Year: 1874

on the alert, and as / had no clue what
ever to follow in the matter, / was merely
searching for one eyerywhere-th was
all.


We continued our walk about the
room.


"This affair passes my comprehension"
said /.


"And mine ALSO" said the son.


was about taking my leave when a
small piece of red rag on the floor, just
under the edge of the bed, attracted my
attention, and / stopped and picked it
up.


The son observed my motion, and
said:


81 wonder how that got there? have
the rest of that article in my drawer-it
belongs to mep


"DO you want the piece" asked.


"Not at all" he replied; "but if you
would like to have the remainder, l will
get it for you."


He left without waiting for my reply,
and quickly returned with the rest of the
handkerchief He handed it to me, and
said as he did so:


:" l am at loss to conjecture who could
have torn that handkerchief for l
thought it was safe in my apartment
when l went out early in the evening""


l put the piece he gave me with the
other already had, and took my leave.


Once at home and in the solitude of
my chamber, sat down at my table,
and, with my face buried in both hands,
fell to thinking and reasoning. thought
of the scene had just left, and could not
doubt that the verdict of the coroner's
jury would be "Death from causes un-
known" ! thought of the son and his
torn handkerchief, and spread out the
latter before me on the table, and
fitted to it the portion l had found,
wet and limp, under the bed of the de-
ceased. Then took the wet piece in my
fingers, and felt and looked at it. 1t did
not seem to have been stepped in water,
and to the touch it was just in the slight
est way sticky. further remarked that
it had very faint white tinge in spots,
as if some kind of foam had recently
been upon it. Just at that instant ]
cOught sight of paragraph in daily
paper lying in front of me, and mechan-
ically read it. The paragraph was as
follows:


"a CHASTITY scientific discovery is re-
ported from Turin, where Professor Cas-
turin, the celebrated occulist, has found
a way of killing animals by forcing air
into their eyes few seconds, and almost
without causing pain. Experiments
were made at the Royal Veterinary
School, and it is said that they have fully
proved the correctness of the Professors
invention. Within the space of a few
| fN,,r N
goat were killed in this manner. The
most remarkable fact is, that the opera
ton leaves absolutely no outward trace"


/ started up instantly after having
read this, and began rapidly to walk the
room. Twas flushed and agitated. Per-
haps l had the key to the mystery l was
searching to solve.


"Godsp l thought, eff this paragraph
be true, might not the method of destruc-
ton be applied as fatally to man as to the
inferior animalsY
/ hurriedly returned to the house of
death and rang the bell.
The son answered the summons in per-
son.


He looked little surprised at my sud-
den return.


"What is the matterT' he demanded.


"Nothing," said II was quite cool
and collected by this time-"I merely
wish to make another examination of the
chamber of the deceased"


He led me to it at once.


again scrutinized the body, this time
paying more attention to the face and
head of the dead man.


There was absolutely nothing to be
seen there that had not seen before. l
then pressed open the mouth slightly
with my fingers, and, as / did so, felt, or
fancied / felt, the same slight sickness l
had detected on the limp piece of hand
kerchief! looked into the mouth, and
nearly trembled for Joy to see there the
clearly defined white tinge of dried
foam.


For moment could hardly contain
myself, and my heart beat so loudly that
/ was almost afraid my companion would
hear it and grow alarmed.


However, did control myself and AS
soon as could trust my voice, said:


"Is there no way by which this house
might be entered except by the first
storyP


ooh, yes," returned the son, as COM
posedly as ever, there is door in my
apartment opening on an old, unused
portico; but that has been locked and
double-bolted all winter"


This observation was just what l
wanted, for it pointed out to me way to
obtain a view of this mans private room,
and that, too, without exciting the least
suspicion.


"will you let me see the door," !
asked.


"With the greatest pleasure" said he,
"I have already examined it myself, and
found it secure as of old-but perhaps
your more experienced eye may detect
some sign that has escaped me.


followed him, and without the slight
est hesitation he led me to his bed
chamber.


There was the door fastened as he had
said, and / made show of looking at it
but that was not what fascinated me
and riveted my attention at once!


The walls were full of shelves, and the
shelves were crowded with philosophical
instruments.


LETT the portico door finally, and as
was going, carelessly remarked:


"YOu seem to take an interest in SCI
ence?"


"Why, yes" said he, smiling, do,
and fatter myself that few men here or
elsewhere have larger or better col
lection of apparatus than have"
had touched him on his particular
vanity, and knew now that / might search
unmolested, and not only that, but with
his own proper aid, for the instrument of
death


turned back, as / spoke, and picked
up a pamphlet from the study-tablc in
the centre Of the room.


The book was written in the Italian
language.


have some slight knowledge Of the
tongue of modern opera, and I read on
the title page that the work was one on
the various modes of destruction of ami