THE DETECTIVE

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 178, 30 July 1898, Page 6

THE DETECTIVE

AND THE POISONER.

BY ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE,

Author of "Doctor Jack," "Captain

• Tom," etc,

• CHAPTER XX. . LIFTING THE VEILSeconds are precious now. I do not. dare to lose even one, but Snatch the phial from its resting place. It is more valuable to me at this moment than the Kohindof would oe, for it will, probably save a li£t>— that of a man I regard very highly. A glass .and a small amount of water next. - With as steady a hand as I can command, I pour a certain number of drops from the phial of antidote into the water. 'Swallow this, Joe!' I exclaim. He has watched-me with those burning eyes all the while, and obeys like a child. Indeed, a man who realizes that poison is working upon his system is-not apt to be squeamish with regard to what he takes, but .will swallow a cup of burning lava ii: given to him by one whom he behoves can save him. ~,*-, >„ I immediately get hold of Joes wrist and feel his pulse. Then I take his temperature.. Both correspond to a remarkable degree with the figures 1 have given in my review of the case pf Leon Gabrielle, a.nd I am thoroughly convinced .that this wonderful poison of the ancient Egyptians is becoming rather "common, since two persons have now come into my hands suffering from the effect of it. Erom time to time I question Joe, ready to give him another dose of the antidote "if necessary, but his symptoms show a wonderful and decided change for the better, lam more than ever pleased with the working of the antidote, though at the same time amazed at its power. GradifliUy the burning sensation leaves him—nor is it succeeded b,y any chill. In a short time Joe declares he feels like a new man, at which I thank'heaven. It has indeed been a narrow escape, for if my marvellous antidote had chanced to'be anywhere else than in my medicine case, poor Joe would have followed Miss Morrison across the dark river, a victim to this mysterious unknown assassin. Of course it was a mistake in my fetching the antidote along—lliad not intended to—but I have always considered it the luckiest blunder of my life, and secretly believed the hand of a special Providence was at back of it. Of course this new tragic event opens up another line of speculations 4-1 begin to see.thro.ugh a glass" dark-

There is no time just at present, however, to- talk about the matter. The dinner-bell rings. .Joe is already looking and feeling so much better, that I tell him he must, eat something, to which he assents, his aj)petite returning. ' A knock comes oh my hall door, and■upOif"answering: it 1 hud Muriel, her face distressed. ■"■'•■ 'Oh, doctor,'l TiaveTbeen looking for you, Joe is so much worse, 1 do •wish you would come and see him!' she exclaims. 'AH a mistake, my dear,' sings out Joe, rather cheerily, as he appears. 'Richard is himself again, thanks to the wonderful skill of this good friend.' 'Joe—husband you. here? T left you groaning in your room, while I ' 'Yes, and unable to stand it longer, I staggered in search of th^, doctor myself. 1 found him, and he has saved me from—' here, he catches sight of my warning finger—"all pain. But let Tis go to dinner, dear. Heaven knows the shadow over poor Bryn Mirer is dark enough—we must -not let it entirely overwhelm us.' Muriel flashes a look of supreme thanks in my direction, that pays me entirely for all the trouble 1 may have taken in his behalf.

While we go into dinner I manage to whisper to ,Joe that later on we will hold a conference with Mr Jacks, for there are a number of things pressing'upon my mind that need attention, and I believe good can be obtained even, from such a dreadful evil as Joe's narrow escape from death, by mysterious poisoning. . 'Mr Jacks shows up—he is a good feeder, as he himself remarks, and has aio doubt been anticipating the bell for' some time.

I quietly inform him at. the first opportunity' that I have another decided sensation for him, and am aroused to see the ludicrous expression that creeps over his .fat, face. Evidently he is last growing- to fear lest I outwit him altogether in this business; but I am not, at all anxious to steal his thunder. Fate insists on throwing these things into my lap, and I cannot help utilising the opportunity when thus presented. Tt would indeed be lolly to do so, Mr Jacks or not.

The meal is not a lively one. Perhaps the old detective and myself nbout monopolise ilio conversation. : I notice, however, with some pleasure that Joe eats a fair amount, and this'-eatisfies me. •

Muriel,'too, is quiet, and more than once I- see her lovely eyes turned upon her .husband in a troubled yet affectionate way. Jt is something to be the beloved' of such a sweet creature.

One thought comes to me, to be banished immediately, and yet its shadow causes me worry.

Can Muriel have any suspicion of the terrible event through which her husband has passed? If she'has giyen that, poison' in her mad hours, she must know the symptoms that attend its working. Can she have recognised them in Joe's case? Bah! the idea is preposterous—she simply worries because one she loves has been ailingit is only the natural, wifely affection I see thus reflected upon her pure face, and shining so tenderly in her lumin-. ous eyes.

So the dinner at last draws to an end, and we three gentlemen saunter out upon the piazza, while Murielj at her husband's wish, retires to lie down, and perhaps secure a nap. : It Is two o'clock. The storm still holds off, though the sky has increased in blackness since my last observation, and now presents a terrible appearance in the ' south-, east, the quarter from whence the tempest corned. , = Joe. suggests that we walk out to the terminus of the . avenue, where we can see the approach of Ibe It will be time-enough to make for the house when it heaves in sight. Not a breath of wind seems to be alowing, and the atmosphere has become strangely heated. When we gain the beach and look mt upon the water we sec a calm, nulseless sea, with hardly enough life n it to lap idly along the beach. ■ All the conditions;' favour lv severe storm —I can toll this in the 'condition of things, although 1 do not profess to. be a weather prophet. After standing for a few minutes Looking at the angry sky, and speculating upon the probable force of the coming storm, Mr Jacks takes out a idgar-case and offers mo a weed, "'Prime Ilavanas, I assure you, doctor. I'm very particular about my smoking,' lie says,, and I believe him, as 1 have during the morning had a whiff or two at" his smoke, and decided the quality of his weed. He turns to Joe. 'Try one, Mr Westerly.' Just here 1 interpose. . 'Beg pardon, Joe, but as your physician I am compelled to order that weed into your pocket. After your nvccnt experience I think it best you. should not smoke to-day-' At this Joe obeys without (. murmur, while the other'looks at me in some surprise. Twill explain, Mr' Jaqks.'wben you and I have our solace going,' I rerpark. It is astonishing how quickly the man starts his cigar into life, and holds the fire for me. He has somehow come to respect the blind luck that falls to my share, and believe in it, too. -'•.".' ,',. T puff away for a minute, and then holding my cigar between finger and thumb, survey it critically—perhaps it pleases me to tantalise Mr Jacks, for I reckon women do not monopolise tlic spirit of teasing, 'A capital weed, Mr Jacks, I confess. May J, ask where you get your supply? 'Ah! that would be telling. However, I don't mind-whispering in confidence that I import a limited number with each trip t.al.ten by th« purser of a steamer plying between New York and Havana.' 'You smuggler! . But really. I never had a better cigar between my teeth.' 'Hold on, doctor,' cries Joe, pretending to look perfectly wretched at thus hearing the praises of the weed sung when it is tabooed for him. 'Yes, you remember what you promised, doctof. How r about the sensational?' says Jacks. 'There is no need in holding it longer. 'I believe you told me, sir, that you had read and thoroughly digested my report on the singular cast* of Leon Gabrielle?' A' ., y , 'Yes, every word of it, doctor. 'Well, Mr' Jacks, our friend Joe here has just passed through the-identical experience.' ' „ At this he utters an exclamation. 'Even to the nausea, and the frightful sensation as if he bad swallowed a. live coal,* .1 continue, and poor Joe, shuddering at the recollecticp of hift misery, rubs Ids' abdomen 7 sympathetically, making a grimace the While. • :.'..:/.: 'Can it be possible?' 'And Mr Jacks, as in -that other now celebrated on.se. the prdmpt, application of the antidote saved his lifeten minutes later and he would have been past all help.' ~ . 'You—had—the antidote, doctors' ' 'By the merest accident in the world I chanced to have it in. one of thft phials ..belonging to my travelling medicine case—l meant to change it, but in the hurry of leaving home neglected to do so.' • -That was a fortunate thing,' with a shTU°\ '~ 'Indeed, you may ( well say so. imagine all you read, and you have Joes case exactly.' 'I say doctor, do you know where 1 he got' it?' and his bright eyes hold mine. _■ .V > 'Yes, I discoverel that also.- He had eaten nothing since last night, drank only a cup of coffee at breakfast, and bad the poison been in that, I believe its effect would have, been neutralised —a. number of poisons are by cotteo, you know.' J.. 'But where did you get it? 'Did you notice a bottle of seltzer, with a siphon attachment, _on the table in Miss Morrison's room?' 'Yes' 'A'tumbler stood beside it—in that g-lass was a small quantity of the liquid left after Miss Morrison took her last drink from it, some time alter eleven o'clock last night.' 'Good heavens!' . 'Joe,-without thinking, or tossing the liquid out of doors, held the glass under the nozzle of the siphon filled it with aerated water, and drank it, 'Ha! then we have. discovered exactly how she came te her death 1 ; •There is not the slightest doubt m the. world about it, my dear mam' . I 'And we shall not have to wajt for the. return of Doctor Beard's analy-

'Why should we? But for my luck in having that antidote, Joe here would have proved the matter by dying, "just as poor Edith Morrison did. your sensations go ahead of any I expected. You must have been born under a lucky star, man. I am amazed!' and rea.lly Mr Jacks looks so. as he puffs away at his Cigar as though working for wages. Suddenly he turns upon me, ■. 'Look here, doctor, we haye found how Miss Morrison died—when she thought to call for help she was unable to do so.. Now we must set our minds to solve another question- Who put this poison of the Nile in that glass? I smile back at him. 'Even there I believe I can help you, Mr Jacks. Occasionally we doctors can rise above our calling. I have a theory to i advance, which you shall help me to prove or banish. In a word. I think T know who put the poison into that glass—that it was tjjis same Jacques, and—listen, Mr .Taclvs—T suspect this man and my midnight caller, Leon Gabrielle, to be one and the same person!' (To be Continued.)