Newspapers / The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.) / Aug. 15, 1912, edition 1 / Page 6
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rage Sis. The Snake's Eye 1 -r Strange Experience in the Ife of a Doctor. By A. T. MEAD (Copyright, by W. O. Chapman.) The Crossthwaite were old friends ( "Let me Introduce you to my friend, of mine, and amongst them I had no j Laurence Carroll," the said. "Mr. Car ireater farorlte than pretty Pamela.! roll Captain Ifainwaring." Bhe was an exceptionally beautiful The captain bowed and favored Car girl, and when first grown up had j roll with a brief glance; the nervoua gone through much trouble owing to ; ness left Carroira eyes and they grew an unfortunate lore affair. A certain Laurence Carroll had conceived a des perate passion for her and she for him. Carroll came of a good family, but prior to his acquaintance with Pamela he had gained for himself the reputation of being mixed up with a rather fast set. Although there was nothing against Carroll, save one or two boyish adventures that had some how crept. Into print, Mr. Crossthwalte frowned upon his suit and forbade him the house. Pamela bowed to her fa ther's decree, but broke down and had a severe Illness. In the course of a year, however, she recovered her health, and to outward appearances at least, her usual cheerful spirits. I had been consulted at the time of her illness, and was therefore sincerely glad when the news of Pamela's en gagement to the right man reached me. She had promised to marry Captain Malnwaring, a well-known traveler and veteran soldier who had served through a couple of Indian campaigns in Uncle Sam's army. He had money in plenty and a character without a flaw. He was also twenty years older than his prospective bride, but that fact mattered nothing In the eyes of her parents. At Pamela's earnest re quest I had promised faithfully to at tend her wedding. She was to be married with much ceremony early in February, 189G. The wedding was to take place from the Crossthwaite's town house In Fifth avenue, and the bridegroom arrived home from a long tour in India just one week before the wedding. He was a tall, flne-looklng, soldierly man, and brought from the far east for his bride's acceptance a diamond of extraordinary size and brilliancy. The night after Captain Malnwar- Ins's return from India I dined at the Crossthwaite mansion, and after din ner was permitted to see the famous gem. It reposed on a velvet bed un der a glass case which stood on a cen ter table in the room where the other wedding presents were displayed. The diamond presented a strange and al most startling appearance; it was cut in the shape of a cobra's eye, with some scintillating rays in the center, which not inaptly represented the pu pil. It was set in a thin gold locket, and looked like an eye of evil and weird Import as it glittered on its purple bed. In addition to the value which its queer shape and unique ap pearance gave it, the stone itself was of great intrinsic worth, as It weighed over thirty carats. 'That diamond has a history," said Captain Malnwaring, coming up to my side when he saw me examining the stone. "It is in reality one of the eyes of an Indian idol. It was given to me by a rajah whose life I had been instrumental in saving. When he presented it to me he made a strange request "'It belongs to a tribe with whom I and my people have had a life-long quarrel,' he said. It is, as a glance will show you, the eye of a cobra we call It in Hindustani, Sanp Kee Ankh, which means the Snake's . Eye. The money value of this stone is immense, but I run considerable danger by hav ing it in my possession. The gem shall be yours if you will take my servant, Gopinath, as its guardian. I do not wish to have your blood on my head, and you would assuredly never reach America in safety if Gopinath did not take care of the diamond for you. He is a Braamki, an excellent fellow. He will serve you day and night, and will protect the gem. Take him with you to America. While he is with you the diamond is safe. "It Happened that I was in need of a servant at the time, and I accepted the guardian with the gift Gopinath has accompanied me to New York, and is so much attached to me and the Snake's Bye that I do not think we are likely to part for many a long day." v "How do you like the idea of a Brah min bodyguard V I asked, turning to Pamela, who came up at that moment "Oh. you mean, Gopinath." she re plied, with a laugh. "I think he is de lightful. Walt till I chow him to you." She ran off, returning in a few mo ments with the Brahmin, wearing a gorgeous turban and elaborately at tired in the rich colors of his country. He gave a low salaam as the young girl introduced him to me. His glit tering eyes turned from her face to mine; then I saw them light upon the stone itself with a peculiar expression. A moment later he had vanished. Just then a lady approached and engaged Captain Malnwaring in conversation. At the same instant I saw a tall man, with a pale face and nervous expres sion, come hastily forward. I knew him at once he was Pamela's former lover, Laurence Carroll. He went r.ralght to her side and greeted her bright and steady. He began to talk eagerly to Pamela, the captaia having again turned to the lady with whom be had been conversing. Soon after ward I took my leave, returned home, and went straight to my laboratory. I was engaged In several experiments of an interesting nature, and in par ticular was anxiously developing some photographs which I had recently taken by means of the Roentgen rays. I had just retired into my dark room when I heard a ring at the hall door. My servant then rapped and informed me that Mr. Carroll had called, and was waiting in my laboratory. On entering the apartment In ques tion I found Carroll standing where the full rays of the electric light fell on his face. He looked cadaverous, his cheeks were hollow, his eyes had a disturbed and glassy expression. I noticed that he had taken up some proofs of mine which lay on the table. They had been sent to me for correc tion from the medical paper for which I constantly write. When he heard my step he threw down the sheets and came forward to meet me. "That is an interesting article, Hali fax," he said. "It appears to relate to a strange poison." "It does," I returned; "one of the most dangerous poisons known. As you have read some of it, I will tell you how I came to write the paper. I am much interested Just now in the Roentgen rays, and make many experi ments with the new light A few days ago, while experimenting with ferro cyanlde of potassium, I accidentally found that I had evolved as a by-product that most dangerous drug, anhy drous hydrocyanic acid. The article is written with a view to show the danger which anyone unconscious of this fact might unknowingly run. The poison causes instant death by inhala tion, and the process of making, with out certain precautions, is fatal." "It Is an interesting study," ob served Carroll, as he sank Into a chair. And now, doctor, I have taken advan tage of our old friendship to pay you a rather late visit which the impor tance of my business must excuse. You know all about Pamela and my self. Well, I have determined that she shall not marry Captain Malnwaring. I gave her a letter tonight which will make her think deeply. She loves me, Halifax; she does not love Malnwaring!" You are not acting in a manly way," I said, severely. "I know that Pamela was at one time attached to you, but " "My mind Is made up," interrupted Carroll. "Either the marriage will be prevented, or I shall commit suicide." "You profess to love the girl," I said, sternly, "and yet you would cast such a terrible shadow over her life?" "Io, I would draw the line at that" he answered. "If she marries Main- warlaig she need sever know ef my fate. I have given her people to un derstand that I am goimg abroad. If I cannot effect the object fer which I visited you tonight I will allow her to continue in that belief. I want yon to do me a favor. You are an old and in timate friend of the family. Will yeu go to Mr. crosstnwaite tomorrow morning and make a final plea for me?" Impossible," I -returned. "It would be useless, anyway. If you meant to interfere, why did you wait until the eleventh hour?" Because I have been out of Ameri ca. Tne news of the engagement reached me 'in Africa three weeks ago. I took the first boat I could get and reached New York this afternoon. As you will not interfere, I most go to see Malnwaring. I told Pamela in the letter I gave her tonight of ray Inten tion. Malnwaring shall not marrr her without first hearing the whole story. If in the face of that he persists in holding to his engagement I shaH not live to hear the wedding bells ring. And now I will bid yon adieu, for the present He shook hands with me and left the house. He had been gone but a few minutes when, approaching the table where the proofs of my article lay, I perceived that page 8 was miss ing. On this page a careful descrip tion of the use to which the deadly acid could be put was given. A cry of alarm escaped me as I saw that a small bottle of the drug itself which had been standing near tbe manu script was also missing. I knew what occurred. Carroll had seen the word "poison" In large letters on the label of the bottle, and had evidently slipped it into his pocket before I en tered the laboratory. I put on my hat and rushed out bat had not gone many steps before I re membered that I did not know Car roll's address. He had spoken, how ever, of visiting Captain Malnwaring. The latter was stopping at the Mow- Dray iiotei. i went mere at once. tain's apartments, and be had evident ly retired for the night There was nothing else I could do, and I return ed home in a very despondent frame of mind. Early next morning the man I had sought for in vain staggered into my laboratory, his face of a ghastly pal lor, and his whole appearance show ing that he had received a severe shock. "Captain Malnwaring is dead," he exclaimed hoarsely. "What do you zneanP I demanded. "I state a fact I saw him last night and told him the story of the relations that had existed between Pamela and myself. At first he was fiercely indignant; then he calmed down and said he would take a night to think the matter over. He told me to call upon him again at eight this morning. I arrived at the Mowbray to find the .whole place in consterna tion they had discovered the Captain dead in his bed, and a doctor had been summoned who gave it as his opinion that there had been foul play. You can see what this means to me, Hall fax. I was the last person with Main waring; we parted in anger; the hotel servants will swear to the Interview having taken place. I shall be arrest ed almost Immediately, and to make matters worse, there is this in my pocket." As he spoke, he drew forth the lit tle bottle of anhydrous hydrocyanic acid. "This lay on your table last night I was tempted, and appropriated it be fore you appeared. I was searching for means to take my own life if necessary. Just as you entered I had finished reading a full description of the action of the poison. I slipped page eight also into my pocket Here is the proof now and here is the bot tle." "Well, at least you can give them back to me you need not voluntar ily throw suspicion on yourself." "It is too late. When I heard the fatal news at the hotel I staggered aDd almost fell. Some fiend tempted cn Fifth avenue and went straight to the room where Pamela's wedding gifts were still on view. The table with the glass case stood in the cen ter of the room; a purple co&hloa lay inside the case but the diamond was gene I -Ah." said Crossthwaite, noting- the direction of my eyes; -poor Main war ing had a queer fad about that stone. He brought it here every morning, but Insisted cm taking charge of it at mgpt By the way, under the circum stances, I had better not leave it at the hotel. I will have it brought here." A door at the farther end of the room opeaed. and the Indian servant Gopinath, gilded in. He came for ward and threw himself at our feet -Sanp Kee Ankh is stolen!" be gasp ed. "I have found the empty case." He held up a morocco case in both hands. "The cobra's eye is gone," he repeated. "I found the case empty, as you see It, under my master's pillow. I have brought it here. My master must have been slain by the thief who Etole the gem." "This, indeed, furnishes a motive for the murder," exclaimed Cross thwalte, excitedly. "Gopinath, come with me at once." He left the room with the Indian, and I proceeded to Pamela's boudoir. The girl sprang for ward and seized my hands eagerly. "Dear friend," she said, "you will think It horrible of me, tut I am thinking so much of poor Laurence Carroll that 1 cannot grieve as I ought over Captain Mainwarlngs death. They have just told me that Laurence has been arrested on suspicion of hav ing murdered him. A bottle of poison was found In his pocket. Oh, Is it pos sible that he Is guilty? I cannot be- Iieve it" ; "Compose yourself," I said sooth ingly. "Matters may not be so bad as they look." I then related in as few words as possible how the dangerous acid had got into Carroll's possession. "You believe that he took it because The Dixttnoufi f quietly. Pamela turned pale, but re-1 but found that if Carrojl had called, covered her self-possession quickly. I ne must have gone away again, as the She touched the captain on the arm. lights were extinguished in the Cap- me tc put my hand In my pocket I pulled out the bottle and stared at it as if I was stupinea. A waiter who stood near must nave seen the word 'poison' on tbe .thai," He sunk into a en-air and wined the perspiration frees Sgis forehead. "After. I left Esinvartee he con tinued, "I went ne the Crown Hotel, not far front tbe Mewbray. When I reached my reosa I toek the bottle out of my pocket Mainwaring's words had almost maddened me. I saw that he would not relinquish Pa mela on any terms, and a horrible de sire to take my life possessed me. I broke the seal and removed the cork from the bottle. In another moment I would have inhaled the drug but in that moment terror, as absolute as my former mad passion, assailed me. I dreaded death as much as I had pre Tibu8ly longed for it I put the cork back and thrust the bottle back into my pocket That is all, except that I know I was traced to this house by. one of the hotel perters. I could see that they all suspected me." He had scarcely finished speaking, when the hall door bell rang loudly. The next Instant a couple of police officers, accompanied by Mr. Cross thwaite, entered the room. One of the men went up to Carroll. "Is your name Laurence Carroll V he asked. "It is." "Then I have a warrant for your A. ft m arresi on suspicion oi naving mur dered Captain Malnwaring at the Mowbray Hotel last night" Carroll simply bowed and held out bis hand , to me. He did not glance at Crosstnwaite, who on his part took not the least notice of the accused man. A moment later Crossthwaite and I were alone. "That unfortunate young man is in nocent" I said. "Carroll has no more committed murder than I have." Crossthwaite shook his head impa tiently. "Well, you can stick to your opinion, Halifax," he responded, "but do not expect me to share it Pamela is terribly upset and has asked me to bring you to see her. Come with me now." I complied with his request In a little while we reached the mansion n4 w& at once nrsu w.w ujv i. a i v . change in his appearance. When I prevent It Uicg d'-sooT,-.. last Daw him he was a strikingly hand- J He gave a ccavx.u.t, ,v , ioa specimen of his race thin and he finished spltt t5, 7. wiry, upright as a dart with finely , la a dead taint Dr. formed, supple limbs. Now his face j no time In oprmUsg a- 7J 1 was emaciated, his eyee had the ex-, the diamond, etill ! iu presaloa of suffering that one some- Oopinath. however, fnj times notices in those of a suffering! the shock and dUsi at a . . i m - vmmmJt rA mt in. i thm f rtllnwl n w 7 Vat QQ(, oil biiuv " mm www. - terra! s long, shuddering sighs escaped he meant te commit suicide?" she queried. "That was his intention, undoubted ly. Fortunately, when the supreme moment came be had not sufficient strength to carry out his resolve." "But I fear the worst," she wailed. "He was desperate; the letter he wrote to me toll me so. I ought nev er to have given Laurence as; I never really loved Captain Malnwaring." "Listen," I said. "If you bad seen and spoken with CarroH both last night and this morning, as I did. you would not give way to such suspicions. That he was desperate and despairing I admit; but be is not a murderer. Pamela. Furthermore, the diamond is missing. Oopinath has just come te the house with the news ef the theft That fact alene helps to prove Car roll's innocence. The person who stole the stone .was undoubtedly the one who committed the murder. Now, it was not money that Carroll' needed he diamond had no attraction for him hi such a moment of his life." Pamela listened with flaming checks and bright eyes.' The fact that the Snake's Eye was missing gave her great consolation, and I could see that her old-time passion for Carroll had lost none of its' strength. The inquest was held at an early hoar the follow ing morning. I was, of course, obliged to be present The evidence against Carroll was still overwhelming, in spite of the new turn to the affair given by the disappearance of the dia mond. In fact it was hinted that he might have abstracted the gem with the intention of making it appear that the murder had been committed by tome midnight bandits in search oi plunder, and a verdict of wilful mur der was returned by the coroner's Jury. Carroll was locked up to a wail examination. a"nd I returned home much depressed by the march oi events. I was in my library, when the door bell rang, and a few moments later Gopinath, the Indian servant appeared. He was the bearer of a let ter from Pamela which requested me to call and see her the following mora ing. While I was perusing the letter, Gopinath stood with folded arms a few feet away from me. I glanced at him, his Hps. -You are UL Gopinath," I said abruptly. -Sahib. I suffer," he replied. He pressed his hand to his right side. "I suffer agony," he said again. "Give me your hand," I said. I took it tn mine. The pulse was throbbing wildly, the man's skin also burned; he was evidently very ill. and I fan cied he might have fallen victim to some form of Oriental fever. "When I breathe. I suffer torture," he said, gasping sharply as he spoke. I motioned him to take a chair, but instead of doing so he seated himself on the floor with his legs doubled up under him. "Can you relieve me?' be asked, clasping his hands over his right side, while big drops of sweat fell from hU forehead. A sudden thought flashed through my mind. Gopinath's unaccountable grief, the complete change in his ap pearance, made a wild hope leap with in me. No suspicion in connection with the murder had as yet fallen on the East Indian. Suppose, after all. he knew more about it than anyone else? 1 firmly believed that the person who stole the diamond was the one who committed the murder. Suppose that the temptation to appropriate so val uable a gem had proved too much for Gopinath? "Stand up," I said to him suddenly. "You suffer pain here?" I touched his side lightly. "Much, sahib, much," he replied. I saw that he could scarcely pull him self together, his sufferings were so intense. "I am going to find out what Is the matter," I said. "Stay where you are j for a moment; I will be back directly." j I hurried to my laboratory, for I felt that the moment had arrived when I could make a good test of the Roent gen rays. Was it possible that they might be the means of discovering crime, and perhaps saving an innocent life? The Crookes vacuum tube was got into the right position, I saw that the rays worked well, and then I re turned to Gopinath and brought him into the laboratory. I desired him to strip, and then arranged him In such a position that the rays would pass through my body. I turned off the lights in the room. My electrical bat tery worked well, the rays playing admirably in the vacuum tube. 1 re- j moved the cap from the camera, and after an exposure of from seven tc 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 phonograph of you," I said to him, "which may show me the seat of your malady. When 1 have developed it I will come back tc you." I returned to my dark room, and quickly developed the plate. When 1 had finished, and saw what the myste rious X-rays had produced, I uttered a shout of triumph. The skeleton oi the wiry Brahmin was distinctly vis ible, and just below the reglen of the ileo-caecal valve, a foreign substance about the size of the Snake's Eye was seen. I had not the least doubt thai I was looking at the gold socket of the cobra's eye, the diamond itself being probably not Impervious to tbe X rays. Men of Gopinath's nationality had swallowed precious stones before now. This was not the first time is the annals of history that the human body had been made a hiding place for stolen property. I telephoned at onee to Oossthsvalts and a clever colleague of mine, one Dr. Symes, to come to the house im mediately. They made their appear ance In a little wbie, and I exhibited to their astonished eyas the photo graph I bad taken, and narrattfd the history of the case. "Acute peri to a I Us, of course," said Symes, after he had exasslaed the well-marked obstruction revealed In the picture. "I agree with you. Hail fax, that the Indian's only chanoe fox life is to have that substance, what ever it is, removed at once." The three of us proceeded to the li brary, where Gopinath lay flat on the floor, moaning piteously. With Byrnes' assistance I placed bim on a lounge and bent over him. "Listen to me, Gopinath," I said. "You are very ill. and this gentleman" indicating Dr. Symes "and I hare decided that your only chance for. life is to operate on you and remove the diamond you have swallowed." ' His dark eyes, glowing Vke Jewels, were fixed on my face. It did not even occur to him to deny my accusation. "Is there any hope that I may re cover, sahib?" he asked. "None whatever, unless the diamond is removed. Now, tell na by what means you murdered Captaia Maln waring." a. m wiui a drug known only to my peo-l Vl- wn mht that I saw Main waring sahib talking to the young Carroll sahib I thought the hour had come, and that suspicion would be cast upon him. I always meant to re cover the stone. Tho Sanp Kee Ankh was the eye of one of our gods, and his curse was on me unless I brought rt back. I had furnished myself with ?tnZJ?t en I thought he was asleep I entered soft, ly and poured the poison on his pillow I knew it would kill him quickly i Wm- b?E?e 1111 and wheii" b quite dead I slipped the case from under his pillow and took thTejT j the follow! eg nsomtar With his lttsocace tij , ed Laurence Carroll M rfujj custody, sad CrotWu the first persona to call tt5c. congratulate bin. rt. a 144 man's d!like for CarrcU tJ?5 completely, and a f(V w - .a .w i U( . faithful lover. 1 M U4 WEDDINGS IN EARLY OK Festivities Kept Up Cereinonl Weeks on Occatlont Cf BCfc- Lens Upon a!! tM seen a th!r.c tut uj For a long time after th tt- was settled folk nurr.ei young and at firtt chase Ti. no sort of distinction of cr and yet pilous I'.uU -t worldly gear. A family ari palace cost only a li:t: t5.:rt help and labor to g?l !t ready !-r sure-to-come, healthy, harry tr those olden, golden dajt la u.t l and west a wedding st . country circuit for rnllet ar:jc4 4 with talk, excitement and ei;ti- . for frolic. On weddlcit day everybody ca- : gether at the bridegroom's Ciiitg house so that all could ro z c- bunch to the bride's hiUM !-fo t ner (midday), could not t ever been Inside a Ptnre 7 f,v. tl?men dressed in mocrasir., !v:r breaches or lepKlns, coor.'ktn ca; ij homespun Hnsey or buckk:r; J -t shirts. Kvery whip, etttrh ar.i genuine, simon-pure homM; home-made. 1-adles, us t fearless, dresstd in l!n?e , .-v, and under all a long lir.M-r cr : m bed gown, moccasins, yarn or in stockings, handkerchief, and ri.-.; leted buckskin fclove if any If ii-, wero any rings, buckles or cin jewelry, they were relics from fxr.i parents back beyond the lllu K if, on the shores of the gea. The march. Indian file, through woods to the bride's house cft stopped by mischief-makers '.x.zt grapevines across the road. Or tzi denly a fal&e Indian amhufh. l$ U i and a dozen rifles covered th ding company with smoke. The h orm would rear and Jump and cavort, kzi the girls, riding barebark. v.:i shriek of courfe. girl-like. And sweethearts, would get miphty trttt and chivalrous and grab tbera iro-i the waist to keep them from fail!:! even if most of these same girls ra-X break and ride a two-year-old horse steer. About a half-mile afore tbe wedding troop got to the bride's 1kk came big times. Two youwr budd'. who wanted to show off before thei admiring sweethearts would itg c.i to race to the bride's front eoor !a "Sweet Black Bttty," which ttzi ed to tbe first fellow there. So sal of fox chase. Enash or Yanke S point of danger and adtenture. cot' hold a candle to the run of thf Tonkers. One grand, htllish Istftf yell, and away they would go. and ti more logs snd boles and brash tii better. Racing returning. were settled and the bridegra r-l his best man took first frca -Black Betty. Then to on to pair in succession. Ties case t! marriage ceremony; then tfce feast beef. jerk, fowls. Tenlson. Wr Dt roasted and boiled potatoes sod c bage and corn pones. After dinner Owe fiddle M tcsK and the dancing started and reorn lasted all night until broad itjV-l The figures were three and four h3 ed reels, square sets smd H tried to stall or sneak away la the night they were grabbed ts paraded on the floor wM tbe was ordered tplay "Hang Out r Moaning." Wedding carryicg-ots lar. ed from two days to two weeks. some guests stayed whMe otters cts and went. 8ome traveled for f coming and going great distances la the comrse of festivi. if J f wanted to do toasts he would "Where is Black Betty? I kiss her sweet Hps' "Betty reached him; then holding . . . .... . a 1 Jt mm Ti- his right hand he would asT. health myself, to the groom. ffi. tho soul of the toast for big etfl especially sons, wsce of portaece, as they were fw to ca and engaged In wars the tsd of no one could foresee. Every c- . was therefore a big och were the itapls from which some of the bJl meanest folk In the werw sprung. . Little as the simpls. nOCt woodsmen imagined. thiJ ceremonies were only eMxrrL&t3 some of the old. ancient. I marriages of ancient Europe. lo Dread of Obscurity. -Do you think it posalh w your enemies r ctf "Not exactly." replied MJM . enne. -Yet many of us ougM rather grateful to our enersi s j only people who take a real In us." Safest Ever. . Purchaser (to street Pfr' these safety matches? "CJ wont light at all. - iff Pwfdler !!. wot couId af cr Ti--ts.
The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 15, 1912, edition 1
6
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