Show t '- ' tain's apartments and he had evidentThere was ly retired for the night nothing else I could do and I returned home in a very despondent frame of mind Early next morning the man I had sought for in vain staggered into my his face of a ghastly pallaboratory lor and bis whole appearance showa severe ing that he had received in the e shock Strang Experience of a Vector is dead" he "Captain Malnwarlng exclaimed hoarsely By A T MEAD “Wbat do you mean?” I demanded I saw him last “I state a fact night and told him the story of the relations that had existed between (Copyright by W G Chapman) Pamela and myself At first he was "Let me Introduce you to my friend The Crossthwaltes were old frlendB then he calmed fiercely Indignant of mine and amongst them I bad no Laurence Carroll’ she said "Mr down and said he would take a night — Captain Malnwarlng” greater favorite thin pretty Pamela to think the matter over He told me The captain bowed and favored She was an exceptionally beautiful to call upon him again at eight this with a brief glance the nervousgirl and when first grown up had I arrived at the Mowbray morning gone through much trouble owing to ness left Carroll’s eyes and they grew to find the whole place in consternatHe began to talk ion— jut unfortunate love affair A certain bright and steady they had discovered the Captain Laurence Carroll had conceived a deseagerly to Pamela the captain having dead in bis bed and a doctor had been perate passion for her and she for again turned to the lady with whom summoned who gave It as his opinion Soon been had afterfilm of came be a Carroll good family conversing that there had been foul play You but prior to his acquaintance with ward I took my leave returned home can see what this means to me HaliPamela he bad gained for himself the and went straight to my laboratory I fax I was thq last person with reputation of being mixed up with a was engaged In several experiments we parted in anger the hotel rather fast set Although there was of an Interesting nature and in par- servants will swear to the interview save one or ticular was anxiously developing some having taken place I shall be arrestnothing against Carroll two boyish adventures which I had recently ed almost lmnledlately and to make that had photographs taken by means of the Roeptgen rays matters worse there Is this in my crept into print Mr Crossthwalte frowned upon his suit and forbade him I had Just retired Into my dark room pocket” Pamela bowed to her fa- when I heard a ring at the hall door the bouse As he spoke he drew forth the litther’s decree but broke down and My servant then rapped and Informed tle bottle of anhydrous hydrocyanic In the course me that Mr Carroll had called had a ‘severe illness and acid of a year however she recovered her was waiting In my laboratory “This lay on your table last night On entering the apartment In ques- I was health and to outward appearances at and appropriated it betempted I tion I found Carrol) standing where fore you least her usual cheerful spirits appeared I was searching had been consulted at the time of her the full rays of the electric light fell for means to take my own life if on his face Illness and was therefore sincerely He looked cadaverous necessary Just as you entered I had glad when the news of Pamela’s en- his cheeks were hollow his eyes had finished reading a full description of I the action of the poison gagement to the right man reached a disturbed and glassy expression I slipped noticed that he had taken up some page tno eight also Into my pocket' Here She had promised to marry Captain proofs of mine which lay on the table is the proof now and here is the bota traveler and They had been sen) to me for correc- tle" Malnwarlng who “Well at least you can give them veteran soldier had Berved tion from the medical paper for which through a couple of Indian campaigns I constantly write When he heard my back to me — you need not voluntarIn Cncle Sam’s army He had money step he threw down the sheets and ily throw suspicion on yourself” me In plenty and a character without a came forward to meet "It Is too late When I heard the "That Is an Interesting article Hali- fatal news at the hotel I staggered flaw He was also twenty years older Some fiend tempted appears to relate to and almost fell than bis prospective bride but that fax” he said fact mattered nothing In the eyes of a strange poison” her parents At Pamela’s earnest re"It does’’ I returned “one of the As quest I had promised faithfully to at- most dangerous poisons known tend her wedding She was to be you have read some of It I will tell married with much ceremony early In you how I came to write the paper I to was The much 1890 am now Just Interested in the wedding February take place from the Crossthwatte’s Roentgen rays and make many experitown house In Fifth avenue and the ments with the new light A few days arrived home from a long ago while experimenting with bridegroom of tour In India Just one week before the potassium I accidentally Nile was a tall found thnt I had evolved as a wedding that most dangerous drug anhysoldierly man and brought from the far east for his bride’s acceptance a drous hydrocyanic acid The article diamond of extraordinary size and is written with view to show the of brilliancy danger which anyone unconscious fact this might unknowingly run The The night after Captain return from India I dined at the poison causes Instant death by InhalaCrossthwalte mansion and after din- tion and the process of making withner was permitted to see the famous out certain precautions Is fatal" "It is an Interesting study” obIt reposed on a velvet bed gem case which stood on a cen-- - served Carroll as he sank Into a chair tet table In the room where the other "And now doctor I have taken advanThe tage of our old friendship to pay you wedding presents were displayed diamond presented a strange and al- a rather late visit which the Impormost startling appearance It was cut tance of my business must excuse In the shape of a cobra’s eye with You know all about Pamela and mysome scintillating rays In the center self Well I have determined that she which not Inaptly represented the pu- shall not marry- Captain Malnwarlng It was set in a thin gold locket I gave her a letter tonight which will pil and looked like an eye of evil and make her think deeply She loves me ‘weird Import as it glittered on its Halifax she does not love Mainwar-lng!In addition to the value purple bed “You are not acting In a manly which its queer shape and unique ap“I know that pearance gave It the stone itself was way” I said severely of great Intrinsic worth as It weighed Pamela was at one time attached to over thirty carats you but—” "That diamond has a history" said "My mind Is made up” Interrupted Captain Malnwarlng coming up to my Carroll “Either the marriage will be side when he saw me examining the prevented or I shall commit suicide” atone "You profess "It Is In reality one of the to love the girl" I It was given said sternly “and yet you would cast eyes of an Indian Idol to me by a rajah whose life I had such a terrible shadow over her life?” been Instrumental In saving When "No I would draw the line at that” tc put my hand In my pocket I (he presented it to me he made a he answered "If she marries Maln- me pulled out the bottle and stared at atrange request warlng she need never know of my It as If I was A waiter who stuplfled belongs to a tribe with whom fate I have given her people to unstood near must have seen the word I and tiny people have had a derstand that I am going abroad If on the label” ‘poison’ I cannot I effect for said is ‘It which as a he object the glance quarrel’ He eunk into a chair and wiped the 'will show you the eye of a cobra— we visited you tonight I will allow her to from his forehead continue In that belief I want you to perspiration Tall It In Hindustani Sanp Kee Ankh he con"After I left Malnwarlng” The do me a favor 'Which' means the Snake’s You are an old and in- tinued Eye "I went to the CsQwn Hotel timate friend of the family Will you Dot far from the Mowbray imoney value of this stone is immense When I but I run considerable danger by hav- go to Mr Crossthwalte tomorrow reached my room I took the bottle The gem morning and make a final plea for ing it In my possession out of my pocket Mainwarlng's shall be yours If you will take my me?” me almost maddened I words I aervant Copinath as Its guardian I returned "It would saw thathadhe would not relinquish Pa“Impossible” If you meant to do not wish to have your blood on my be useless anyway terms and mela on any a horrible dehead and you would assuredly never Interfere why did you wait until the me I sire to take my life possessed eleventh hour?” ireach America In safety If Goplnath broke the seal and removed the cork did not take care of the diamond for "Because I have been out of Amerifrom the bottle In another moment I He is a Brahmin an excellent ca The news of the engagement would have inhaled the you but In drug— fellow He will serve you day and reached me In Africa three weeks ago that moment terror as absolute as piy Take I took the first boat I could get and might and will protect the gem former mad passion assailed me I him with you to America While he reached New York this afternoon As dreaded death as much as I had preIs wtyh you the diamond Is safe’ you will not interfere I must go to viously longed for It I put the cork I told Pamela in the back and thrust the bottle back Into "It happened that I was In need of see Malnwarlng a servant at the time and I accepted letter I gave her tonight of my inten- my pocket That Is all except that I the guardian with the gift Goplnath tion Malnwarlng shall not marry her know I was traced to this house by without first hearing the whole story one of the hotel me to New York has accompanied I could see porters and Is so mucli attached to me and If in the face of that he persists in tlia they all suspected me” the Snake’s Eye that I do not think holding to his engagement I shall not He had scarcely finished speaking we are likely to part for many a long live to hear the wedding bells ring when the hall door bell rang loudly And now I will bid you adieu for the Tho flay’’ next instant a couple of police "How do you like the Idea of a Brahpresent” officers accompanied by Mr CrossHe shook hands with me and left thwalte entered the room min bodyguard?" I asked turning to One of the Pamela who came up at that moment the bouse He had been gone but men went up to Carroll "Oh you mean Goplnath” she re- a few minutes when approaching the “Is your name Laurence Carroll?” dehe is of "I where with a laugh think table my article he asked the proofs plied Walt till I chow him to lay I perceived that page 8 was misslightful “It Is” ’Then I have a warrant for your ing On this page a careful descripyou” She ran off returning In a few mo- tion of the use to which the deadly arrest on suspicion of having murments with the Brahmin wearing a acid could be put was given A cry dered Captain Malnwarlng at the gorgeous turban and elaborately at- of alarm escaped me as I saw that a Mowbray Hotel last night" Carroll simply bowed and held out tired In the rich colors of his country small bottle of the drug Itself which He gave a low salaam as the young had been standing near the manu- his hand to me He did not glance His glitscript was also missing I knew what at Crossthwalte who on his part took girl Introduced him to me tering eyes turned from her face to occurred In Carroll had seen the word not the least notice of the accused mine then I saw them light upon the "poison" large letters on the label man A moment later Crossthwalte and had evidently and I were alone of the bottle atone Itself with a peculiar expression Just slipped It into bis pocket before I en“That unfortunate young man Is A moment later he had vanished nocent” I said "Carroll has no more then a lady approached and engaged tered the laboratory on In and rushed out but committed murder than I have” conversation I put Malnwarlng my Captain reman not I tall before I a saw had gone many steps Crossthwalte shook his head impaAt the same Instant "Well you can stick to your with a pale face and nervous expres- membered that I did not know tiently I knew address He had spoken how- opinion Halifax” he responded “but sion come hastily forward him at once— he was Pamela’s former ever of visiting Captain Malnwarlng do not expect me to share It Pamela He went The latter was stopping at the Mow- fa terribly upset and has asked me to lover Laurence Carroll straight to her side and greeted her bray Hotel I went there at once bring you to see her Come with me quietly Pamela turned pale but re- but found (hat If Carroll had called now” I complied with his request In a covered he must have gone away again as the her quickly :She touched the captain on the arm lights were extinguished In the Cap little while we reached the mansion The Snake’s Eye i t 3 K7L Lfo it i i‘ "It a gone "It bat i r - M on Fifth avenue and went straight to and was at once atruck with the great the room where Pamela’s wedding change In his appearance When I The table last saw him he was a strikingly hand gifts were still on view with the glass case stood in the censome specimen of his race— thin and ter of the room a purple cushion lay wiry upright aa a dart with finely Inside the case — but the diamond was formed Now hts face supple limbs was emaciated his eyes had the ex gone “Ah” said Crossthwalte noting the presslon of suffering that one somedirection of my eyes “poor Mainwar-lntimes notices In those of a suffering had a queer fad about that atone dog his figure was bowed and at In He brought it here every morning but tervals long shuddering sighs escaped on taking charge of It at his lips insisted By the way under the circum“You are night Goplnath" I said stances I had better not leave it at abruptly I will have it brought the hotel “Sahib I suffer" he replied He here" “I pressed his hand to his right side A door at the farther end of the suffer agony” he said again “Give me your hand” I said I took room opened and the Indian servant in mine The was it forin came He glided pulse Goplnath throbbing ward and threw himself at our feet wildly the man’s skin also burned and I fan very “Sanp Kee Ankh Is stolen!” he gasp- he was evidently cied he might have fallen victim to ed “I have found the empty case” He held up a morocco case In both some form of Oriental fever “When I breathe I suffer torture" "The cobra’s eye Is gone" he hands repeated “I found the case empty as he said gasping sharply as he spoke I motioned him to take a chair hut you see it under my master’s pillow I Lave brought It here My master instead of doing so he seated himself must have been slain by the thief who on the floor with his legs doubled up under him’ stole the gem” “Can you relieve me?” he asked “This Indeed furnishes a motive for the murder" exclaimed Cross- clasping his hands over his right side come while big drops of sweat fell from hU thwalte excitedly “Goplnath with me at once” He left the room forehead A sudden thought flashed through with the Indian and I proceeded to unaccountable my mind Goptnath's Pamela’s boudoir The girl sprang forgrief the complete change In his ap ward and seized my hands eagerly made a wild hope leap with “Dear friend” Bhe said “you will pearance in me No in connection suspicion horrible of I It me am but think with the murder had as yet fallen on thinking so much of poor Laurence the East Indian Suppose after all he Carroll that 1 cannot grieve as I ought knew more about It than anyone else? death over Captain Mainwarlng's I firmly believed that the person who They have just told me that Laurence has been arrested on suspicion of hav- stole the diamond was the one who committed the murder Suppose that ing murdered him A bottle of poison the temptation to appropriate so valOh is it poswas found In his pocket sible that he 13 guilty? I cannot be- uable a gem had proved too much for Goplnath? lieve It" “Stand up” I said to him suddenly "Compose yourself” I said sooth- "You suffer pain here?” I touched his "Matters may not be so bad as side ingly lightly they look” “Much sahib much” he replied I then related in as few words as saw that he could scarcely pull him possible how the dangerous acid had self his sufferings were so together got Into Carrolls possession intense "You believe that he took It because “I am going to find out what Is the matter" I said "Stay where you are for a moment I will be back directly’’ I hurried to my laboratory for I felt that the moment bad arrived when I could make a good test of the RoentWas It possible that they gen rays might be the means of discovering crime and perhaps saving an Innocent The Crookes vacuum tube was life? got Into the right position I saw that the rays worked well and then I re turned to Goplnath and brought him Into the laboratory I desired him to strip and then arranged him in such a position that the rays would pass I turned off the my body through lights in the room My electrical battery worked well the rays playing In the vacuum tube I re admirably and moved the cap from the camera after an exposure of from seven to ten minutes felt certain that I had taken a careful photograph "That will do” I said to the black man I led him back to the library "I have taken a phohograph of you' I said to him "which may show me When I the seat of your malady have developed It 1 will come back to you” I returned to my dark room and quickly developed the plate When I had finished and saw what the mysteI uttered rious had produced The skeleton of a shout of triumph the wiry Brahmin was distinctly vis ible and Just below the region of the valve a foreign substance about the size of the Snake’s Eye was seen I had not the least doubt that I was looking at the gold socket of the cobra’s eye the diamond Itself being not impervious to the probably he meant to commit suicide?” she Men of Goplnath’s nationality had swallowed precious stones before queried "That was his intention undoubted- now This was not the first time in when supreme the ly of Fortunately the annals history that the human moment came he had not sufficient body had been made a hiding place for Btolen property strength to carry out his resolve” "But I fear the worst” she walled I telephoned at once to Crossthwalte the letter he and a clever colleague of mine one "He was desperate wrote to me told me so I ought nev Dr Symes to come to the house Imnever I have Laurence er to up given mediately They made their appearance In a little while and I exhibited really loved Captain Malnwarlng” “Listen” I said "If you had seen to their astonished eyes the photoand spoken with Carroll both last graph I had taken and narrated the night and this morning as I did you history of the case would not give way to such suspicions “Acute peritonitis of course” said That he was desperate and despairing after he had examined the Symes but he is not a murderer I ndmlt In obstruction revealed Pamela Furthermore the diamond Is the picture “I agree with you Halito come’ has fax Just Goplnath that the Indian’s only chance for missing of news with the theft life Is to have that substance whatthe the house That fact alone helps to prove ever It is removed at once” who The person Innocence The three of us proceeded to the stole the stone was undoubtedly the brary where Goplnath lay flat on the one who committed the murder Now floor moaning piteously With Symes’ needed not money that Carroll it was assistance I placed him on a lounge — the diamond had no attraction for and bent over him him In such a moment of his life” "Listen to me Goplnath” I said Pamela listened with flaming cheeks “You are very ill and this gentleman” The fact that the — Indicating Dr Symes — “and 1 have and bright eyes Snake’s Eye was missing gave her decided that your only chance for life great consolation and 1 could see that is to operate on you and remove the passion for Carroll had diamond you have swallowed” her His dark eyes glowing like jewels lost none of Its strength The Inquest were fixed on my face was held at an early hour the followIt did not I was of course obliged even occur to him to deny my accusaing morning The evidence to be present against tion In was still overwhelming “Is there any hope that I may reCarroll spite of the new turn to the affair cover sahib?” he asked “None whatever unless the diamond given by the disappearance of the diaIn fact it was hinted that he Is removed Now tell us by what mond might have abstracted the gem with means you murdered Captain the intention of making it appear that “With a drug known only to my peothe murder had been committed by bandits in search of ple Oh the night that I saw Borne midnight sahib talking to the young plunder and a verdict of wilful murder was returned by the coroner’s Carroll sahib I thought the hour had come and that suspicion Carroll was locked up to await would be Jury and I returned home cast upon him I always meant to reexamination of cover the stone The Sanp Kee Ankh by the march much depressed in was when of one was I of my our the eye events library gods and the door bell rang and a few moments bis curse was on me unless I brought the Indian servant it back 1 had furnished myself with later Goplnath appeared He was the bearer of a let- a key of the sahib’s room and when ter from Pamela which requested me I thought he was asleep I entered softto call and see her the following morn- ly and poured the poison on bis pillow I knew it would kill him quickly I ing While I was perusing the letter saw him breathe his last and when he Goplnath stood with folded arms a few was quite dead I slipped the case from under bis pillow and took the eye glanced at him I feet away from me swallowedtr as the best mean to prevent tt being discovered” He gve a convulsive shudder as he finished speaking and fell hack in a dead faint Dr Symes and 1 lost no time In operating and recovered the diamond still In its gold Betting however failed to survive Goplnath tho shock and died at an early hour the following morning With his Innocence thue established Laurence Carroll was released from custody and Crossthwalte was one of the first persons to call upon him and The old gentlecongratulate him man’s dislike for Carroll had vanished and a few months later I completely had the pleasure of witnessing the ceremony which united Pamela to her faithful lover WEDDINGS IN EARLY DAYS for Festivities Kept Up Sometimes Weeks on Occasions of Backwoods Long Ago Ceremonies For a long time after this country married folk was settled mighty young and at first chance There was no sort of distinction of rank or title or and yet precious little money backwoods worldly gear A family palace cost only a little neighborly help and labor to get It ready for the healthy happy brood In those olden golden days in the south and west a wedding set the whole country circuit for miles around wild with talk excitement and expectation for frolic On wedding day everybody came todaddy's gether at the bridegroom's house so that all could go in one bunch to the brlde’B house before dinner (midday) Upon all this jolly lot could not be seen a thing that had The genever been inside a store tlemen dressed In moccasins leather breeches or leggins coonskin caps and homespun Iinsey or buckskin hunting shirts Every whip stitch and fibre and genuine homespun Ladles as peerless aB fearless dressed In Iinsey petticoats and under all a long Iinsey or linen bed gown moccasins or flax yarn handkerchiefs and stockings buckskin gloves — If any If there were any rings buckles or other Jewelry they were relics from grandparents back beyond the Blue Ridge on the shores of the sea The march Indlan-fllthrough the woods to the bride’s house was often stopped by tying across the road Or suddenly a false Indian ambush was laid rifles dozen covered and a the wedding company with smoke The horses would rear and Jump and cavort and would the girls riding bareback shriek — of course And their sweethearts would get mighty brave and chivalrous and grab them around the waist to keep them from falling even if most of these same girls could horse or break and ride a steer About a afore the wild wedding troop got to the bride’s house came big times Two young buddies who wanted to show off before their admiring sweethearts would single out to race to the bride’s front door for "Sweet Black Betty” which was handed to the first fellow there No sort of fox chase English or Yankee in could point of danger and adventure hold a candle to the run of these mad Yonkers One grand hellish Indian yell and away they would go and the more logs and holes and brush the better Racing returning all bets were settled and the bridegroom and his best man took first swig from' “Black Betty” Then so on to each Then came the pair in succession then the feast of marriage ceremony beef pork fowls venison hear meat roasted and boiled potatoes and cabbage and corn pones After dinner the fiddle was tuned and the dancing started and generally lasted all night until broad daylight The figures were three and reels square sets and jigs If any tried to stall or sneak away late in and the night they were grabbed paraded on the floor while the fiddler was ordered to play “Hang Out Till lastMorning” Wedding carrylng-oned from two days to two weeks and some guests stayed while others came and went Some traveled for days coming and going great distances In the course of festivity if any one wanted to do toasts he would holler “Where Is Black Betty? J want to kiss her sweet lips” “Betty” soon! reached him then holding her up In his right hand he would say "Here’s health to the groom not forgetting myself and here's to the bride thumping luck and big children” This was the soul of the toast for big children sons were of great Imespecially as they were few In number portance and engaged In wars the end of which no one could foresee Every big son was therefore a big soldier And such were the simple and hardy men from which some of the best and meanest folk in the world have sprung Little as the simple Innocent backwoodsmen imagined their marriage ceremonies were only carrying out some of the old ancient princely of ancient Europe marriages particularly of Germany Britain and Spain Dread of Obscurity "Do you think It possible to love your enemies?” “Not exactly” replied Miss “Yet many of us ought to feel rather grateful to our enemies as the only people who take a real Interest In us” Safest Ever Purchaser (to street peddler) — O'l these safety matches? Why the won’t light at all Peddler — Well wot could yer 'ave Shier?— n ' |