the
last vibration of the bell drone1
beyond his limit OF hearing than he
found himself nodding Twice he woke
with a start. under the impression
that somebody was coming down the
stairs from the upper deck. He
looked up and could have sworn he
saw mead suddenly withdrawn from
tne ran or the upper landing SHOULD
ne go up and see for himself? If he
did. he would be deserting his post.
The portside Of the doorway was
open. d deck corresponded with a
lower promenade deck and he would
nave loved to have gone out and
freshened himself with the cold winds
OF the morning. But he had set him.
SELF a task from which he could not
deviate and stolidly he sat. his eyes
glued TO the door OF Betty Carew's
stateroom.
He heard slight movement above
and, looking up quickly. this time saw
a face. A wild-looking brute of q
man. with unkempt hair; a face
which had not touched razor for weeks
was glaring down at him. the hands
claspfng the polished rail were big
and grirny. Even from where he
stood Bill could see the broken nails
| For second they looked eve to
eye and then the mans head van.
ished. Bill was on his feet and one
foot on the stair when he was re-
called to his self-imposed duty bv the
sound OF a tapping noise It seemed
to come from Betty's cabin. He crept
along and listened: the noise was not
repeated for a while, and then:
Tap. tap.
1t was farther along near TO Stones
door.
He tried the handle: IT was locked.
Then he raped on the panel; there
was no answer.
Are you ali right, Mr.. Stone?" he
called.
He heard the sound of a crash In.
side the cabin and voice crying:
Help
Bracing himself against the bull
warks. he put up his foot and kicked
at the lock, but the door had been
obviously bolted ON the inside. And
now hands were clawing at the panel
He heard the slow movement Of a bolt
being drawn. and as he pushed open
the door Stone fell into his arms
His face was covered with blood, his
silk pajama jacket was clawed into
rags,
"For Gods sake, what has hap
pened?" asked Bill
Il don't know" said the other
DULY. See if Betty is all right"
Continued in Tomorrow's Starr