| OCR Text |
Show The Latest Craig Kennedy Detective Stories II. The Truth-Detector. YOU haven't heard no one outside has heard of the strange illness and the robbery of my employer. Mr. Mansfield 'Diamond Jack' Mansfield, you know." Our visitor was a slight, very pretty, but extremely nervous girl, who had given us card bearing' the name Miss Helen Grey. 'Illness robbery?" repeated Kennedy, at once interested and turning a quick glance at me. I shrufrged my shoulders in the negative. nega-tive. Neither the Star nor any of the other papers had had a word about it. "Why. what's the trouble?" he continued contin-ued to Miss Grey. "You see," she explained, hurrying on, "I'm Mr. Mansfield's private secretary, and oh., Proi'essor Kennedy, T don't know, but I'm afraid it is a case for a detective rather than a doctor." She paused a moment and leaned forward nearer to us. "1 think he lia-s been poisoned." poi-soned." The -words themselves were startlin? enough without the evident perturbation of the girl. Whatever one miaht think, there was no doubt that she firmly believed be-lieved what she professed to fear. More than that, I fancied I detected a deeper feeling In her tone than merely loyally to her employer. "Diamond Jack" Mansfield was knowu in Wail street as a successful promoter, on the White Way as an assiduous first-nighter, in the sporting fraternity as a keen plunger. But of all his hobbies, hob-bies, none had gained him more notoriety than his veritable passion for collecting diamonds. He came by his sobriquet honestly. T remembered once having seen him, and he was, in fact. :t walking De Beers mine. For his personal adornment, more than a million dollars' worth of gems did relay re-lay duty. He had scores of sets, every one of them fit for a gre;u. strong man. yet he was not alone in his love or" and sheer affection for thincs beautiful. Not lore of display or desire to attract notice no-tice to himself had prompted him to collect col-lect diamonds, but The mere pleasure of owning them, of associating with them. It was a hobby. 1 It was not strange, therefore, to sus-P'ert sus-P'ert that Mansfield might, after all. have been the victim of some kind of attack. He went about with perfect freedom, in spite of the knowledge that crooks must have possessed about his hoard. "What makes you think he has been noisoned?" asked Kennedy, betraying no show of doubt that Miss Grey might be risrhr. . "Oh, it's so strange, so sudden!" she murmured. "But how do you think it. could have happened?" he persisted. "It must have been at the little sup-Pr-narty he gave at his apartment last night," she answered thoughtfully, then added, more slowly, "and yet, it was not until this morning, eight or ten hours after the party, that he became U." She shuddered. "Paroxysms of nausea, followed fol-lowed bv stuuor and such terrible prostration. prostra-tion. His valet discovered him and sent for Doctor Murray and then for me." "How about the robbery?' prompted Kenned v, as it became evident that it was Mansfield's physictal condition more than anything else that was on Miss Grev's min. "Oh, yes" she recalled herself "I snp-r-ose you know something of his gems? Most "people do." Kennedy nodded. "He usuallv keens them in a safe-deposit vault down town, from which he will get whatever st he feels like wearing. Last nisrht it was the one he calls his sporting sport-ing spt that he wore, by far the finest. It cost over a hundred thousand dollars, and is one of the most curious of ad the studies in personal adornment that h owns. All the stones are of the purest blue-white and the set is entireiy based on nlatiniini. 'But what makes it most remarkable is that it contains the famous M-1273. as he calls it. The M stands for Mansfield, and the figures represent the number of .stone.s he had purchased up to the time he had acquired this huge one." "How could they have been taken, do ""ou think?' ' ventured Kennedy. - I think tre wail sa:e must have been craned ?onieiiOW." she returned. K'-nnedv mechanically wrote the number, num-ber, M-1-7-J, nn a piece of paper. "It has a weird history." she went on, observing what he had written, "and this tiinimota blue-white diamond in tie ring is as bine as the famous Hope diamond that has brought misfortune through half the world. This stone, they say, was pried from the mouth of a dying nesro in South .Africa. He had tru-d to smuggle it from the mine, and when he was caught cursed the- gem and tve; y one who ever should own it. One owner in Amsterdam failed; another in Antwerp committed suicide: a Russian nobleman was banished to Siberia Si-beria and another went bankrupt and lost his home and family. Now here it is in Mr. Mansfield's life. I I hate it!" I could not tell whether it was the euper-Ftltton euper-Ftltton or the recent events themselves which weighed most in her mind, but, at any rate, she resumed, somewhat bitterly, a moment later: "M-12TS! M is the thirteenth thir-teenth le'.ter of the alphabet, and 1. 2. 7, 3 add up to thirteen. The first and last imrr.bf rs make thirteen and John Mansfield Mans-field has thirteen letters in his name. I -wish he had never worn the thing never boueht it"' "Who were in the supper party?" asked Kennedy. "He gave it for Madeline Margrave, the pretty lit tie actres?, you know, who took New York by storm last seaon in 'The Sport.' and is booked, next week, to ap-P'-a." in ?ne. new show, 'The Astor Cup.' " Miss Grev said it, T thourht. with . a Fort of wUtful envy. Mansfield's gay f ft -t bohemian gatherings were well known. Thoiieh he was r.ot young, he was still fcorr.what of a Lothario. "Who else was thfre?" akd Knn?dv, "Then there was Mina Leitoh. a rnein-her rnein-her of Miss Hargra e's new comrany." she went on. "Another van Kleming Lewis, the Wall street broker. Doctor Murray and myyelf completed the party." "Doctor Murray is his personal physician?" physi-cian?" venture.! Cra if?. "Fes. You know when Mr. Mansfield's s'.omah went bar k on him last year It whji Doctor Murray who really cured hi rn." "Might this prnt trouble be a recurrence re-currence of the old troubi?" fths ei:ook her hfrad. "No ; this in entire en-tire different. Ob, I wkfi that you Tmld go with rn'; and s-e himl" srie pleaded. "I w-il'," agfv;d K'-nn'-dv. A moment iat-r v.-re spading in a tavifah over to the apart rtK-nt. "fiall v." sh? r-ma rk'd, nervously, "I fr-l lost with Mr. MansiiHd so ill. ffe ii nr. t ma n v in u-.re-yi. down town that i f' ul rc cn t ant f ' tent ion that iust t r,". Io.bh of t: rnc m-a n.s a irrea t. d-al. Of cioursf, T understand manv of Un-m but, you know, a prlva- ctc';j rv nn't con rfu'-t a rnan'K bu-1 n ':-. And junt rr?;, tvr-'-.n I arr;c up from tlie oflh", I eoul'ln't ve hri t '.: wua tvi ill to '-a re about 1 hint's until T a'tuaily jaw him.'' v'v'c .en red tii". a pa rtrn-r; t. A nvrr j'lari' c a oout fdio.vrd that, rvf-n ' 1 io itdi "Ma r. J field's houf' v v.;4 dia Tion, be v. ,i v i.o f)t A n : Wff 'or of of hr a rt.i' h r of t.'-nnv. In t tit; tilg II'-" i rig room, v.-hh h vam. almost jk a Htn-lio, we rr.'t a. tall. F-rf., poii Hh'-d- rn.inr i - d man, whom I fjui'klv re' oi'fiiz'd a.n It, Murrav. "I i 1": an better?" blurted nut, MIfs J "Ahout. th'- r.Tn(;." hf ar:"7fr'fl. "1 should like to fee him." MmH K-n-r.r,I , "un l" t h-re If j.oujc reii ( '.anon why T F.hould not." 'No." rrl!''d tnt? do"tor, ab '-iitlj-; "on thn contrary, It might PTi.a.p3 joukc , ' 1-d tbi; vny do,n the h;ll, and K'-n- i u,..-f and I followed, vhlb- MIf- '.it-:-(,-,,,1(0 to b'-f, h'-r-'-if ovr porn-- arrairn it u nn"- rr-a hoj.uiv tai.1" in ' r.iry j t:, .'iff ' 'IO )''' I "g I OOIft. ' M.t -i!i-id i -id . ;,0" ii f.f --I'll'' love of . nr. 'I t..f b,-urf f.tii in the fur-n'- ; r , t: of ni-: f-'-'l i ' o m , v b'-'h v. un a l.,.;,n'l-li!l'' I'-'.iu f: lii furci'ujr or I ",.! rf l-i-'lU'f ari'l t ' . v. r . V f u n'-'I Io V ' d : f ''-rn ii p!'i ;i i ; , iM.d ' bOU.'ffl ''It '.' A I.''" '!'. -d field seemed completely indifferent to our presence. There was something uncanny about him. Already his face was shrunken, shrunk-en, his skin dark, and his eyes were hollow. "vYTiat do you suppose H is?" asked Kennedy, bending over him, and then rising and averting his bead so that Mansfield Mans-field could not hear, even if bin vagrant faculties should be attracted. "His pulse is terribly weak and his heart scarcely makes a sound." Dr. Murray's face knit in deep linos. "I'm afraid." he said in a low tone, "that I will have to admit not having been able to diagnose the trouble. I was just considering whom I might cajl in." "What have j-ou done?" asked Kennedy. Ken-nedy. "Well," replied the doctor, slowly, "when his s-alet called me in I must admit ad-mit that my first impression was that I had to deal with a case of diphtheria. T was so impressed that I even took a blood smear and examined it. It showed the presence of a tox albumin. But It Isn't diphtheria. But the poison Is there. I might have thought it was cholera, only that seems so impossible here in New York." Dr. Murray looked at Kennedy with no effort to conceal his perplexity. "It seems to me that I have thought over about everything that is possible. Always I get back to the fact that there is that tox albumin present. In some respects it seems like the bite of a poisonous animal. ani-mal. There are no marks, of course, and it sems altogether impossible, yet it acts precisely as 1 have een snake bites at-1 feet people. I can only conclude that there is some narcotic irritant which especially espe-cially affects the lungs and heart-" "Win you let me have one of the blood smears?" asked Kennedy. "Certainly." replied the doctor, reaching reach-ing over and taking a glass slide from sevoral lying on a table. Seeking to find Miss Grey in the library, we found ourselves in the handsome, all-wood-paneled dining-room. It still siiowed evidences of the late banquet of; the nisht before. Craig paused a moment in dnubt which way to go. then picked up from the table a heautif ully decora ted menu card. As he ran his eye down it mechanically, he ; paused. ""Champignons." he remarked, thoughtfully. thought-fully. "H-m I mushrooms.' Instead of going on toward the library, he turned and passed through a swinging swing-ing door into the kit- hen. There was no one there, but it was in a much mor upset condition than the dining-room. "Pardon, monsieur." sounded a voice behind us. It was the French chef who had entered en-tered from the direction of the servants' quarters, and was now all apologies for the tint id v appearance of the ralm over which he" presided. The strain of the dinner had been too much fru- his as-i as-i sistants. lie hastened to explain. "I" see that you had mushrooms crea men," remarked Kennedy. "oui. monsieur," he renlied; "some that .Miss Hargrove herself sent in from her mushroom cellar out in the country." coun-try." As he said it his eye traveled involuntarily involun-tarily towa rd a pile of ramek Ins on a table. Kennedy noticed H and d-hnr-atr! v walked ovr to the tabl. lie tore I knew what he wa s about he had scooped from them each a bit of tl contents and placed it in some waxed paper that was lying near-by. The chef waiched him curiously. "You would not find my kitchen like this ordinarily," he remarked. "I would not like to have Dr. Murray ee it, for since last year, when monsieur had the bad stomach, I have been very careful." care-ful." The chef seemed to be nervous. "You prcparr-d the mushrooms yourself your-self ?" askd Kennedy, suddenly. "I directed my assistant," came back the wary reply. "But you know good mushrooms when you see them?" "Certainly." he replied, quickly. "There wa no one -ie in the kitchen while vou prepared them?" "Yes." he answered, hurriedly. Mr. Mansfield came in, and Miss Ilarerave. Oh. they are very particuia r ? And I r. Muriav," he has given me sperb-il onW ever Miice last year, when monsieur ha; the b;td stomach," h repeated. "Was p.nyone elso her" ?"' 'Yes 1 think fo. You pee, T am so excited a big dinner suh picm-r- everything must be Just so I cannot say. T h f r e seemed to b Htlo pa th Taction in ouizzing the chef, and Kenn'dy tumt-d ajratn into the dining-room. m.i;in2 his way back to tne library, whre Miss Grey was waiting anxious' y for us. "What do you think?" she ashed, eagerly. , "I don't knouwhat to think. ' replied Knnfcdy. "No one flae has ffit any Id effects from the supper, I uuppe "No." she replied; "at least. I'm sure I would have hoard by this time if they had." ' " Do vou rca 11 an yt hi n e peculiar about the mushrooms ?"' snot out K tinned tin-ned j. "We talked about them ?ome time. I remember," she said, slowly. "Grow inc mushrooms is one of Miss Hare rave s hobbies out at her pla.o on Long Island." "Yes." persisted Kennedy ; "but 1 mean anything peculiar about tho preparation prep-aration of them." "Why. ye," she iwid, suddenly; "I believe that Miss JTargrave was to ha e superintended them herself. Wt a 1 went out into the kitchen. But It wan too late. They had been prepared already." al-ready." "Vou were nil 4n the kit- hen?' "Yes; I rem em her. Jt w.t hefnr the supper and junt after we, ;irne In from the thea tor party whi' li .Mr. Mansf n Id sja ve." "That is what I was trylnz to Ret out of the eh f P'rancols." remarked Kennedy, Ken-nedy, "fie d id n't reem to haver a very clear idea of what rappened. I think I'll see him a Kaln rlirht a wa y." We found the chef bu.mlv at work, now, cleaning up. As Kennedy ackeci hirn a few int'Onserjuen tia j ue-tion.". his eve caught a row of books on a hh"!f. It was a most, complete library of Jtue cuJItmry art. C'ra ig self-ted one and t urn'i the pages over rapidly. Then he came bark to the frontispiece, which showed a model dinner table net for a number of gucU. H placed the picture before FYan'oK then withdrew- it in, I should say, about ten seconds. "Now. tell me what you saw.'' Francois wan quite overwhelming In bin desire to plea pe. .Tuvt what v. as soing on In his mind I could not l-uc-f, nor did he betiav It, but qul'kly be enumerated the object'-" on the (aid". Kmdually ow-iri2 ow-iri2 up as the number widen he re ollc tefj ber a tne f x ha usted . "'A' ere ti'.ere e;i ndle." prompted Cra Ig. "Ob, yen. candles." lie agreed, eagf rly, "Favor-1 at each piace?" "Yen, sir." The que.. tinning over, Kennedy ith drew, f-;i lug poor Vi a neols mot u rnyi I-fi-d than e er. "WH,'' I enl;j med, H we passed through tiif; fJirniiK roo:n, "v ha L waH all that "Thai." he explajued. "in whal Is known to i rnilri'-louu tfi ,m the 'A uf.Mai;e tem," .Iu."H try it Hr,iii- liirif; w!im vou (,'-t. a 'hanr-f. K there, are. ray, fifty object; In a pi' t in o, norma 1 1 v a per-f ui may re al! perliHi s twenty of th'-ni." "I Kee," 1 in t eri up led ; ":l fe-;t of inern-oi inern-oi v," "Mnt; than that," he replied. "Vnij re-tnfuni'er re-tnfuni'er t;iat, n t I ne eiiij, 1 s i u; t'ep I cd nv-era nv-era tnifc's llk'-ly , on flu- hi lrl They v.-ff: no l t he i c. hh ynu ndi h ha vo f-i-n if vou had the pi'dure ber-.re yi. Thai va-t n tet. of l.ue hiir-epMblllty In ff'ton of the ehef. I-'i -,i r fl h mav liol rnftn to lie, l.ut I'm fi r i - i . I w'll have lo i't uunx v.itiioul him In getting t o tlie lmt'iIM f' the i.i'".". Oil ),!(, Tf) uc io ;i n 7 fui Hi' r e krev I ,,,, I he Is tin. , ,.;i,,hie - i', v.i v lie o:nt It may he th.tt nothliu u ail nai-r"fi"l in Un-'r Un-'r h- u to M- fit': d,ioo;.. We'll lieer -(j.:. over it front him. We inunf u.i t t '"l'he M'Vl filing fd like to M.-e." 1)r-V,.,l lt n r.i-d , V Ii' n U e ( j. ,n ied ,l i. - i ; re ; , r I -,1 t V. til) V-l f-." j-I.e I' d the v v do-n ' e hall mid In'o in ante rcu,i to M -n f! ld f: ...i t of the Stlite The ; -fe lelf V, , t, t , , . , . , , : , I i w - .' Hill.f le ff-.li lll'h e , n . . ed, l v 1;'.-'M1 V-4Vbsfeiv . - I L f i i v 1 W W t i KIs f r nil i m i xJM mil ftm t M ii MfM pi31 , 'It was just a little thin piece of something that glittered iridescently." I doubt whether it had been seriously de-siLrni-d to be buiular. proof. Rather a wa? merely a protection asainst file. "Have you iiny Mivphion n hoi it when the robbery l-vk place?" asked Kenr.e.iv, as we peered Into the emplv corr.jKiit-ment. corr.jKiit-ment. "No." Fh.o replied; "l don't Tsnov,- whether wheth-er it liHppenod heiore or after Mr. Mans-fle'd Mans-fle'd was d)S''oeied .so ill bv his vilet." "But at lea-t you ran i-'ive ire soio idea of when the. jewels were placed in the safe." "It must have been before the sup: or. risht after our return 'rnin the '"'eatev." "So? ron.-irlered Kennedy. "Whv .:id he phiee tl'.eni In the snr n 5-m1:i, instead of wearing them the rest of the evenim:'.'" "Why. RT.cn we fainf home r jvun t he theater I remerr.i'er it h.id been so u-nun that Mr. M-in.-i'u'ld's colhr wa.s wilted and his dres shirt n::np'ed. lif; excused ex-cused himself, and when he returr-M he w-ts r.ot wearing tlie liinuuids. We t-.q tied it. a I id Miss Mar srra ve e. premised a wish that fhe ndffht we.ir the hi- diamond dia-mond at tlie operir ir nlht of "P,c Astir Cup.' Mr. MansfieM promised that she mi ht. and i.o thing more was ?a;d a hout It." "Did you n'"ie pny thine eh. at t -dinner no matter how i n v i a : ? ' ' a 1 ; e i Kennedy. "Of course, the pn rtv a nd t:- supper were civen tisteriyihl v fn Mis Haryiave. Hut late'y I lm ve thourht he war : iv-ir.e iv-ir.e o'Ute ai much attent.on to Mma Leiteh." While h? had "neen ouevtinning her. Kenned v had h-en eam niing t :.e ill f.lfe, particularly with r f r n'o to t.- a i-e-s:hi1i t y from !he rest of the itnart-un-nt. There appeared to he no r--aon wliv one rou Id not ha ve cot at it from the hallway as wel! as from Mans field's lOUll. The safe itself seemed to yield no clew, and Kennedy was ahout to turn away when he happened lo gianee down at the dark interior of I he c loset Moor. Me stooped down. YA hen he rose he had something In his hand. It was ju.-t a little thin pio-e of something that glittered glit-tered irideseentiy. "A spanuie from a se.piln dress," he muttered to hims-lf; then, turninc to M'.ss ;rey: " 'i.i ;tnom wear sueh a dr-ss last nicrlit V" I !eb-n ' Jrey looked positively fright-er fright-er e- h "M iss Hal g rave !" she murmured, .!i'-T th- n hend voices in the hall- "But. Murray. I don't tee v hy I can't see him." said one. "What poo-i will it do, Lewi??" rt turned the ohi-t, hh h I it eoq nized as li.at o. It. Murray. 'Kler::;n Lewis." whispered Mis Crty. f A nmtJVMit later lr. Murray and Lewis had j' u liol ttv t 1 eoid ste liLtt Ihcie was some feejinc heiu.-n t'.e two men. As Miss (Jrey in-t in-t rod net I tis, I la need hastilv ou' o!" the ifini'T my e-.e at Kenne.l-. Invn'.un-taii.c Invn'.un-taii.c Ills baiifl whidi he d the i.ll-tale .-(Uin had sought 'lis Waisteo.it po;ke;. ;ik t ". . u i h to h : d o 1 ' . T ! ; n I sa w h I n l he. k U...- a- lion and deli: eratelv rvtrn-ire rvtrn-ire th pie'-c u: tinsel between hid thumb and Lor. -r. Mr. M u it a v saw it, too. n nd his eve were r ; .led on ir . as thu-jgh tn.-tani ly b- sa w 1 1 s :h: m lb an. e. " V hat do on think Ja -k as ti- k as a do-, an 1 rohhl. too. and t Murray s.)vi j f.iu'i.iM I lo s-e h.un!" '-ompialne I 1,. -u !-. for I:,.- IHni!i-i: t ohln "ioiin in tl'.e f .i t tiial all our iv.m s l e ri;e.l on the spangle between Kennedy's flncer?-A flncer?-A nd t hen. slowiy, it seemed to dawn on hi ni what It was. "Madeline's:" be ex-tdainted. ex-tdainted. (niirkly. "Po Mina did tear it. after all, when she stepped on the train." Kennedy watehed the fares before us keen 1 v. Xo one said any i hlnz- It was evident that some such Incident had happened. hap-pened. Hut had Lewis, with a quirk flash oT genlu.s. sought to cover up sornrthlng. prot pet su melody ? "Lookt. to me as though tbi robbery wag a n inside affair," remarked 1 .ew h-:. as v e all stood for a moment In the iv-Inc iv-Inc room. "Lo you suppose one of the srrvanis eould hae been 'planted' for the purpose of pulling it off'.''' Tlie Idea was plausible enouch. Tet. plausthn; as tlie sitgirest on ir.iiiiit seem, it took no ncount of the other circumstance circum-stance of the ca se. I could not lelieve that the i!lns of Mansheld was merely an nn fort una t- oin kienee. K'eming Lewis's unguarded and blunt tendency to blurt out w iia teT-r seeded upr erniost in his mind oon became a s'udv lo me as we walked together in the room. I eon a I not u uite niake out . w het her i w as st nd ied and aM u e or v he: her It was mvre'v t he na turnl e-uiw-ranee of youth. There was certainly i soul- soit of ennr.Tv hetween him and the , doctor, which t he remark a roiit the HpHnir'.e seir.ed to fan into a fhur.e. ; M iss ii: e- n-ra:ieuT red la-u t ull . how- , err. 0 prevt at a yne. And. after an ; intf i change of remarkb that threw more ; heat than beht on the manor, Kernel y I ami I fnl'owed L'wis out to the lt vator. I v-'.:!i a i irting promise, to keep In i-vjch W:'h .Ti.-S irey. "Wl.at do you t hink of the span.:!" ?" 1 I n'ieried "f Yaii as l-ewi hade us a j l.-s'v HI-b'.'. Is It a ciew or m stall'." -That remain, to be S'S'i'Sura. Wmr Man- lidti." . . bu vwlth the vari- VVhilc Kennedy "dB D". h ,.n. oils M0lutin whlt' .'hat h"i held the-tents the-tents of the ramekins t hat unj. mushrooms, r """''"'."tXLrt " verity library "f " lh' , , learning ernl volun.ea on run?! vit d (o anything of alut. i a - . al.d into the uP'ow"''?,fp". wel as 1 could talk over the affair a ... d been uithout vIolaUMS what I ft ffiven u in c0,J.fld?n- , ,,t have done. I could not, it 7rf ,; :;io the anvthins better, for It eee a n''r v; Le-is a.,.I nr 5lur ay had jom Mjr; but that Madeline llarsrae S, far ! l.eit.:h mh-'ht have gone in too nQt the fortunes of the and, I re- smiled on .Mansfield s - r,nHt fle.Med, It v.ai no 'f c ' t to a man might be merely an mcirteni to like Mansiield eould be the rest of them. a(t,rnoon when II was the middle o. t..e an r my I returned to the la r Ufc slender hud?et r'hf ' c? had to y. even frtr'na frn'onta in M. "several .1 ftftt'' .roiK'S Kenedy had r.-n'.'ra!"- '"he ret'narked. -I, Five, of them seem to ; h ad n , whatever. Hut .f the b.t toat I P . frllow causes enon ' a.'nTrr o'nenof-V.he0 ramekir,s pot-. sonert?-' 1 questioned. , ir the1 1 S yiin Kennedy said very litJe as - -1- over" he llong Island r,ads :!.a; 1-; to t, little colony of a;.-.orS aun ac, e--. Cedar Grove. I ha1 ! nls l.me .vmccd myself that, .somehow. t..e mi n rooms were 4-.?Z .""s. E-it must be tb-t uue of t ie 1' ,. tics had somehow got mixed Jtn - ; others, one of the Ait-' lv al the venom of me rattler o U- . PerhVau. 1 knew that, m mc -a e A.mams had been used to to....i..l crimes Was this s.ic.i a aye. We had no irouole in f.nd.i ;, te of Miss Ilarun-ave. and uue was at Kennedy lost r.o time Introducrrg Mm - , self and coming to the point or his .-.t. Ma.ieiine Harrave wa a slender ,(,v.v type of tiirl. pronoum-edl b.ond vTlk'nt- r.rer:s.-!v the type I 5-0..."l r.a Lilned 'hat Mansfield uou'J have ceen proud to be nr..:. . nr.L : ; ...id. nx:o-js!y. "Mr. I-f''; ?ailVd mo" p and told rre. I r. 5-hy 5-hy Mis Grey or Dr. Murray c.dn t Vrotv- frner.' S'e said it tviri fir. air o. v. a. thoMirh ti s.iclu-1. in Kie of her , evident an.NKtv krox a Pout . jrs-- of'lin: that iUm i-.roy had ?vn In fact. T-.e I'.o-tfi:: o' I-:..::nir 1..'- almost 1- J lor to oe.-.eve t-.r- w, xva6 h. ra;nr t;:.iu Mai-ficli, for r.om i i-o a lh- carr 1. 4i. Wc clnttod a fe--v ir::v.:Vi. Kr... tod wr.aT httlc had c1:vvyvi. He i-j:d PO'.hii. al-ut l-.. ?i-ani:. j'v t:c vav." r rt-.3rkd Cra'ST. at ie-i:ih "I wo.:.i erv niu-'H l!k to Y.w a look nt l-:al. farr.cus n-.u5hroom-ce.lar '-i-v1"a v. . had a rrat 1rTT in nu'.rooai?. " "s'.e '-splaT.H. hif.'.y. "i o;; voj do not t..!nk it ro::'d be t rr-;-i-, r-cn 5-t.uit !'..r.c ca-j.d Mr. MAnsrXd , 1; rer5, (.-) 0'J1"' K.urciv ras.--d of ic rcn'-rk a. rM he cu.:M urei-r tr.c .'.rc.:r.s:arcf. ard a f- u- :;.:nut5 later we wr don ir. ' r j dark tl.ej of t: e.-' ar h-'k ef th, hivo, w'.'.er Kennedy ct to o"k on a I ro.dd ; t'V t cf?rp'.on ori Iuf f.e.T. a-' h: "f.-n-h prvcr'J' T'-at ; 1 as no i r.nd: w i'; : ; t liaii e ror: d. ' ,ea 1;-. t !.e f before r :.. rn';:.ii,i'i r-dirde :u s hrtvin-,5 T v.e i:;-;o: e o: - - a. as ! rSTiv,i d :t. w w.-jito. wh br'i;.'.! libn-s. or alt I n icrr a t r, some ere- a hr i' i- ni .-al-n.o;i jntik. rba'-id.c i"a.v.:al:y to A'.r.-o-; bla.-k in tr older r-; e r.v.cvs. v.;t sfar-:'- j as he tnic t f r v .i:t t 1 kivw w a. a-ier. in non did he fini an"t'ir.c bt;t a small o" n.ore often no swell; re at, tl.e ba.-e and no "',; j," .is it : ca.ird. As he rose af'.er 1 '.s t:-oni-:i:'T r:n-h. I sa' that l;e was con'.p!' tely balt'tl. "I hanilv ti;onit v; d f.: d a:. .; c." Miss llaicrae remarked "I've p!va5 been eery earoful of my mushnvm?. " "Vou have certainly suecetded admir-ablv." admir-ablv." he con.i'nnanted. "I ho; e you will lei me know how Mr. Mansf'.eld Is," she wld. as wc ?tai vi bak toward oi:r ear on lhA road. It seemed irrat nitons for Kenned v to promise, for I knew that he was h y r. o in-'iin through with lier yet : b.:t s"-.e thanked Iiiin, and we turned back toward low -i. "Well." 1 remarked, as wo reeled off the miles quioklv. "I must say tbat that nuts me all at sea aaln. Vk'h.at can you do now?' "IV"" he c- hpfsl. ' U'hvi eo on. TV's Tut- us a stt-t nearer the truth, tint's ail." lar from heirs: disjoin a ,;f v.it had seemed to nie to ho tatal blow to tho thery, he now Feenied to be ai-tr.al'v en.-o;iiaetl. rnk in the eny. he Jot no lime in pettine to th laboratory acain A iaekace from the botanical department depart-ment f tne miers;ty wa w-dtir.c trre for Kennedy, but lefore h could open it th to! en hone bur.red f ir-'. o;is' v. I could gat her from Kenned v's word that il was Helen b'niv, "1 sl-rtll Ih over I m nii-sl in t r'v," hr nrondsed. a he liur.c un the rr.-e'vrr and turned to me. "Mansfield is nui-'li wow. While 1 cet tocether some irater'l must take over there. Walter. I want yon to call up Miss Hm-srave and trU her to start for the city rich! awnvmeet nt Maps-field's. You'll fmd their number in the book or el.-e yovi 'd h.ave to zcl I'-cru from Mis i iyv " Whdle 1 was dcltvrrin th.p nirssacr d'phnn.itb ally as possible- Kepne - Vd taken n inl from a u.edi. Ine ehet a n I ! ii;en fiom a .-abine! a ma.-hi0 v '.,, seeme.i to eeust of A number of and belts fastened to Knck oxlmder no-! whhh ran hilr An upr'sht roll ,V ruled papor supported hy clockwork arrangement ar-rangement for rexoblmr it and a s'ml aiM be.rlni: i recoiMlns: ron. cm.'pVi'.M tho outMl Then we dahed over in ihc car to Mansfield's. sain, bearl, tv.o several sev-eral pa, k;ij;es. Miss .ivev rtn,1 worn o-0 met u In the Uin- room. ' "He's had a smklin; sprM." s!.0 r.;iniil-isly. Imetor Murray inuo, o brine him nnnrnd. but ho se-rnis , we iiier m 1 t er It. U " "Another viiviiI:.,i,i and sinkinc n I- about nil ho ,an Ftand" 1 "May 1 try FOnielhlne"" .ik-f i - ij-iiir-;;;;"; .... jiM.vm,,, , .., vV;;;,' I'.tllv Kcnmvlv lnl,-,l,-,l , , ,, rio.i Mn,iv .:,i,.,ns , .',v-ru:r" II... inmiili-s l.-nsthrn, ,! ( M . , " ,' -!,", :':,:i!,:,;:;m't:;,''';';. ',. ::r,i.!.Tl,r,)r,:.,'' 'xza i i ' u ii. ii r, , ' ';"" "v1"," '" " s v : i,,;,:",, 11 '"" I..,.; in!,,. 1 N'- KM By ARTHUR B. REEVE (ropyrlcht. 1MT. .. M;Ci..r . : I fhoiit Ma.nFfifr.nh atv-ntlor.r jt doiit that, as. ff-.r an .'1-:. wan ,-t). ! hr o'ii attention-, were rf'O'.oro.: " the p',ils'n;d p r n. U.h tr t'reetlriL' her told n.e. t'jat L-"trr fipprf '-;a'-d II. .lu-! thn y :?rn, r V ' hiitlf-I In, and a little l;-.t-r t:.e"; wari broken hy th arrival of yiisJ. " liargravo. The cironrnsan'- -rr? t-.o path-s non of the in ?tr.r,A to ey:,Hf . v ' Kennedy n lr ':r.!;j In, r.rr- an nearly an r.? -o:jld -t:rri'.r.fe, '-4 " 1 r,-K of .Man.-fieej rr.;ynt h du,. ',0" Tuirii' eai-n at xuk t r. jfc'-' tn ej.ed the bands about the n 1.. t ' vculstn of ons after another of tr. g. brir,insf Oitt lntJH biak yWrn-r close to X'f.H nnddl'j of f. e ; r r. i", co n i ri vf-d to con v ey t h e j rn pre. ,r)n . .' he would like to determine nf.:t-one nf.:t-one e ? had ln a ' e t (-A : n a" 1 ' desrc-5. ' His prepara U'-ns comletryj, yh.. joptned the j-a I:aje w hich had h-r ! at V.;; Wr-o ratory yxsi c f o re t - ' . ' oil! from Mij-r frey. As he did 'b7 closed several cpecirnen1" of a n-.eV' jot a 1 e -1 e rn o n o i o r , with a r ' ' rjeep 'oniiisr. t-fc top flecks w";' I bltn. L'noemea'.h, p-jlls -r y j and the fc'ern isd a sort of v .'v lit. E'Jt v. hat: inrcrfsifcl rr.e rrw v. hat I "S'iH lookif. for, v.-a th of a sort of d.rt. er:oolaie-col',T at the ba-f; of I: e Ftern. " "J puopoFe tTt us e freely ary of f a-'i ijpsan Kennedy, fool which I t-jsroetd in this ca mi.sh.roorna. Here I have jome 5"" h'j ve tor una v ly been a h'e to i merely to llhis'.rrii what 1 am' . . e 3 Tins Is tt c deadly Axaita t ..aria, t"1 fly-agaric.'' Mideiine Mar?rave eeerr.el'to : low' r. if him with a pecuhar fas'.:- ' "T'.s Amanita," resumed " "Ivis a lor.? his'ory. ar.d I may -T': fw cner-i'"'s a" ej j,e to i::tereVl-?' iT' era'.ed in milk, it 1 as be.en expo---!1 re r.turi''-." 2a a f'y po.bri. r.ene lis deadly pror-erries r.ere krxw,:' a 1 1 c i e r i ; , a r. d ; j g j u t! y c 1 e j ra s . . 's;;se of i;t Iot z and 'i'i:.;.,tl "" of xi- timK. As'ippira :jed it t0' I the J.-Jnperor CUu-:';s. Arr.o-c . I'i.c Cztr Alexis of I;-2r.a o.ec o' & it. "Tt. worst of It !." ve cor - , "t'.a t t f .Amanita son'.el.a: r2'-t r2'-t fL ro val a ?aric, he A T.a :.:& r Ill is. ;oa -ee, trjrjr.5!y 'cea jtlierefre a!! t.:e inore Oazeroi J 1 c e e a ed f c r a rr. o rr. e : . t, looked in a tort of awe at ti"i--beautiful -:r.z. " "It ;s r.o l -a-ftb. the fiirrjn thJt I fo rr;ij li j. t-rei ' e i j-:s; rcT, Y-ti l. Kr.neay b--ran aj.:n, "but -r'ifon. ?rf a n v -ear azo nietis" j 'r zA-i it po'-or.o'JK &:Ka:o;c3 wrat tev cai bor,.o;.rf. Later i-V I namM m;;-car:n. ar.d rox ;s e-or"-r:p.O"'n as a.T.ar.i'in, s'c : U -r---to 1 1 mu-rooT? -;e ArTi."'t i "AmanlT m is a wor.itrf'Jl a.-. i c-'--'-0";.s :-J-:a!od. 'i is aiKried :nrebi!ril --araL Jt is exTre.e'v r".-'l r".-'l '.ree to five ore-t-0-.i-a.reithi cil a rL 'or six oi;e-t.-.nj-ar.l::. cf a gra.-' vr- dar.?rn. More lin j i'Oisf'iirc dtl'-rrs from r-:c-t l:r- tire that "lrs-.a i ;;-.k:rifc cf il and tlie first e'..ce-ci c" c:'"e:i t.",a:i z:.y o:Y.t tt.. .and 3 --rfo-:t ar.::ote lis : i "T I a or;;;. ' I "1'id vo.i e'-'Af se ar.vthirr V.ke r"-- j a!-:ed Kernel", s - i :e::y. hcc'..y i p .t spire wl.ir. he r?i f-:rV, i il'",iet floor ;.'.ar t..r wa.ll ! Tf-j,:::; nor-: s-. d a -c::. :t r?.! t 1 d'nt ir5T tr.ey a i r? r"r-.:id 1 ! A:r:;:r.c M.ii-;l.rv cl;5y. B: - j i-- ra ed r. n? t ;; rr.:. i f ; j at b--rt; fe f fro" cyf t - n ct ta : t .y p-i"d ;v.re. : ffL -ry r ;re, in cryr to cot p-? s Xi:-tiarcrav? Xi:-tiarcrav? divert S-isj ncr. iror or.e I t rrnH to V.-.i Bh:rJ th d-V j ef br cA-k e-. s I :f". t is; :.-r; I toT.f.hirc or'f.r:. KrrJ.v rru". i j s-.d r.. n t-e:or I c l.'for 1 f ! cr, y ov-r t : re?r::-.c Swi; i, r :d TT-r ". tic !1V (. I 'T:-.:.'' 1- c Ko! c :t. ' a 7-fr-?nr '.vriT! s-.c5 tre a-r-;;I n;;. :. o;tt'.:c "s 1 y re:;'ri:r.c t - i f--ts c- t: e a--d lu-cs v:-:- ! I'V.e .r': ear1 l::-ra. y tirrei. e I A n-.--n:-,.'! i:;.,n-- at tl::5 1:-. t-;.'''e t-;.'''e : ..v,-1 cf ?-'j. can tt" tie i r'rrf t'an "rr;5." ' Th-n w r. r-n;h--i triit 7-s: Ta "k: ;:;:' " :,:d l's. f:::-- r--: -no : A-. in '.a t:; rr..xe-: v t c'l: v ir;. r or- ."" K- y :, r er- -1. ;'.:' V'y. t.A.r.c 1'.:f e;-. c'f tl'.t l:r Ir Zf. as ;:a "re. "Xo: inj & ease cf J'i ne (,'f ; v rr it?1"'. ca r-rt i-. .cn t ' de.,t ''i. if i .1? v-.i'.-v w i.v ever rfTr-e,v; rfTr-e,v; ,i fUM'v No '.:-, en yv:v. a r"f ror.. ."-vVtii'lf w '.f-e re r-'"("fs r-'"("fs t"c i.vo:i was j'lrreJ Ir'.' r.r-..-'v:n Knnw1:? was ear1;;:' frcni' f-v 'ar.5:";r',i. T1-e- n-,e d e r:; -tere-t :n ni-: h as tV.e ftot ' T'-'er a 5''-', r'--se frm t -"' room w hf-.' .i r: . i-'M :.n- ls:.'ir: T w e rv ali on c ,r f f -1 . !- fo: e a ';v ' eon'.d :ci,M t'.i? c.vr lit Ion oney sl'-rH t Vr-nc1'! i. '.I',:: a .-e,erd." cornn'arst'tM Kf"J e t e - i : r. c 1 1; e 5 e-: n ; n tew ard u ? to ; pVas::o vv.at wa aN-1;:! to " rsni- and : r- ror-e-y TSf- :v? " of ivr h.i-r5. The sr :".::n '? t.e tf y ' l :i5 nr'.-s-krd t' e so ret Tr".-;i r.y T" n'crau I".;? revo-ded. 0 err f t'-.it ;-!. vr- eo:"n t;e' V-fTr c.i .-'.-( : e ,-,-; c V1 -"i " Vv' cri"C to v'' ' To mvc t1 o rer'-at :en of rel"V at r.n.y eo; on te jrv: of t1 nvrr' t '.e r..so cf r'av ;tf tl:c ff-cs-nr. ir. f eVei iv,-.;rr-1 " , . ' Aiade'ine lincrav tvrne J tf w-.a I reid Iis rv. J. r t;ra"5 stern'."'.!! on tie t-.'n Ui it. Te er' In VT 's'k e" f ; from ' .id el; re to Ken?e-e v. "Yes " .'rr i "I vd A qneklv X'-r defianee Ivid f.iieJ " l-r".- had faJv.txi ' -oTre nAtcr-e.virk! vAvl K""" 1 nranc t';roncrt th door l"1" : fr's n-n As entered I ca'.i 5 of lUVn vlrer -.irrH-'rtir.s tl V.-(nfVd-o: c' tv!on? to .-tr iVare.ond. evervtVirR thwit d fi ea-'rd a tnc'v, "No." T hrrd KereiW l a 1 retvrr.e.l ";t wi n.M rn r""ivi sVe s'v.eldrM w a w:' t v r "i'li l-er. f'Mf'v ale;:5 e' :'"t . for e."i 'kl"c ; '". a"-.i " ,' ;.( I-orlr-ss' v in .--f"-'ii S vevtvrf. ";v h e eli.-tved C-.l'd I 'r. Murray Mi-'l ;" |
