diff options
Diffstat (limited to '26995.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 26995.txt | 4347 |
1 files changed, 4347 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/26995.txt b/26995.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cbe4a8e --- /dev/null +++ b/26995.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4347 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Montezuma's Castle and Other Weird Tales, by +Charles B. Cory + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Montezuma's Castle and Other Weird Tales + +Author: Charles B. Cory + +Release Date: October 22, 2008 [EBook #26995] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE *** + + + + +Produced by S. Drawehn and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + Montezuma's + Castle + + And + Other + Weird + Tales + + [Decoration] + + By + + C. B. CORY + + NEW YORK + RALPH S. MIGHILL + 70 FIFTH AVENUE + 1899 + + + + +[Illustration: OFTEN AT NIGHT HE SPOKE WITH FIERY ELOQUENCE. P. 128.] + + + + + MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE + + AND + + OTHER WEIRD TALES + + BY + CHARLES B. CORY + Author of "Dr. Wandermann," "Hunting and Fishing + in Florida," etc. + + NEW YORK + RALPH S. MIGHILL + 70 FIFTH AVENUE + 1899 + + + Copyright, 1899 + BY CHARLES B. CORY + + PRESS OF + Rockwell and Churchill + BOSTON, U.S.A. + + + + + TO + + Charles K. Crane + + AUTHOR AND TRAVELLER + + WHOSE NAME RECALLS MANY PLEASANT MEMORIES + + THIS BOOK + + IS DEDICATED + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE 7 + + THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 23 + + THE TRAGEDY OF THE WHITE TANKS 43 + + TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT 55 + + THE STRANGE POWDER OF THE JOU JOU PRIESTS 75 + + AN AZTEC MUMMY 78 + + A LESSON IN CHEMISTRY 90 + + AN INTERESTING GHOST 102 + + THE MOUND OF ETERNAL SILENCE 116 + + THE STORY OF A BAD INDIAN 127 + + A QUEER COINCIDENCE 135 + + THE STORY OF AN INSANE SAILOR 152 + + THE ELIXIR OF LIFE 173 + + THE VOODOO IDOL 194 + + AN ARIZONA EPISODE 205 + + ONE TOUCH OF NATURE 218 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + PAGE + + OFTEN AT NIGHT HE SPOKE WITH FIERY ELOQUENCE _Frontispiece._ + + THE CASTLE IS BUILT ON A LEDGE ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN 7 + + THE SMOKE CONTINUALLY OOZED FROM ALL PARTS OF HIS BODY 106 + + THE MOUND OF ETERNAL SILENCE 118 + + JUDSON'S MAP 119 + + TIXINOPA 127 + + MALITA 130 + + A SILVER COIN * * * ONE EDGE HAD BEEN FLATTENED AND A + HOLE PIERCED IN IT 152 + + THE GREAT DOG * * * RESTING HIS HEAD ON THE COWBOY'S + KNEE 218 + + + + +[Illustration: THE CASTLE IS BUILT ON A LEDGE ON THE SIDE OF A +MOUNTAIN.] + + + + +MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE. + + +"No," said the curiosity dealer, "that mummy is not for sale. I had too +big a job to get it." + +"Tell me about it," I asked. + +The curiosity dealer carefully closed and locked the case, and then +meditatively rolled a cigarette. + +"Well, it was this way: you see I was out after snakes and other natural +history specimens. I had a special order from a chap in New York for +three hundred snakes--he wanted some big rattlers. I think I sent him +some that pleased him; anyhow he paid for them all right. I had a +customer who wanted a rattlesnake with a very big rattle, and I fixed up +a snake for him on this trip and sent it to him afterwards. It had one +hundred and eighteen rattles! I glued a lot of rattles together, and by +taking off the buttons it was pretty hard to see where they were joined. +This rattle was more than a foot long. + +"There was another Eastern chap wanted an ibex, which he said was found +up in these mountains. It had light-colored horns curved over at the +tips like a chamois and striped legs and eyes that stuck out like an +antelope. He had heard about the ibex and wanted a pair. I told him I +had often killed them, but they were hard to get." + +"What is an ibex?" I asked. + +"I'll be hanged if I know," answered the collector. "But there are +fellows in these mountains who say that there really are such animals, +and if he wanted to have an ibex, and had to have an ibex, I might as +well get him an ibex as anybody else, even if I had to make one. + +"But to get back to my story. I had a big outfit on this trip and I +expected to get a lot of curios one way and another, what with snakes +and animals of various kinds, besides all the things that I might pick +up in the way of baskets and Indian relics, which might prove salable. +My outfit consisted of two wagons, five horses, and I had a Mexican +along to look after the teams and do the cooking. + +"After being out some two weeks we found ourselves near what is called +'Montezuma's Castle,' up by the Verde. There are a lot of caves +scattered about up there, supposed to have been made by the Cave +Dwellers, and many of them had never been touched or examined. + +"I had an offer of good money for a mummy, and had tried making them +from the bodies of Indian children, but I never could get them to look +real. The bones are not crumbly enough, and the rags which the real +mummies are done up in are pretty difficult to imitate. + +"I was mighty anxious to explore the big caves, so off we went to the +place, and I tell you the old ruin they call 'Montezuma's Castle' is a +dandy, and don't you forget it. The castle is built on a ledge high up +on the side of a mountain which hangs over at the top. The only way to +get up is by ladders or ropes, and it is mighty hard to get there even +then. + +"Right near there, on the face of the high cliff, there are a lot of +fine old Cliff dwellings, and some of them are more than one hundred +feet from the base. These cliffs are straight up and down, sometimes +nearly smooth, but often with narrow broken ledges here and there on the +face of the wall. + +"One particular cave which seemed to be a rather large one was about +fifty feet up, and immediately below it were two or three small ledges, +which, after I had looked the place over, seemed to me to be +sufficiently wide to hold a ladder; and I came to the conclusion that if +I wished to explore one of these caves I had better try the one in +question. + +"In my outfit I had two large tents, nine by fourteen, and the poles of +these tents, it seemed to me, would answer very well for ladders if I +connected them by pieces of rope. It was not necessary to make the steps +very near together, and by cutting notches in the poles and tying pieces +of rope across I succeeded in making two very good ladders, one fourteen +feet long, with the two top poles--one from each tent; and two small +ladders, each about seven feet. I made these last from the four upright +tent poles, there being two to each tent, as you know. + +"The foot of the cliff was rough, and the first fifteen feet or so we +could climb easily to a broad ledge, then there came a space between +nine and ten feet in height, which was as smooth and perpendicular as a +wall. Here my first ladder was put up. Two small ledges above this, some +three feet apart, and a wider ledge four feet higher, allowed me to +climb up, without the use of ladders, to another ledge. + +"From here I ran another small ladder up to a ledge which was between +two and three feet wide; from this ledge to the entrance of the cave was +about twelve feet, and my fourteen-foot ladder answered finely, but the +difficulty was, it had to stand so straight that it was rather ticklish +business going up; one could not help feeling that a slip or a little +backward jerk would topple it over into the valley below, and as from +the ledge where it stood to the bottom was some forty feet, a tumble on +to the rocks would prove most unpleasant. + +"However, my Mexican, Antonio, held the ladder, and by very careful +work I succeeded in reaching the mouth of the cave and crawling in. I +had no sooner entered than I felt pretty sure it had never previously +been visited by any one since the original inhabitants left it. The +first thing I did was to take a stout piece of twine from my pocket and +fasten the end of the ladder to a piece of rock. Then I felt easier. + +"There were numerous bits of broken pottery scattered about and one +nearly perfect specimen. Besides these there was a very interesting bit +of stone carving. These things I gathered together and placed in a heap +near the entrance. I then went back and, taking a small hatchet which I +had brought with me, commenced to dig about in the floor and pretty soon +found this little child mummy. + +"By the time I had taken it out I was pretty thirsty and hot, as you may +suppose. I was careful and did not hurry matters, and the cave was like +an oven. + +"Wrapping the little mummy carefully in a big handkerchief which I had +tied round my neck, I untied the twine from the ladder, and lowered the +bundle slowly down to Antonio, my Mexican, who was standing at the foot +of the top ladder. It reached him safely, but while he was untying it I +carelessly dropped the end of the string. I went back, however, and +gathered up the other relics, intending to take some of them down with +me and then come back for the rest if I could not manage them all the +first time. + +"While I was looking them over I heard a crash and the sound of tumbling +stones, and looking out I saw that the ladder had fallen, and commenced +to curse Antonio for his carelessness; but imagine my horror when I saw +him throw down the bottom ladder and then run as fast as he could +towards the camp. My first and only thought was to pay Antonio for his +treachery. It was evidently his intention to leave me safely housed in a +place from which I could never escape alive, and start off the proud +owner of the two wagons, five horses, and various valuables which he +believed my boxes to contain. + +"My revolver was still in my belt, and hastily pulling it I commenced +shooting at the running figure, now some sixty or seventy yards distant. +The first bullet knocked up a cloud of dust about three feet to his +right and a little ahead, the second was still worse, but at the third +he turned sideways, staggered on several paces, and fell among some +loose rocks in a way that must have been unpleasant. He tried to get up +again, but I now had his range pretty well and hit him again with the +sixth shot; after that he lay pretty quiet, although I thought I saw him +move his arm once or twice. I reloaded, having plenty of cartridges in +my belt, and began shooting at him again. This time I hit him three +times out of six shots, and as he had not moved for some minutes I +concluded that he was dead. + +"Then I began to think over how I was going to get down. I was very +thirsty and it was tantalizing to see the water down in the valley +sparkling in the sunlight. It looked very clear and refreshing. + +"I thought and thought, and the more I thought the more hopeless it +seemed to me to plan a way to get down alive. There was one ladder still +standing,--the second one,--but there was a space of some thirty feet +before I could reach it. I had absolutely nothing, not even a string, to +aid me in getting down. + +"There was no use hoping for help from any one, for the place was rarely +visited, and it might be weeks before any person would discover that I +was there. I was getting more thirsty all the time, and, at last, I +hated to go to the mouth of the cave, hot as it was inside, because the +sight of the water nearly drove me mad. I amused myself by occasionally +taking a shot at Antonio. I had his range down pretty fine, now, and +rarely missed him. It was getting late, and the sun had long since sunk +out of sight. Above the mountains there was one tall peak which I could +see up the canyon. It stood out in the sunlight bright and shining, even +after the canyon had become quite dark. + +"As the sun sank lower and lower the darkness crept gradually up until +only the very top was left a shining point. For a few minutes it shone a +fiery red and then the light was gone like a huge torch which flickers +and goes out. + +"Then the night noises commenced: the incessant, maddening croaking of +the frogs and now and then an owl. + +"Did you ever hear the frogs in Arizona?" + +I responded in the affirmative. + +"Well, then, you know something about what they sound like, and know +they can give Eastern frogs cards and spades and beat them easy. But you +don't know what they sound like when you are _really_ thirsty!" + +"Probably not," I answered. + +"Well," continued the curiosity dealer, "I knew nothing could be done +until morning, so I lay down and tried to sleep. I was very nervous and +could not help fearing that in the night I might walk in my sleep or +roll to the mouth of the cave and tumble out. I do not think I really +slept at all, but lay in a half-dazed condition until it was light +enough for me to see things in the canyon below. + +"Strange to say, I was not hungry, although I had eaten nothing since +the previous morning. My whole thoughts were concentrated on the one +desire--something to drink! I thought and pondered, trying to think of +some possible way to get down! At one time I thought seriously of +jumping to the ledge below, but I knew that it would be impossible for +me to stay on it even if my legs were not broken by the fall, and that +to jump meant practically to commit suicide! + +"At last a thought occurred to me that I might possibly make a rope out +of my clothes. I had a large pocket-knife and a hatchet, and no sooner +had the thought suggested itself than I commenced to undress. My canvas +coat, shirt, and trousers and some thin underclothes constituted my +entire wardrobe, and by carefully cutting them into strips wide enough +to bear my weight, and yet narrow enough to give sufficient length, I +succeeded in making a kind of a rope with which I hoped I could succeed +in reaching the second ladder without broken bones! + +"I could not work steadily, as it was impossible for me to avoid getting +up and now and then walking about the cave. I suffered so with the heat +and thirst, that the hope of escape alone kept me from going mad. At +last the rope was done and tied together with various knots. It had a +creepy sort of stretchy feeling when I pulled on it, but I had no +alternative but to trust to it,--it was that or nothing, and nothing +meant death from thirst in a very short time. + +"I succeeded in fixing the hatchet firmly into and across a cleft in the +rock where it was split, and it gave me something to tie the rope to +which I was satisfied would hold my weight. I tied the end of the rope +to the hatchet handle and threw the other end down, and was mighty glad +to see that it reached within four or five feet of the middle ledge. + +"I was stark naked excepting my shoes, and I tell you it was no easy +task letting one's self down over the sharp edges of the rock. Every +moment I expected one of the knots to give way, and I shall never forget +the feeling which came over me as I swung myself clear of the ledge and +hung swaying on that improvised rope which seemed to stretch and grow +thin in a way which sent cold shivers running up and down my spine. It +seemed a year before I reached the ledge. I went down pretty slow, +sparing the rope as much as I could by supporting part of my weight by +digging my toes into every little crack and crevice I could find, but I +got there at last, and when I did, I sat down on the ledge and cried +like a baby. + +"Well, that is the story. Of course I got down the rest of the way all +right, or I wouldn't be here; but I don't know as I would have done it +if Antonio had pulled down the second ladder instead of the bottom one. +He was evidently in too much of a hurry to do the job up right. After +reaching the second ladder, it was no kind of a trick to slide it down +and use it over again. The first thing I did when I got down was to run +as fast as I could to the river and drink as much water as I dared, then +I lay down in the water and enjoyed it. Talk about your Paradise +Cocktails--they are not to be compared with that Verde River water which +I tasted that day!" + +"Antonio?" + +"Oh, yes, he is there yet, I believe, although I have never been back +since to see, and I hope I never will. My first experience among the +Cliff Dwellers was all sufficient." + + + + +THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. + + +I. + +A committee from the Phoenix Athletic Club and one from the Prescott +Club had met, and after considerable discussion had arranged a match to +decide the Amateur Championship of Arizona. + +As the Phoenix and Prescott clubs were far and away the foremost +athletic organizations in the Territory, the contest was looked forward +to with a great interest, especially as an intense rivalry existed +between the two cities. + +"Let the contest be fair and square on both sides," said Smith, the +chairman of the Phoenix committee. "Let each club send its best man, +who is strictly an amateur, of course, and a member of the club, in +good standing, and let the best man win." + +"Them's my sentiments exactly," responded Johnson, the chairman of the +Prescott committee. "Fair play and honors to the best man, say I! I did +think of sending a young fellow I know in our club who took some +sparring lessons in 'Frisco last year, and is quite clever; he's a +gunsmith by profession, but the trouble is he has been teaching the boys +during his spare time when he could get away from the shop, and that +makes him a professional, doesn't it?" + +"It does," said Smith, "and I am glad to find you are as particular as I +am in such matters; let me tell you, it is a pleasure to meet a man like +yourself who tries to be fair and square, and to take no advantage of +anybody. Let's take something." + +During the next few days there were anxious meetings of the committees +in charge of the arrangements. A certain man well up in sporting +matters went to 'Frisco as a committee of one, representing the Prescott +Club, to hunt for talent; at the same time a brother of the chairman of +the Phoenix committee, who kept a bar-room in Chicago, received a +letter which caused considerable discussion between him and his partner, +and several interviews with a certain short-haired, thick-set individual +who frequented his place. + +"What I want," said the letter, "is the best man you can get. Some one +who is a sure winner, and can punch the stuffing out of this amateur +duck from Prescott. Don't make a mistake, and do not spare money. Get a +star, as the boys will bet all they have on him, and we do not want to +take any chances." + +The following week the chairman of the committee of the Phoenix +organization received a letter from his brother in Chicago, which +informed him that for two hundred dollars, and expenses, they had +secured the services of a well-known professional, but one who had never +been West, and who, they were sure, could "lick" anything which could be +produced, professional or amateur, on the Pacific Coast. He had +commenced training, and they could rest easy, and bet as much money as +they wanted to. + +Meanwhile the Prescott Club's representative had made a rich find in San +Francisco, in the shape of an Australian professional who had just +landed and was therefore not likely to be recognized. He had a record of +numerous victories in his own country, and cheerfully undertook, for the +sum of seventy-five dollars, "to knock the bloomin' head off any +bloomin' duffer," anywhere near his own weight, that might be brought +against him. + +Things went along merrily, letters were exchanged between the chairman +of the two committees reporting as to the progress of their +representatives. + +"Our young man," wrote the Prescott leader, "is doing very well, and I +hope great things from him. Naturally we want to win, and have secured +the best man of good amateur standing in our town to represent us. He is +a drug clerk, and his mother objected pretty strongly at first, but she +has been talked over. There will be a party of at least one hundred of +us go down with him, and I hope you will have front seats reserved for +us. Most of the boys feel inclined to wager a little on the success of +our representative, but he himself does not feel very confident of the +result. Upon my return I found quite a strong feeling in favor of having +the young gunsmith represent us, but, after my conversation with you, +could not for a moment countenance any such proceedings on our part." + +Two nights following, the Prescott chairman read the following letter +in answer to the one which he had sent: + + TO R. W. JOHNSON, ESQ., + _Chairman of the Committee + for the Prescott Athletic Club_, + _Prescott, Arizona_: + + DEAR SIR: I am glad to hear that there is considerable + interest taken in the forthcoming match. Boxing is a noble + art, and this coming contest will no doubt help to boom both + our clubs. There is a great interest taken here in the match, + and I warn you our man is getting himself in the very best + condition possible. He is nervous, of course, this being his + first appearance in an affair of this kind. He is a clerk in + a bank, who has lately been engaged by my friend Robinson, + and therefore does not get as much time for exercise as + perhaps would be wise, but Robinson is an enthusiastic sport, + as you know, and has arranged to let him get off several + hours each day. We look forward to a great contest, and I + certainly feel that the winner may fully consider himself the + Amateur Champion of the Territory. We shall take great + satisfaction in reserving the one hundred seats you ask for. + I think you will find all the money ready for you in the way + of bets that you will want. Our population is made up a great + deal, as you know, largely of miners and ranchers, and they + are inclined to bet recklessly. I cannot close without + congratulating the Prescott Athletic Club for the energy and + enterprise they have shown in this matter. May the best man + win! + + Yours, etc., + J. SMITH. + + +II. + +There was a great crowd packed into the ring of the Phoenix Athletic +Association on the evening of the contest. Seats were at a premium, and +the fight had been the principal subject of conversation for days. The +two principals had met and been introduced to one another, just before +going to the scene of the contest. Both were dressed for the occasion, +and I tell you they were sights! The bank clerk had on a collar so high +that he could hardly turn his head, a high silk hat, long black +frock-coat, and an immense white rose in his buttonhole. + +The Prescott drug clerk was still more gorgeous. Besides a buttonhole +bouquet and high collar, he sported an eye-glass, and smoked a cigarette +while in the presence of his opponent. + +"'Ow's yer bloomin' 'ealth?" remarked the drug clerk. "Hi 'opes as 'ow +yer fit." + +"Ah-h-h, go arn," answered the embryo financier, using only one side of +his mouth, "don't try ter jolly me, yer sage-brush dude, or I'll give +yer a poke right here." + +Several members of the committee hastened to interfere, and put a stop +to all further danger of trouble by hurrying the principals off to their +dressing-rooms to prepare for the contest. + +In the ante-room Smith hugged Robinson, and nearly wept with joy when +they were alone. + +"Did you take a good look at the stiff?" he gasped. "Why, our man will +punch daylight out of him in two minutes after the gong sounds! Why, I +say this is wrong--it is too easy; I really feel sorry for these +Prescott chaps!" + +Robinson chuckled and muttered something about "fools and their money +being soon parted," and then the two worthies repaired to the ringside. + +Smith was to be Master of the Ceremonies, and climbing upon the raised +platform he crawled through the ropes, and after looking about him for a +moment, raised his hands to enjoin silence. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I must beg you all to stop smoking. The contest +which is to be held here to-night is to decide the Amateur Championship +of the Territory of Arizona. Nothing is more calculated to incite among +our younger men the love for athletic sports than such competitions, +when conducted in a fair and sportsmanlike manner. I must beg of you +not to allow yourselves to be biased towards indulging in any unseemly +noise in case your favorite should be worsted. What we want is a fair +field and no favoritism, and while we hope our boy will win, none of +you, I am sure, would wish in any way to feel that either man was given +any undue advantage. The men will fight with 3-oz. gloves, Marquis of +Queensbury rules, three minutes to each round, with a minute's rest +between. A man down to get up inside of ten seconds or be counted out. +No hitting in the clinches. Many of you are acquainted with the +gentlemen who are our representatives this evening, but for the benefit +of those who are not I will introduce them." + +Waving his hand towards the Prescott pugilist, he said: + +"This is Alexander Harrington, amateur champion of the Prescott Athletic +Club, who is, I may say, by profession a popular druggist in the town +from which he comes. [Considerable applause.] + +"And this," he continued, pointing to the man who represented the +Phoenix Club, "is J. Francis Livingstone, a young man who has shown +himself to be a good exponent of the noble art, and who is deemed to be +the amateur champion of the Phoenix Athletic Association. As he has +only lately arrived, and is not very well known to many of you, I may +add that he is a personal friend of our Vice-president, Mr. Robinson, +and is employed at his bank. [Wild enthusiasm.] As there can be no +question as to the amateur standing of the gentlemen, I will again beg +of you to treat both men with equal favor, and will ask the Referee to +call time!" + +The seconds at this climbed down from the ringside, shoving their stools +out under the ropes, and the two athletes, throwing aside their bath +robes, stood up in their corners, each stripped to the buff, with the +exception of tight trunks and canvas shoes. A roar of admiration and +astonishment went up as the bank clerk first exposed himself, and +Robinson grinned at Smith across the ring as the splendid exhibition of +muscle was exhibited. It was evident that the bank clerk had not devoted +all his time to banking; he was apparently as fit as a race-horse, and +the muscles of his back and arms twisted and rolled about like snakes, +at every movement. + +But Robinson's expression altered somewhat as he glanced at the drug +clerk. That individual was somewhat shorter than his opponent, but if +the banking representative was well developed, he of the pharmaceutical +persuasion was magnificent. + +Both men had been fanned and washed, their gloves carefully tied on, and +they now stood rubbing their shoes on some powdered rosin which was +scattered about the corners, eyeing each other intently. What they +thought will probably never be given to the public, but there is no +doubt that each must have experienced a feeling of surprise at the +physical condition of his opponent. This did not affect them in the +least, however, as they were both as anxious to begin as bull-dogs, and +when time was called and the gong rang, they danced to the middle and +commenced sparring for an opening, grinning with confidence. + +For the first minute or two nothing was done. Forward and back they +moved, their arms moving in and out, each with his eyes fixed on the +face of his opponent, watching closely for an opening. Then the bank +clerk jumped in and led one, two, without effect, for his first blow was +neatly guarded and the second brought a vicious cross-counter in return, +which grazed his nose as he got back out of the way. In came the drug +clerk with a rush, and they closed just as the gong sounded which ended +the round. + +Up through the ropes came the seconds with the activity of a lot of +monkeys, and the two men were hurriedly seated upon stools and each was +fanned furiously with a towel by one second, while the other bathed his +neck and face with cold water. A hum of conversation arose. + +"Who is the blooming duck?" whispered the druggist to his principal +second. "'E ain't no bleeding dude, I can tell yer." + +But before the man had time to reply, the gong sounded the call of +"time," and the men sprang forward to the middle of the ring. + +There was no sparring this time--they went at it biff, bang, right and +left, sending in their blows with all the power of their muscular +bodies. The Referee, almost dancing with excitement, shouted to them to +"break away," and tried to part them when they clinched, but they were +no sooner separated than they closed again, fighting with the energy and +tenacity of bull-dogs. + +Just before time was up, the drug clerk swung his right and caught the +gentleman of finance fair and square on the nose, with the result that +Prescott was awarded first blood and first knock-down, amid great +excitement. + +During the one minute's rest the seconds did wonders. The men were +sponged and rubbed, while fanned constantly with a large towel, water +was squirted on their heads and the back of their necks, and at the +sound of the gong each arose from his stool looking as fresh as at the +start. + +_Round 3_ opened as though it would be a repetition of the hurricane +style of fighting of the previous round, but after a clinch or two and +giving and receiving a few good blows, the men kept apart and fought +more warily. Each had evidently become satisfied that the other was not +quite the easy victim he had expected; and as this conviction gradually +dawned upon them they dropped the rough and tumble style and fought +with more skill and caution, each watching and waiting for an opening, +hoping for a chance for a "knock-out," but none came, and the round +closed with honors even. + +During the intermission Watkins, the sheriff, who was acting as Referee, +talked earnestly with a friend, and from time to time looked hard at the +drug clerk. He turned towards the time-keeper and seemed about to say +something, when the bell rang and the men were again in the middle of +the ring. + +_Round 4_ had commenced. + +They were both fresh and eager, but business was written all over their +hard faces,--they were not smiling now. Round and round they moved, +constantly facing each other, their arms moving back and forth like a +machine. Now and then one or the other would make a quick feint or +move, and the other would spring back with the agility of a +dancing-master. + +Suddenly the financier thought he saw an opening, and let go his left, +but was short, and received a counter in return which sounded all over +the place; then they went at it hammer and tongs and kept the Referee +very busy separating them, and making them fight fair. Questionable +prize-ring methods were resorted to by both men, and the knowledge shown +by these amateurs of the little unfair tricks of the professional +prize-fighter was astonishing. The bank clerk took especial pains to +stick his thumb in his opponent's eye whenever they clinched, and the +compounder of drugs used his head and elbow in a way which is frowned +upon by advocates of fair play. + +The men were fighting hard and fast when the round ended. Every man in +the crowd was on his feet yelling like a hyena, as they went to their +corners. Referee Watkins walked to the side of the ring, and raising +his hand to enjoin silence, stood waiting for the uproar to subside. At +last, when he could be heard, he addressed the crowd as follows: + +"Gentlemen, I am sorry to stop this fight, but I must do it. These men +are supposed to be fightin' for the Amatoor Champeenship of the +Territory. Whether this is a put-up job or not, I do not know, but I do +know that the Prescott man is a professional pug, lately arrived from +Australia. I suspected him from the first. From the way he acted I was +pretty blamed sure he was no drug clerk and my friend here, Jim Sweeney, +swears he knows him, and that he was called the 'Ballarat Boy' when he +saw him fight in Australia, some seven months ago. I can't let this +thing go on, and have honest men lose their money. I am not dead sure in +my mind that the other man isn't a ringer; he is a damned sight too good +for an amatoor; but that cuts no ice. This fight stops right now. It's +a draw, and all bets are off." + +There was a tremendous row, but the pugilists were hurried off to their +respective dressing-rooms, and the crowd slowly left the building. On +the steps outside, Johnson, the chairman of the Prescott Athletic Club, +met Smith, and, going up to him, he offered him his hand. + +"Smith," said he, "I want to tell you how pained I am that the affair +ended as it did. You, of course, do not for a moment suspect that any of +us knew our man was a professional. How he could deceive us I cannot +understand. Why, I was never more fooled in my life!" + +Smith shook hands heartily. "Don't say a word, Johnson; the best of us +are often deceived, and the more pure our motives are the easier it is +to fool us." + +"That's so." + +They walked on in silence for a short distance. + +"Smith." + +"Hallo." + +"Pity they stopped it; it was a lovely scrap while it lasted." + +"That's what it was," said Smith. + + + + +THE TRAGEDY OF THE WHITE TANKS. + + +"I do not believe," said the curiosity dealer, "that the bite of the +gila monster is fatal. It is poisonous, no doubt, and there have been +one or two cases of death where persons have been bitten by it, but it +is always well to remember that the teeth themselves may be in a +condition to produce blood-poisoning, which might cause death without +the assistance of any particular toxic venom. The rattlesnake, however, +which is rather too common in the desert, is a different sort of a chap. +If he strikes you, you may just as well make your will, and chirp your +death song, as to monkey with physicians, and squander some of the good +wealth which may be useful to your family." + +I asked him if he did not believe in the efficacy of some of the +so-called Indian snake cures. + +"There are lots of Indian remedies," he continued, "and snake charmers' +cures for rattlesnake bites, which are, in my opinion, all poppy-cock. +It is claimed that the Moquai Indians, during their Snake Dance, allow +rattlesnakes to bite them, and after applying the juice of a certain +herb suffer no ill effects from the poison. This may be all right, but +the antidote is considerable of a secret, and you cannot buy it at your +druggist's. + +"There was a chap over in France who claimed to have produced an +anti-venomous serum which was a sure cure for the poison of a +rattlesnake, or any other old snake which you might want to have bite +you. I squandered five dollars of my hard-earned wealth in sending for +a bottle. This chap lives at Lille, France, and manufactures his serum +at the Pasteur Institute at that place. He gives careful directions as +to how much to use, and just how to use it, and it may be all right with +some snakes which have the reputation of being bad, but it don't go with +our rattlers. I tried it in all sorts of ways. I tried to get a Mexican +to experiment on, but couldn't. None of them had much faith in the +cure--not enough to let a healthy snake bite 'em for five dollars. + +"Then I tried dogs. I got three curs, all in robust health. The first +one died in fifteen minutes after being struck by a big rattlesnake +which I had in a box, although I injected him with a carefully measured +dose of the serum. Another one lived several hours, and made a hard +struggle. I thought at one time he might pull through, but it was no +use. He joined his friend in dog heaven after giving his final kick four +hours and fifteen minutes after he and the snake had been introduced to +each other. + +"The third one was a half-breed bull bitch with lots of vitality. I +tried to make this one immune by injecting a dose of the serum +twenty-four hours before, and again immediately after she was struck by +the snake, but she did not do as well as the other one, and died in +three hours and sixteen minutes. All these dogs seemed to die from +inability to breathe. The poison apparently acts on the respiratory +centres rather than directly on the heart. They all vomited just before +they died." + +"Have you never found out what the Indians use as an antidote?" I asked. + +"No, I have tried, but they keep it a carefully guarded secret. One +reason why I believe that the secret is so carefully preserved is +because they have no antidote, and the whole thing is a bluff. + +"You see," continued the collector, "in my wanderings about the country +I have run across a great many queer people, and as you seem interested +in this subject, I will tell you an incident which happened while I was +out at camp one time at the White Tanks, catching gila monsters, horned +toads, etc. + +"I remember the year well, because I had a lot of trouble with a very +useless assistant of mine, whom I sent to Central America to collect for +me. Among the birds he brought back were a lot of skins of the blue +chatterer--the one with the purple throat, you know. He knew I was +anxious to get new species, so he thought he would be smart and make +some for me. So he manufactured five, all with faked labels on, showing +that each species was taken at different altitudes. Unfortunately he +commenced too high, and the mountains in the vicinity where he +collected, and where the labels indicated that the birds were taken, +lacked several hundred feet of the necessary altitude for two of the +species, so that if his labels were correct he must have shot them out +of a balloon. + +"They all looked alike except about the throat and head. One lot had a +gold band across the breast, another had the whole throat gold, others +had gold stripes or spots. I believe he produced these gaudy effects +with the lighted end of his cigar. + +"He doctored up a lot of humming-birds, too, and made me a peck of +trouble. I fired him, all right. Dishonesty in a trade like mine is, I +think, most reprehensible, and there is no money in it, because you are +dead sure to get found out. + +"He was a cute little chap, however, and had learned a lot of tricks +from the Indians. He could change a bird's color by feeding it on +certain kinds of food. There is a chap in Amsterdam who does about the +same thing and brightens up old worn birds which have faded out in the +Zoological Gardens, and sends them back with all the brilliancy of their +original plumage restored; but he cannot turn a red parrot blue, or make +a gray bird with a yellow head turn to bright orange all over, as this +chap could. He told me how he did it, but the secret is too good to give +away. But to get back to the story about rattlesnakes: + +"It was, as I said, in the spring of '89, a party of us were camped at +the White Tanks about forty-five miles north-west of here, and one day a +chap came into our camp, a half-breed Mexican Indian, who called himself +a snake-charmer. He had a box of rattlesnakes which he would allow to +twine round his neck and bite him, for a dollar. He travelled about the +country giving exhibitions with his snakes, and selling the rattlesnake +cure, which was put up in small bottles containing a brown-colored +liquid, which he claimed he made from a plant which was a sure cure for +the bite of the rattlesnake, and a number of the boys bought this +remedy, paying him a dollar a bottle. + +"He had seen our camp, as he drove along the road to Phoenix, and he +told us he had been up country for two or three weeks visiting some +mines, where he had done very well, selling his cure to the miners and +exhibiting his snakes. + +"There were several of us in the party, and one chap, a doctor by the +name of Baker, who was always playing practical jokes. As we were coming +back to Phoenix, the next day, Miguel, which was the snake-charmer's +real name, I believe, although he was generally known as Mexican John, +decided to stay over a day and go back with us. + +"Baker proposed that we should see how much faith Miguel had in his own +antidote. As it happened, I had captured a very big rattlesnake the day +previous, and had him in a box in my tent. By the aid of some forked +sticks and bagging we succeeded in fastening the snake so that he could +not move. We then pried his mouth open, and kept it open with a small +stick. We took all this trouble for the purpose of preparing him to +assist in an experiment in which he and Mexican John were to be the +principal performers. Baker carefully cut out the poison-sacs, which are +situated just beneath the temporal muscle, back of the eye. It was +suggested that it would be better to remove the fangs, to avoid any +possibility of danger; but Baker objected, as he said removing the fangs +would give the whole thing away. + +"He took the precaution, however, while the snake lay helpless with its +mouth open, to carefully wash the teeth, and then filled the small +openings near the end of the fangs with some dental cement which Baker +had in his outfit, which hardens in a few minutes. You see, the fangs +of a rattlesnake are like two hypodermic syringes. They are hollow +tubes, as it were, with an opening near the point,--a little narrow +slit, but one that is easily seen, if you look for it. Through this he +squirts the poison by the aid of the temporal muscle, which he contracts +as he strikes. + +"As we had removed the poison-sacs and plugged up the fangs, this snake +was not in a very good condition to do any serious harm. He, however, +was fighting mad, and evidently did not enjoy the operation which he had +undergone. It did not seem to hurt him any, however, for he was as +lively as a kitten when we let him loose in the box, and was ready and +anxious to strike at anything. + +"Towards evening Miguel came back to camp, and we had the snake all +ready for him. It was a much larger one than those which he had in his +box, and when we slipped it in among the others we could easily +recognize it from its size. The boys asked John to give an exhibition of +the curative powers of his snake cure, saying that they would like to +buy some more, but wished to see it tried before doing so. + +"John was quite ready, and after opening a bottle of the antidote he +lifted the cover of his snake box, and reached in his hand to take one +of them out. As he did so, he was immediately struck good and hard by +our latest addition to the collection. + +"My, how he carried on! He looked hastily into the box, and then at the +marks on his hand, where the fangs had cut in. He gave one screech, +grabbed a knife, cut the place wide open, and commenced to suck it +fiercely, at the same time praying and cursing almost in the same +breath. + +"The boys begged him to apply his antidote, asking him what was the +matter and why he appeared to be so frightened, but all the answer they +could get was, 'Don't touch me. I am going to die! I'm going to die!' + +"And say, what do you think? He _did_ die! He got weaker and weaker. His +teeth were clenched, and he refused to take whiskey, although the boys +forced some down his throat. In a little while he became insensible, and +in less than an hour he was dead. + +"'Scared to death,' you say? Well, maybe so; anyway, the boys said the +laugh was on Baker!" + + + + +TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. + + +When Dr. Watson entered I saw by his manner that he had something of +more than usual interest to communicate. Watson has a trick of winding +and unwinding his watch chain around his finger whenever he has some +case in which he is particularly interested. As a rule, his work in the +asylum keeps him busy the greater part of the day, and the little time +he has to spare is given to cases in which he is called in consultation +or by special appointment. + +Therefore, knowing how busy he was, I felt certain that something out of +the ordinary had called him from his regular duties at this time of day, +and I was interested to learn what it was. + +Watson is nothing if not direct, and rarely wastes words. On this +occasion he certainly lived up to his reputation, for he began talking +before he was fairly in the room. + +"My dear Morris," he said, "I have called to talk with you of a most +interesting case, which has lately come under my observation. It is one +in which I need your help, and I hope you will be able to spare the time +to assist me." + +I nodded and waved him to a chair. + +"The case in question is a most interesting one, in which hypnotic +suggestion may or may not be an important factor. + +"You know young Blake, the son of the late Mathew Blake, and you are +aware that he has been rather extravagant in his habits and ways of +living, and although not exactly a spendthrift, undoubtedly spends more +money than he ought to in many ways. The great trouble with him is his +passion for race-horses, and that is what, one of these days, is going +to break him financially, unless I am very much mistaken. + +"Just now young Blake has two horses entered in the big race which comes +off day after to-morrow at Eaton Park. One of his horses, called +Emperor, is well known, and he should easily win the race. He is by far +the best horse of the lot, and has been selling in the pools for two to +one against the field. The other horse is not nearly as good as Emperor, +and has little chance of being placed. Murphy, the jockey who is to ride +Emperor, is one of the best on the turf, although comparatively a young +boy, probably about nineteen years old. He has ridden a number of races, +and from all reports is a lad of good habits, and seemingly thoroughly +honest. + +"Young Blake, as you know, 'plunges' more or less on his horses when +they run, whenever he thinks they have a fair show to win, and in this +case he has bet a great deal more money than he can afford to lose, +knowing that unless the horse meets with some unforeseen accident he is +certain to win the race. As I understand it, he has bet so much money +that if by any chance Emperor should lose the race it would seriously +hurt young Blake. Of course, this is all foolishness from our +standpoint, but the fact remains that the young man has bet this money, +and that any accident which would interfere with his pulling off that +race would cause him serious loss. + +"Knowing his father as I did, I have taken more or less interest in the +boy, and have time and again advised him to let racing alone, and settle +down to more serious life. I should not have taken the special interest +in this particular race had it not been that by a curious coincidence +information has come to me which leads me to suspect that everything is +not as it should be at young Blake's stables. + +"Last year one of the stable boys, a lad by the name of Collins, was +badly injured by an accident, and young Blake saw that he was nicely +taken care of, and paid him a salary during his illness. The youngster +was grateful, and the other day, it seems, he came to Mr. Blake and told +him that Murphy, the jockey who is to ride Emperor, had been sleeping +badly for several nights, and talked a good deal in his sleep about the +horses. + +"Murphy and Collins sleep together in the room over the stable, and the +night before last Collins was awakened by hearing Murphy call out to +some one, and then say distinctly, 'Yes, yes, I understand; if you wave +your handkerchief I am to 'pull' Emperor. If you do not wave it I am to +win, if I can.' + +"This is serious business. The boy was dreaming, of course; but why did +he dream such a dream? The idea of 'pulling' being in the boy's mind is +in itself enough to cause serious reflection. Yesterday young Blake +called on me and told me this story as it had been told to him by +Collins. Collins was present at the time, and again repeated his +statement, declaring positively that he could not have been mistaken in +the words spoken by Murphy in his sleep, and that the boy seemed very +much excited. + +"Blake, by my advice, sent for Murphy and we had a serious conversation +with him. The boy seemed thoroughly honest, and was very much hurt upon +being questioned in regard to the matter. He said that he had worked for +Blake several years and had always tried to do right, that he intended +to ride his best, and win the race if he could. + +"Blake naturally feels somewhat disturbed under the circumstances, but +he believes the boy is honest, and he believes young Collins must in +some way have been mistaken in what he imagines he heard. Or, if he was +not mistaken, that Murphy was dreaming, and the words had no +significance. + +"He told Murphy to go back to the stables, and that he would trust him +implicitly, stating at the same time that it would cause him serious +inconvenience if by any chance Murphy should not win, as he had bet a +large amount of money on the result. + +"Murphy, with tears in his eyes, thanked him for trusting him, and went +back to the stables. Afterwards I had a serious conversation with +Collins, and learned that on two occasions he had seen Murphy talking +with a strange man who often visited the track. + +"Upon inquiry we have learned that the man in question is a brother of a +man who married Murphy's sister, and that Murphy has met him several +times at his sister's house. The man's name is Simms. He is a low +character, who is known as a habitual frequenter of the race track, and +who at times does business as a poolseller and bookmaker. Simms is +described as being thin and dark, with a big scar on his right cheek, +usually wears a soft hat, and carries a cane with considerable silver +about the handle. + +"Last night I decided to have an interview with Murphy and find out +whether the lad could be hypnotized or not. Why this idea suggested +itself to me I do not know, except that, as you know, hypnotism is one +of my hobbies. With Blake's consent I sent for Murphy, and asked him to +let me look him over, as I would like to assure Blake as to his physical +condition, as naturally he was feeling, as I told him, somewhat nervous +after our interview of the morning. + +"The boy consented readily enough, and after listening to his heart, +and asking him a few questions which might suggest a cause for his +restlessness at night, I asked him to look at me fixedly while I gently +stroked his forehead above the eyes with my hand. Imagine my surprise +when I found him to be an extremely sensitive hypnotic subject. He did +not become entirely unconscious, but was in a peculiar somnambulistic +condition, in which he conversed readily enough. He is one of the best +subjects for post-hypnotic suggestion that I have ever seen. + +"I tried several experiments with him, and the thought occurred to me if +it was not possible that this susceptibility to hypnotic suggestion +might be used by unscrupulous persons in many ways, which might be +especially dangerous in case he was riding a good horse in a race. + +"Upon questioning Murphy, after I had awakened him, regarding his +susceptibility to hypnotic influence, he told me that _Simms had often +put him to sleep for fun, when they met at his sister's house_. The +question which now presents itself is, Suppose he has been hypnotized +and has been given a post-hypnotic suggestion, that he is to 'pull' +Emperor if a certain man waves his handkerchief, how are we to prevent +his carrying out these instructions? Of course, we can take the boy off +the horse and put on another jockey, but Blake does not wish to do this. + +"In his waking moments Murphy does not remember anything that has been +told him while hypnotized, and I doubt if we could make Blake believe +that there was any real danger in that quarter. Again, if we allow him +to go in and ride the race, it is more than possible that he could be +made to win or lose the race by any one who had given him orders while +in a hypnotic condition, and we also know that he would forget entirely +that he had received such orders after waking. + +"Now, the difficulty presents itself as to how we can prevent him +following out such instructions, in case he has received them. We know +we cannot affect such suggestions by re-hypnotizing him, because we do +not know the exact circumstances under which such directions were given. +To merely hypnotize and tell him he is not to carry out such orders +would have no effect whatever. Perhaps if we could tell him that under +certain described circumstances he was not to carry out such orders we +might succeed. + +"But my experience has been that the directions, as given, are carried +out by the subject if, at the time, the circumstance described, which is +to be recognized as a signal for such and such action on the part of the +hypnotized sensitive, occurs _and is noticed_. + +"For instance, if I should hypnotize a young man, and say that at eight +o'clock, when he hears the clock strike, he should at once go downstairs +and get a glass of water, he would undoubtedly do it when the clock +struck eight. But if the clock did not strike eight, supposing some one +had removed the striker, and when near the hour some one occupied his +attention so that he did not notice the time, in all probability he +would not obey orders. It requires some special occurrence which has +been described in connection with the act to suggest it again to his +mind. + +"In my opinion, the best we can do is to let Murphy ride the race, and +to take all precautions possible to prevent any man waving his +handkerchief to Murphy during the race. Of course, to have any real +effect on the race, the person waving his handkerchief as a signal for +Murphy to 'pull' Emperor must do so far enough from the home stretch to +make it certain that Emperor can be prevented from winning without +attracting especial attention, which could not be done in case Emperor +was in the lead if the signal was given close to the Grand Stand. We, +therefore, must look out for our man, if such a man there be, some +distance down the race-track. + +"Now, if you will go to the track with me to-morrow we will station +ourselves in places where we think it likely that such a person would +stand, and keep a sharp watch for a thin, dark man with a scar on his +cheek. Will you join me?" + +I assured him I would be more than willing to do so, as I was very much +interested in the case. + +"Good! Now, this is my plan. I shall take Mike Falan with me, and he is +worth half a dozen men in the case of a row. I have also engaged three +private detectives to be on the watch at the entrance to the Grand +Stand, and another at the entrance to the grounds, while a fifth is to +station himself at the side of the track, and do sentinel duty about the +half-mile post, with orders to report to me the moment Simms puts in an +appearance, and to have him shadowed. Of course, this elaborate plot may +exist only in my imagination, but if, as I believe, there is a carefully +arranged scheme to beat Blake's horse, we shall have done him a good +turn, and perhaps saved him a lot of money. I must go now, but don't +fail to meet me to-morrow at eleven, at the track. You will find me in +front of the Grand Stand." + +The next morning when I arrived at the track I found Dr. Watson in +conversation with a powerful-looking man whom he introduced to me as +Mike Falan. We walked slowly up the track to a point about a quarter of +a mile from the finish. There was a great crowd of people present, the +numbers had gone up for the first race, and most of the horses were +already out and "warming up." Emperor appeared to be in splendid +condition. As he galloped easily up and down in front of the Grand Stand +his great muscles rolled and swelled under the shiny skin, and he looked +and acted like a horse fit to race for his life. He was a prime favorite +at the pools and was selling at two to one against the field. + +"I have seen Blake," said Watson, "and he is feeling confident that +Emperor will win. He is somewhat nervous, of course, but he tells me the +horse is in first-class shape, and that Murphy is all right. No signs of +Simms yet and the race will be started in less than ten minutes. It +begins to look as though I have been frightened at a shadow." + +At this moment a man touched Watson on the arm and whispered something +to him and then moved quickly away through the crowd. Watson started, +and turning to me said, + +"Come this way. Simms is here, he is down the track, below the gate." + +He hurried away, Mike and I following, and upon getting clear of the +crowd we saw a man leaning against the picket fence which separated the +track from the carriage drive, watching the horses through a small +field-glass. As we came up, Simms, for it was he, glanced suspiciously +at us, but as we paid no attention to him and talked earnestly together, +apparently arguing as to the relative merits of the horses, he soon +ceased to notice us and turned again to the horses. + +Hardly had he done so when he hurriedly put the glass in his pocket, and +a great shout from the Grand Stand and cries of "They're off!" told us +that the great race had commenced. + +We could see the horses far off on the opposite side of the track all +running in a bunch, until they neared the half-mile flag, when two were +seen to be well in advance of the others. As they swung round the curve +we could see the red cap worn by Murphy flashing in the sun, and we knew +that Emperor was leading. But another horse, a deep bay, the jockey +dressed completely in blue, was very close to him. + +On they came, and Watson and Mike edged closer and closer to Simms, +whose whole attention was fixed on the race. His face was flushed, and +he was actually dancing with excitement. We watched him as a cat watches +a mouse, and it was very lucky for Blake that we did so. The horses were +now quite near us, and we could see Murphy plainly, and noted how white +and drawn his face looked. Suddenly Simms pulled a large white +handkerchief from his pocket, but as he did so the doctor snatched it +from his hand and at the same instant Mike seized him in his powerful +arms, and dragged him from the fence. + +Mad with surprise and rage, he struggled and kicked like a wild animal. +"Damn you," he yelled, "let me go; let go, I say! What in hell do you +mean?" + +"Let him go, Mike," said the doctor. Mike pushed Simms from him, and he +staggered back against the fence. The man was crazy with rage, and I +believe for the moment he was really insane. He half crouched as if to +spring at us, snarling and showing his teeth like a savage dog, then his +hand went to his hip pocket. + +"I wouldn't try that if I were you, Simms," said Watson quietly. "You +will get the worst of it if you do." + +Watson's right hand was in the pocket of his sack-coat, and his eyes +said, "I'll shoot," as plainly as if he had told Simms so in so many +words. + +"See here, you," cried Mike, "if you pull a gun I'll smash your jaw!" + +Simms looked from one to the other of us, with the expression of a +madman. His face was ghastly white, and the scar on his cheek stood out +livid, in contrast with the white skin. I thought for a moment he was +about to draw his revolver, but suddenly he turned and ran toward the +crowd, and in a moment was lost to our view. + +The shouting and cheering still kept up, and, as we hurried toward the +Grand Stand, Watson asked a man which horse had won. + +"Emperor, by a length,--a great race!" + +We found Blake in front of the stand. He came to us and shook hands. His +face was beaming with the joy of success. + +"Do you know," he said, "I do believe that something is the matter with +Murphy. He was as pale as a ghost after the race. He said he could +remember nothing about it until he found himself in the home stretch +running neck and neck with Nettie B. Then he seemed to wake from a +dream, and sat down and rode Emperor for all he was worth. You know the +rest. He won out all right, but I tell you it was a confounded sight too +close for comfort." + + + + +THE STRANGE POWDER OF THE JOU JOU PRIESTS. + + +Dr. Watson carefully opened the little antique silver box, which was +about the size and shape of an ordinary watch, and showed that it +contained a gray powder and a little gold measure resembling a miniature +thimble. It was evidently very old, the cover being worn smooth in many +places, nearly effacing the peculiar hieroglyphics with which it had +once been engraved. + +"I consider this," he said, "my _chef-d'oeuvre_, my 'star exhibit,' as +it were. The powder possesses such wonderful properties, and is so +unlike any known drug, that I hesitate to describe its effects. That it +is a powerful poison there can be no doubt, but when taken in small +doses it is apparently harmless enough." + +"What is its history?" asked Dr. Farrington. + +"I picked it up in London. Got it from Burridge, the explorer, who had +just returned from a year's trip in the interior of West Africa. He went +into Benin City with the English when they cleaned out the town. +Burridge says he took it from a dead Jou Jou priest, and he made me pay +a pretty stiff price for it. It is a wonderful drug, entirely unknown +outside of Africa. Burridge thinks it is made from the leaves of some +plant; but its preparation is a secret of the priests of Jou Jou. + +"Now, I propose that we each take a small quantity of the powder +to-night, and then dine together to-morrow evening and compare notes. I +may as well tell you now, it produces strange hallucinations. I tried +it once myself, and my experience on that occasion was, to say the +least, peculiar; therefore I am more than anxious to try it again, and +compare notes with you afterwards, and I think I can promise you a new +and novel experience." + +Farrington and Forster were perfectly willing to try the experiment +which Watson hinted promised such interesting results, and it was agreed +that each should take a dose of the powder before retiring, and meet +together the next evening. + +Promptly at the time appointed, the three men met in Watson's study, and +after cigars had been lighted Watson asked Farrington to be the first to +relate his experience, whereupon the Doctor drew from his pocket several +pages of closely written manuscript, and began as follows: + + + + +AN AZTEC MUMMY. + +[DR. FARRINGTON'S STORY.] + + +I was standing in a museum looking at a case of mummies. One of them was +marked "Mummy of an Aztec, found in a Cliff Dwelling," and it interested +me very much. In size it was that of a small man, and was in a fine +state of preservation, with the exception that the bones of the legs +were exposed, and more or less disintegrated, in some places. The hands, +even to the finger nails, were perfect, however, and there was a silver +ring on the index finger. One hand grasped a large stone axe--the handle +being modern. The right hand rested across the chest, clasping a +necklace of silver wire. + +"Interesting specimen, is it not?" said a voice at my side. + +"Quite so," I replied. "But I doubt if it is really an Aztec mummy." + +"What makes you think that?" asked the voice sharply. + +"Because I don't believe the Aztecs buried their dead in Cliff +Dwellings. However, it is an interesting mummy, and in a wonderful state +of preservation." + +I was so interested in examining the mummy that I had spoken without +turning my head. Now, however, I looked up and saw a tall, gaunt figure +of a man dressed in a suit of corduroy, and wearing a broad-brimmed hat, +or sombrero, such as is generally worn on the Western plains. + +"Well," he remarked, "in my opinion, it is a pretty good mummy. I made +it myself, and ought to know." + +"Excuse me, what did you say?" I asked, thinking I had not understood +him aright. + +"I said that was one of my mummies." + +"What do you mean by that, sir?" I asked. + +"You will understand when I tell you I was a dealer in curiosities, and +during my time I furnished museums with a great many interesting and +valuable specimens; when trade was slow, I occasionally helped nature a +little, but that is all over now." + +"Have you given up the business?" I asked. + +"Had to; but perhaps you do not know that I am dead," answered my +companion. "Fell from a cliff last year and broke my neck." + +"Did you, indeed?" I answered, trying to appear interested. + +"That's what I did. But let me tell you about that mummy. There was a +scientific chap who came to our place and wanted to buy Aztec relics. Me +and my partner made a trade with him and sold him a lot of stuff; but +he was very anxious to be taken where he could dig some up for himself, +'to be sure of the authenticity and antiquity of the relics.' Well, me +and my pard figured up that it might be to our advantage to take him to +a good Cliff Dwelling, and we arranged that he should pay us so much for +everything he dug up. If he found a mummy we got one hundred dollars; if +stone hatchets and axes, two dollars each; arrow-heads, ten cents each; +for stone _matats_ and grinders, one dollar each, taking them as they +came; and whole pottery, five dollars." + +"Where did you find the mummy? Did you know of the cave?" I asked. + +"Well, we knew where there were lots of caves, and where there were +Indian graveyards. With the aid of a little stain and judicious +arrangement of a body we prepared a fine Aztec mummy. Of course we used +the body of an Indian, one who had been dead for a long time and was +dried up and crumbly. My partner was a clever chap, and he fixed up the +axe and the silver necklace, and we took the outfit and started for the +Verde Canyon. We picked out a good-sized cave, and dug a hole in the +floor, in which we carefully placed the mummy and covered him up with +dry dust; then we wet the clay over him, leaving the floor hard and +smooth as before. We also buried about fifty axes and two or three +hundred arrow-heads, and half a dozen nice specimens of Indian pottery, +which we burned up good and black. + +"After we had 'salted' the cave to our satisfaction, we partly sealed up +the entrance and returned to Flagstaff." + +"Was that acting quite fair?" + +"Fair? Why, how do you think that poor man would have felt if he had +come all the way out to Arizona, and gone to all the expense of his +car-fare and outfit, and then found nothing? It was philanthropy, my +dear sir, the height of philanthropy." + +"Was he pleased with the mummy?" + +"Pleased? Why, bless your dear, innocent soul, he screamed with joy like +a child, when we accidentally discovered a piece of a toe while digging +in the bottom of the cave! He dropped on his knees and removed every +particle of dirt with his hands, and almost cried over it. He carried on +so that my partner nearly gave us away. He was a chump about some +things: if anything pleased him, he would laugh, and his laugh sounded +like the bray of a jackass. + +"Well, sir, when this scientific chap got down on his knees, and +commenced to paw the earth away from the fake mummy, my partner began to +gurgle. I knew what was coming and punched him in the ribs, but it did +no good. The scientific chap looked up and asked what was the matter. + +"'Matter?' shouted my pard, and then he roared and yelled and howled. + +"A look of doubt and annoyance came into our victim's eyes; but pard +saved himself just in time. + +"'Look!' he yelled between his paroxysms of laughter, 'look at that +buzzard over there! I'm damned if he ain't the funniest buzzard I ever +saw in my life,' and then he roared and yelled and jumped about. 'Look +at him,' he laughed; 'see him fly! did you ever see anything so funny?' + +"I am not sure but what the scientist thought he was crazy, but anyhow, +he didn't catch on to what he was laughing at, and pretty soon went on +with his digging. We stayed there three days and dug the whole place up +and took back with us a basket full of stone axes, arrow-heads, three +large prehistoric vases, and the mummy. He drove the wagon himself every +step of the way, for fear something would get broken, and when we got +to Flagstaff he spent two days packing the relics." + +"Do you consider that sort of thing quite honorable?" I asked. + +"Honorable? What is that you say, you squint-eyed dude? Now, my boy, +don't get fresh with me just because I am dead and can't jump you." + +I hastened to pacify him. + +"Well, that's all right, but if you had said that to me last year when I +was alive I would have marked squares all over your body with a piece of +chalk and then played hop-scotch on you." + +"I meant no offence," I said humbly. + +"Maybe you didn't. But just you make another break like that, and I +won't forget it; you will have to die sometime, and then,--oh, mamma!" + +"Is your partner dead?" I asked. + +"No, Jim is not dead by a long shot. I went down to see him last winter +at his place in California, where he has opened up a new store. He has +a good tourist trade--made a lot of money this year out of mermaids and +sea-devils--there was a run on sea-devils this winter. He makes them out +of fishes. + +"The mermaids he makes out of fishes' tails and Indian children--robs +the graveyards, you know. Some of them are really fine and artistic. I +tell you he is an artist in his line. + +"He has a branch store still somewhere in New Mexico, and made a stack +of money last winter in Navajo blankets and scalp-trimmed Indian arms +and shields. It is the scalp trimming which catches the tourist. He gets +most of his scalps from California, from hospitals there; but when he is +short, horse hair does pretty well, especially for old Indian scalps. + +"And then, Navajo blankets. Holy smoke, a gold mine isn't in it! They +make them of Germantown wool and aniline dyes, and they cost at the +factory all the way from six bits to $10, and sell to the tourist for +various prices; sometimes as high as $75 or $80. Oh, I tell you he is +shrewd; some day he will be worth a million! + +"Sometimes a chap goes into his shop and poses as an expert--those are +the kind of jays that fill Jim's soul with joy. The fellow will pull +over a pile of blankets, and after looking at them wisely, will say, +'Haven't you got any real good blankets? These are Germantown wool and +mineral dyes.' + +"Then Jim will say--'Ah, I see you know something about blankets.' + +"'Oh, yes; a little,' answers the expert. + +"'The fine old-style blankets are mighty hard to get now,' remarks Jim. + +"'I know they are,' remarks the wise tourist, 'but still they are to be +had sometimes, are they not? Come, now, haven't you got something +choice hidden away?' + +"Then Jim will look about, as though fearful that somebody might see +him, and will steal softly into a back room and pull from beneath his +bed a good cheap blanket--worth about $3--and spread it out lovingly in +front of the tourist. + +"'There,' he whispers; 'look at that; that is not for sale. I am keeping +that for myself, but I thought you would like to see it, as it is very +evident you know a good deal about blankets; isn't it a beauty?' + +"Then the tourist 'bites,' and asks him what it is worth, and admires +it, agrees with him as to the splendid old dyes and fine preservation of +the native wool prepared in the manner of the old Navajo, speaks of its +great rarity, and at last ends by asking Jim what he will take for it, +and usually carries it away with him, having paid three or four times +the value of a really good blanket. + +"I've seen Jim pull their legs so hard they'd pretty near limp when +they went out. Ah, those were happy days!" + +The departed heaved a deep sigh, and gazed silently at his handiwork. + +"Well," he said, "I must be going; I have a lot of things I want to do +before morning, but hope to run across you sometime again. Glad you like +the mummy. I forgot to mention that most of the teeth were gone when we +first got it, and Jim put in a fine new set, and improved it a whole +lot." + +I glanced at the mummy, and when I looked up again, my companion had +disappeared. + + + + +A LESSON IN CHEMISTRY. + +[MR. FORSTER'S STORY.] + + +I took the powder as agreed, and sat down to read the evening paper +before retiring, with the result that I did not retire at all. I became +much interested in an article on new explosives with which the +Government has been lately experimenting, and had nearly finished it, +when I heard a voice say to me, "Interesting subject, isn't it?" + +I turned, and saw seated on my lounge a peculiar-looking man: his +clothes seemed to be all run in together. You could make out the +outlines of the man, but the figure was not clear; sort of foggy, you +know. What surprised me most was that I could look right through him +and see that back of the lounge. + +I said to myself, "Is this a dream or the effect of the powder I have +taken?" and I pinched my leg, and rubbed my eyes, but although I seemed +to be perfectly wide awake, the shape did not disappear. + +"What did you say?" I asked. + +"I remarked that the subject of high explosives was decidedly +interesting," answered the shape. "I was a chemist when alive, but it +makes me sad to think how very little I really knew. Chemistry, as well +as other branches of science, has made great strides during the past +generation, since my day, but even now they really know very little." + +"But," I answered, "it seems to me the high explosives which we now have +are sufficiently powerful if we knew how to use them with safety." + +"That's it," answered the shape. "Now, I have a couple of hours to +spare, and, if it would interest you, and you care to come over to my +laboratory, I will be happy to give you one or two points which may +prove of value to you--I say to my laboratory, but it really is not +mine; I use any laboratory that is handiest, and I know most of the good +ones in the city. You see, I do not need to have a key to enter a room; +that is one of the great advantages we have, as you will discover one of +these days. Just now I can get you in very well because the owner of the +laboratory to which we will go is out of town. I will go in first and +unlock the door for you." + +I told him that I should be most happy to accept his invitation; it +seemed the most natural thing in the world to be conversing with a ghost +and to have him invite me to go to somebody's laboratory and use up his +chemicals. It never occurred to me that it might not be considered quite +good form. We went out of my rooms and downstairs, the shadow floating +alongside of me in the most friendly manner possible. I could see by the +position of his body that he had hold of my arm, but his fingers did not +show on my coat-sleeve. + +We went up town for perhaps half a mile, and entered a large brick +building in which I noted were various studios. It was dark, but going +up three flights of stairs my guide opened a door and ushered me into a +large and extensively furnished laboratory, evidently belonging to some +scientific man of means and experience. The ghost turned the button of +the electric light, and then motioned me to a seat. + +"My time," he said, "is somewhat limited, because I have an appointment +with a lady at twelve, but I will show you what a high explosive really +is, and then if we have time we will talk of something else. The +difficulty about high explosives is not in making them, but in using +them after they are made; you create a gigantic power which you do not +know how to handle. + +"The rather modern discovery of how to make liquid air has simplified +matters a good deal. When you can make liquid hydrogen in quantities you +will have a still better agent for many purposes. Now, let us take a +little of this liquid air. You see it pours like water. As I happen to +know, our absent host has nearly two gallons of it, or had this +afternoon; some of it has evaporated, but, as you see, there is still +more than a gallon left, and we will not steal much, as all we want for +our experiment to illustrate to you the greatest explosive which can be +manufactured is about as much liquid air as you can hold in a thimble." + +"Do you propose to try your explosive here, Mr."--I hesitated. "By the +way, what is your name?" + +"Oh, call me any old name; it does not matter!" + +"Mr. Spook, shall we say?" + +"Ahem! a little personal, perhaps, but it will do as well as another. +Now, as I was saying, I will show you how to make the most powerful +explosive that was ever invented." + +It is possible that I did not show as much interest and enthusiasm as he +expected, and to tell the truth I was a little nervous. Spooks do not +have the same interest in being careful in their experiments--an +accident or two is of little consequence to them, but might be decidedly +disagreeable to me. I may have shown something of what I was thinking in +my manner, for Spook looked at me keenly. + +"What is the matter? You do not appear interested." + +"On the contrary," I answered, "I am deeply so, but do we not run +considerable risk in trying such experiments in a laboratory without +the consent of its owner?" + +"Not at all, not at all. I will use a very small amount of the +explosive, and there will be no damage done." + +"Have you attempted to make it before, Mr. Spook?" I ventured. + +"Oh, yes, last week; that was a mistake--you see now I know all about +it, I didn't then; the explosion was something awful--it blew the +building pretty much all to pieces. If I had been alive I don't believe +you could have found a piece of me as large as your finger--they called +it spontaneous combustion; however, we won't have anything of that kind +to-night." + +"Please don't," I answered. + +"No, I promise you. Now we will take a little of this red +phosphorus--ordinary phosphorus will not answer--and pour a little +liquid air on it, stirring it gently, as you see. Now, if I should let +that dry it would explode at the slightest touch; but we do not want +that, and we wish to increase its power, so we add a little chloride of +potassium; now watch it dry--see the color change to a light red-brown. +There, if you should strike that or put fire to it, it would wreck this +building as completely as if you had exploded fifty pounds of dynamite +in it." + +I drew away from the table instinctively. + +"Have no fear, I will not explode it. Now watch me closely. I will +ignite a minute quantity, about as much as would make the head of a +small black pin or a No. 4 bird-shot. See, the rest we will put in this +pail of water. There--now all is ready--here goes!" + +He lit a match and touched the little brown dot--a tremendous explosion +followed and the wooden table was split into pieces. The sound was so +terrific and the shock so unexpected that I was dizzy and frightened. + +"Great heavens!" I exclaimed, "you have broken everything in the +laboratory!" + +"No," replied the ghost rather shamefacedly, "not so bad as that, but +I'm afraid that I have ruined the table and cracked a few things; +however, I will be more careful next time: it is even more powerful than +I thought. What do you suppose would be the effect on a warship if +struck with a shell containing one hundred pounds of that stuff?" + +I answered that she would be destroyed. + +"Destroyed? I should say she would; the largest battleship would be +blown to atoms." + +The spook glanced at an old-fashioned Dutch clock in the corner of the +laboratory. + +"Fine clock that; glad I didn't break it with our little racket just +now. I see I have nearly an hour to spare. Is there any experiment you +would like to try?" + +I said anything would interest me, but that I didn't care for any more +explosives. + +"I suppose you know how to make diamonds, don't you?" + +I answered that for years men had tried to manufacture diamonds, but +practically without success; that as far as I was aware they had only +succeeded in making them so small as to be practically of no use +commercially, and the expense of the manufacture was far in excess of +their value. + +"That's all right," answered the spook; "but really it is a very simple +matter. Here; I will make a diamond for you." He walked across the room +to the fireplace, and taking from the grate a lump of coal about the +size of a billiard ball, he laid it upon the table. + +"This," he said, "is nearly pure carbon, and as you are well aware it is +practically what a diamond is. Now, I will illustrate to you how you may +make a diamond from this piece of coal, which will be as good as any +diamond ever found in the mines. We will manufacture it instead of +letting nature do it. + +"We will first place it in this glass bowl, and pour over it sufficient +liquid air to cover it completely. We will let it remain until it is +thoroughly cold, say, at least 200 degrees below zero; there--now all we +have to do is to heat it and then subject it to a powerful--Great Gee +Hosiphat! Five minutes to twelve! I must go--appointment with a lady at +twelve. But I say, old fellow, just hold it under the blowpipe and get +it hot--just as hot as you can; I will be back soon--ta-ta." His last +words came to me faintly through the window--he had already floated out. + +I took the queer-colored piece of coal, and began heating it under the +blowpipe. It did not burn, as I thought it would, but turned red and +then white; gradually it seemed to grow larger and larger and brighter +and brighter until I opened my eyes and found myself in bed with the sun +shining full upon me through the open window. + + + + +AN INTERESTING GHOST. + +[DR. WATSON'S STORY.] + + +It is with the greatest difficulty, (said Dr. Watson), that I force +myself to believe that what I am about to relate to you did not actually +happen. It seemed to me that I was as wide-awake as I am at this present +moment, and impossible that the strange series of incidents could be due +entirely to mental disturbances. I went home and went to bed, after +first taking the powder, and I think I went to sleep. How long I slept I +do not know, but I was startled at finding myself floating about the +room with much the same feeling as one has when floating in water, only +it was without effort. My motion seemed to be governed entirely by my +will,--if I glanced at anything in the room I would float towards it. +Imagine my astonishment at seeing my body lying in the bed apparently +sound asleep; you will admit the sensation was novel, to say the least. + +After floating around the room two or three times enjoying the peculiar +sensation, I began to wonder what they had been doing at the hospital +during my absence. Immediately I found myself in the hospital ward. Dr. +Ford and two nurses were standing by a cot at the north end, and +glancing at the chart on the table I saw the patient was seriously ill. + +"Moribund," said a voice. + +"I'm afraid so," I answered. I turned and saw an elderly gentleman, +dressed in the costume of the last century, floating beside me. + +"Sad, is it not? People still die, I see, in spite of the wonderful +advance in the science of medicine since my day." + +"Were you a doctor when alive?" I asked. + +"Well, I was called one, and received the regular license to kill or +cure. I regret to say that I have since learned that I killed a great +many more than I cured. The trouble is, after you are dead your patients +know this as well as you do and say unkind things; even to-night I +received word from a former patient of mine, and a ghost who ought to +know better, to the effect that he intended to hunt me up and punch my +head. I treated him for renal colic and he died of appendicitis." + +"What sort of a death certificate did you give?" I asked. + +"Heart disease, and let me tell you that was a great deal nearer to it +than some of you chaps get nowadays." + +"You are not complimentary," I said coldly. + +"Perhaps not; but if you think my criticisms harsh and uncalled for, +let us get down to cold facts. Did it ever occur to you how very few +people live to be even one hundred and twenty-five years old? You surely +will admit that there is no reason why a man should not live to that +age, barring accidents. We know that in Bible times there were lots of +old fellows who passed their three hundredth birthday, and a chap named +Methuselah claimed to be nine hundred and ninety-nine years old." + +"Nine hundred and sixty-nine, was it not?" I asked. + +"Perhaps you are right, but sixty-nine or ninety-nine, I am inclined to +be a little sceptical about that record myself; there is one thing in +its favor, however, and that is, that he made it an even nine hundred +and ninety-nine, and not one thousand. Of course, you know there are +plenty of people living to-day who are over one hundred years old, and +some who have reached the very satisfactory age of one hundred and +twenty-five; most of them, however, live in Bulgaria, Mexico, or some +out-of-the-way place, and are so poor that they have to live +abstemiously." + +"Then you consider the secret of longevity to be a matter of diet?" said +I. + +"Partly that, and partly proper care of the nervous system; but come +downstairs, and let us have a cigarette; I am dying for a smoke." + +We floated down to the office, which happened to be unoccupied at the +time. The medical ghost helped himself to a cigarette from a trayful on +the mantel-piece, and lighting it, he seated himself in an armchair, and +puffed away with evident enjoyment. I noticed the smoke, which he +inhaled continually, oozed from all parts of his body. + +[Illustration: THE SMOKE CONTINUALLY OOZED FROM ALL PARTS OF HIS BODY.] + +"My dear fellow," he said impressively, "you must understand that all +diseases are caused by germs--microscopic bugs and plants, you know, +many of them so small that they are invisible to an ordinary microscope, +or, if seen at all, are not recognized. There are thousands and +thousands of them, and each and every one has its mission in life, and +preys upon and destroys other germs. Now, the human body is constantly +getting a lot of germs inside of it which do not belong there. Some are +taken in by the lungs, while floating in the air; some by the stomach, +by the food and drink; some by the skin, etc. + +"These germs are met by their natural enemies which live in man's +blood--his body-guard, as it were--and are destroyed. But if the +attacking army is very large, or from some reason the home army has been +weakened and decimated, then the invaders flourish, establish themselves +and wax powerful and strong, and the man becomes what is called 'sick.' + +"Come," he said, rising abruptly, and throwing the unconsumed end of +his cigarette into the fireplace. "Come with me to the laboratory, and I +will show you in about two minutes more than I could explain if I talked +for years, and a great deal more satisfactorily." + +We floated down to the laboratory, and the ghost took from the shelf a +wide-mouthed bottle and held it up to the light. + +"Here," he said, "we have a culture. You, of course, understand how the +germs of disease are cultivated for experimental use. It is needless for +me to explain to you that certain media are used for these cultures, +such as milk, beef-broth, etc. + +"Here we have the germ of diphtheria, here of tuberculosis, here of +typhoid fever, etc. That little short jar over yonder contains some +cholera bacilli, which have been lately sent here. Now look at this +typhoid germ. If we took a drop of healthy blood and put some of these +typhoid germs in it, how they would wiggle! but if the drop of blood was +from a typhoid patient, they won't wiggle very long, as you know. See +this blunt-headed chap which we have to stain to see properly, even with +this wonderful microscope; that is our old friend the bacillus of +tuberculosis; but unless you see the patient first I do not believe you +could distinguish him from the leprosy bug. + +"These are known germs, but look through the glass at this drop, and you +will see some bugs worth seeing, although the medical fraternity have +not as yet discovered their value. Perhaps you know that most +bacteriologists consider these germs to be plants, not bugs, although +they admit some of them move a little. How astonished they would be if +they could look through this glass! See that chap with green hind legs: +he preys on the typhoid germ, and when they discover this physicians +will simply inoculate the patient with a lot of these little chaps with +the green legs, and they will do the rest. + +"Here is a germ with yellow stripes which looks a little like a +diminutive potato bug. He is the deadly enemy of the bug of consumption, +and will attack and kill him on every possible occasion. They are about +evenly matched, but I think the little striped chap is a bit the better. +Another ghost and myself made a match the other night,--seven battles, +the result to decide the championship,--a sort of a bugging main, as it +were. I won. The first six matches were even. We won three each, but in +the seventh my striped bug got the tubercular germ down and shook him as +a terrier does a rat. The other ghost and myself nearly had a fight to +get our eyes to the microscope. I tell you it was exciting. There is my +champion bug now, see him?--the one with the fourth hind leg gone." + +"But how," I asked, "are you going to prevent people from dying of old +age?" + +"Of course they will die of old age; but there is no such thing as old +age under one hundred and fifty years; what you call old age is not old +age at all. There are two kinds of old age or senility. Old age, +properly speaking, results from a distinct modification of the nervous +tissues and a hardening of the arteries--the former caused by unnatural +conditions, nervous strain and dissipation, and the latter from +over-feeding and drinking. The trouble with the ordinary man is that he +absorbs great quantities of nitrogenous foods instead of making his diet +one of nuts, fruit, milk, etc. In comparatively young men of the present +age there is often a decided modification of the nervous tissues with +symptoms resembling those in neurasthenia. In such cases galvanic +treatment will restore the centres to their normal condition. You will, +therefore, I think, admit that with proper diet and possibly the aid of +a galvanic battery a man may live,--barring possible death by +violence,--say, two hundred years." + +"You mean," I said, "when we have learned to combat the various disease +germs by pitting against them their natural enemies." + +"Exactly, of course," answered the shade; "but it seems to me that we +have talked long enough; I am becoming very dry, so let us repair to the +Waldorf and have a cocktail." + +"How is it possible," I asked, "that you can take a cocktail, there +being nothing tangible about you?" + +"Of course," answered the ghost, "it is impossible for me to actually +drink a cocktail. I can, however, float over the bar and inhale the +pleasing odors arising from the various concoctions served to the +guests, and in my ethereal condition I enjoy the odors and am affected +by them as much as if I were really drinking the liquid." + +We floated from the house and down town, until we reached the +brilliantly lighted Waldorf Hotel. There were many people in the +bar-room, and the medical shade and myself, floating about over the +different tables, inhaled with decided enjoyment the delicate aroma of +the various mixed drinks so dear to the present generation. + +To my annoyance my shade companion soon began to sing--he was evidently +affected by the odors which had passed through him. His manner became +familiar, and I had great difficulty in keeping him from kicking the +glasses off the tables. At last I succeeded in getting him out of the +room, and it was time, for as we floated into the street he began +shouting in a most uproarious manner, and I was afraid that we should +be arrested for disturbing the peace. + +"Be quiet, I beg of you," I pleaded; "see that policeman on the opposite +side of the street? We shall surely get into trouble if you make such a +noise." + +"Policeman?" hiccoughed the shade, "What the devil do I care for a +policeman? Watch me go over and punch him in the stomach." + +In spite of all I could do to prevent him he started straight for the +officer, who was standing all unconscious on the corner, watching a +pretty girl who was looking into one of the brilliantly lighted store +windows. Now was my time to rid myself of this most undesirable +companion, and I wished myself in my own room. + +Instantly I found myself floating about over my bed, and there was my +body sleeping as peacefully as ever. I was somewhat tired, but I +remembered our contract to write down the result of our experiences, +and immediately sat down to do it. After I had written it I read it over +carefully to see if I had overlooked anything, and then wished myself in +bed and asleep. The next thing I knew it was broad daylight. There, on +my writing-table, were the pages of manuscript which I had written. They +were real enough, whether the rest was a dream or not. + + + + +THE MOUND OF ETERNAL SILENCE. + + +"I ought to know something about it," said the Drummer, "for I went with +the Prospector and the Eastern man to see Judson. + +"I remember when we started out together the Eastern man asked the +Prospector if he thought Judson was really crazy. + +"'Yes,' said the Prospector, 'he is as crazy as a loon, as you will see +when you get there.' + +"'Tell me the story over again,' said the Eastern man. + +"'Well, you see,' said the Prospector, 'they found him lying in the hot +sand away off on the desert, with his head propped up against a rock, +nearly dead for want of water. When they tried to rouse him he stared at +them vacantly. They gave him a little water, and as soon as he had +swallowed it he fought like a wild animal for more. It took three or +four of them to hold him. He cursed and swore at them because they would +not give him all he wanted, and his cries were pitiful. He alternately +cursed and screamed for water, sometimes as loud as he could shout and +then again in faint whispers. + +"'Later on, when they dared to give him more at a time, he became +tranquil, and towards night, after he had drunk a bowl full of thin +oatmeal gruel, he went to sleep. When he awoke they questioned him. + +"'He said that he had been prospecting with his partner, and had found a +gulch with precipitous cliffs all around it where there was very rich +placer digging. Directly in front was a high mound covered with big +cacti, and they made their camp on the top of this. There was a little +water in the canyon held in rock basins, and with this they washed out +the gold and got a lot of it--Judson says three or four thousand +dollars' worth. Then bad luck came, and the burro died. Three days +afterwards Judson's partner was poisoned in some way, and died a few +hours later, cursing Judson and saying he had poisoned him. + +"'Judson buried him and also the gold; it was too heavy for him to pack, +especially as he had no way to carry water. Then taking a small bag of +gold dust in his pocket he started across the desert. He had a hobby for +taking photographs and carried a small camera with him, and before +leaving he photographed the place, which he called "The Mound of Eternal +Silence," so that in case anything happened to him it could be found +without trouble. They developed the negatives later, and he has them +pasted all around his room. He called the place "The Mound of +Eternal Silence" because during the two months he was there he never saw +or heard a single living thing except jack-rabbits and a bird or two.' + +[Illustration: THE MOUND OF ETERNAL SILENCE.] + +[Illustration: JUDSON'S MAP.] + +"'What was that about his killing the dog?' asked the Eastern man. + +"'Well, you see when Judson started off alone the dog would not leave +his dead master, and sat upon the hill howling. Judson was afraid he +would attract somebody's attention if they happened along that way, and +after trying to get him to follow him without success, he went back and +shot him. The first thing that Judson saw when he awoke the next morning +after they had found him was the dog sitting on his haunches looking at +him. Judson looked at the animal, but said nothing--something within him +forced him to keep silence. After a time he snapped his fingers and +called the dog by name. + +"'"Did you speak?" asked one of the men, Stevens it was, I believe. + +"'"I was only calling the dog," said Judson. + +"'"What dog?" asked Stevens. + +"'"Why, that dog, of course," said Judson, pointing at the animal. + +"'"You are crazy, man," answered Stevens. "The heat yesterday was too +much for you; there is no dog there." + +"'Judson turned away; he began to fear there might be something the +matter with his brain, and that there was no dog there after all. But +when he looked again there he was as plain as ever. "I will take the +brute outside of camp and kill him when I get a chance," he thought. + +"'That evening when they made camp at a small water hole, Judson walked +away out of sight and hearing of the camp. When he could no longer be +seen he turned, and, aiming his pistol at the dog, pulled the trigger. +The bullet hit the ground between the animal's legs, and he ran back a +few paces and stood grinning at Judson showing his teeth, and his face +looked like that of his old partner. Judson picked up a large rock and +ran at the dog; the animal yelped slightly and started for camp. Judson +increased his pace and the dog circled out into the desert. + +"'"Curse you," cried Judson, "I'll kill you yet." Several times he threw +stones at the animal, and twice he fell, bruising himself among the +loose rocks. At last he sat down. + +"'"What is the matter with you," shouted Stevens. "What are you running +about and shouting in that way for?" + +"'"That confounded dog of mine," answered Judson unthinkingly. + +"'"Nonsense, man, there isn't any dog." + +"'Judson walked slowly back to camp followed closely by the dog. The men +looked at him strangely. That night when he went to sleep the brute +came and lay down beside him. A horrid fear took possession of him and +he pushed the thing away, but it immediately crawled back again. At last +he arose and spent the rest of the night walking up and down the desert, +the dog following close at his heels. + +"'When they arrived in Phoenix the doctor advised Judson to go to a +quiet place and rest, and gave him an opiate.' + +"'Why don't he go back and get the gold?' asked the Eastern man. + +"'Because as I have told you whenever he starts to go back the dog meets +him on the desert, and he is only free from it when he stays in +Phoenix. He says the dog is his old partner, and will never let him go +back there again. That is why he is willing to sell his secret.' + +"'But how do you know if we pay him this money,' asked the Eastern man, +'that we can find the gold?' + +"'Why, his map and directions together with the photographs ought to +make it sure. Anyway, I am putting up $250 of my money with your $350, +and run as much risk as you do; besides, you never would have known +about it if it hadn't been for me.' + +"'Won't he take less than $600?' asked the Eastern man. + +"'Not a cent; I have tried him too often. If I had $600 of my own I +never would ask any one to go in with me. It's a snap.' + +"We found Judson seated in a big armchair, smoking a meerschaum pipe. +His eyes had a peculiar wild expression, and he glared at us as we +entered. + +"'What do you people want?' he asked. + +"'We have come to buy your claim,' said the Prospector. + +"Judson laughed a strange, hard laugh. + +"'Always the same--gold, gold, gold. Have you the money with you to pay +for it?' he asked. + +"The Prospector produced a bag of twenty-dollar gold pieces and shook +it. 'Here it is,' he said, 'this gentleman and myself have made up the +amount--$600.' + +"'Well,' shouted Judson, 'give me the money and take the cursed claim, +buried gold and all, and much good may it do you! I will go away--far +away from here. My God, to think that I should sell a rich claim like +that for nothing! But I wouldn't go back to it for all the gold in the +world. Three times I have tried, and each time that dog devil met me at +the edge of the desert, grinning at me with the face of my dead partner. +Here are the photographs and the map, take them and go, my head aches; +go away and leave me.' + +"He buried his face in his hands, groaning and muttering to himself. The +Prospector put the bag of gold on the table, and taking the photographs +and map left the room. We followed him, closing the door softly behind +us." + +"Did you find the gold?" I asked. + +"I didn't look for it," answered the Drummer. "They offered to let me in +and give me a third interest for $300, but somehow I didn't like the +idea, and the whole thing seemed uncanny, and it is lucky I didn't. The +Prospector and the Eastern man got back a week later without having +discovered the 'Mound of Eternal Silence,' both mad as hatters, and each +laying the blame of the failure on the other. I have always wondered +since if Judson was really as crazy as they thought he was." + +"Why," I asked, "what made you doubt it?" + +"Oh," answered the Drummer, "I can't exactly say I disbelieve his story, +but--well, you see, about a month afterwards I was in Phoenix again, +and one night I saw the Prospector and the lunatic taking a drink at a +bar together. A little later the Prospector passed me without seeing me. +He was walking arm in arm with a stranger, and as they went by I heard +him say, 'If I had the money I never would think of asking any one to go +in with me. He calls it the "Mound of Eternal Silence...."' + +"They passed on, and their voices were lost to me in the distance." + + + + +[Illustration: TIXINOPA.] + + + + +STORY OF A BAD INDIAN. + + +Malita was a half-breed, the daughter of an old squaw man. She had spent +several years at the Indian school in Phoenix, and had proved herself +an apt pupil. Later she went to work on Simmons' Ranch. She was a very +pretty, healthy looking girl, and one day Morgan Jones, the hunter and +trapper, asked her to marry him. She went with him to his cabin near the +Reservation and settled down. + +Jones was a devil-may-care sort of chap, who, when he had a little +money, came to the straggling one-horse town near the Reservation, drank +considerable whiskey, and amused himself by running his pony up and +down the one street, firing off his gun, and shouting at the top of his +voice. This was Jones' idea of a good time, and his method of +contributing his share to the sanguinary ornamentation of the embryo +metropolis. + +Malita made Jones a good wife, and attended to his creature comforts to +the best of her ability, and when Jones returned to the cabin in an +inebriated condition she soothed him, and put him to bed, looking upon +such incidents as a matter of course. For a year or more they lived +contentedly, and a little boy was born to them. + +On the Reservation lived an Indian named Tixinopa, a splendid specimen +of a savage athlete, and the most noted runner and hunter in his tribe. +Like many of his race, while hating the white man, he loved the white +man's fire-water, and it made him surly and quarrelsome. He was a +natural leader, and often, at night, he spoke with fiery eloquence of +the wrongs of his race, sowing the seeds of unrest and rebellion. + +Tixinopa was the only cloud which disturbed the domestic horizon of the +Jones family. He haunted the vicinity of the cabin, and was continually +asking Malita for whiskey and tobacco when Jones was away, until at last +Jones intimated to him gently that his presence was, to say the least, +undesirable. Being a child of the woods and hills, he did not have at +his command a large vocabulary of diplomatic phrases to enable him to do +this politely, in fact, he was blunt. + +In describing the interview to Malita afterwards he said: + +"I told him if he cum around here any more I'd smash his head, an' he +grunts an' draws himself up this a-way, and looks ugly and says, 'he's a +big Injun,' and I told him to go to hell!" + +For some time Tixinopa kept away from the cabin, but one day he +appeared and demanded whiskey. He was half drunk, and his bloodshot eyes +blinked at Malita as he swayed unsteadily in the doorway. + +"No, Tixinopa, there is no whiskey." + +Tixinopa's eyes grew ugly. "You lie, you half-breed squaw; but be it so, +I will take the boy away until you remember where it is." + +So saying he lifted the baby by the arm and swung him on to his +shoulder. The child cried out with pain from its twisted arm. Malita's +heart sunk with a dreadful fear. + +"Give the child to me, Tixinopa, do not be so rough; see, you have hurt +him." + +[Illustration: MALITA.] + +She tried to take the boy, but Tixinopa pushed her away roughly and she +fell to the ground. Up she sprang and threw herself upon him, trying to +get the boy, and in the struggle she scratched his face slightly, so +that the blood came. With a curse he struck her full in the face with +his clinched fist and she fell as if dead, and lay with her hands +twitching feebly. + +"Take your half-breed brat," he hissed, throwing the baby roughly on the +ground beside her. He turned to walk away, but something in the +motionless form of the child caused him to look again, and he saw that +his little head lay doubled under his arm in a way that could only mean +one thing--a broken neck. + +Malita rose unsteadily to her feet and looked about in a dazed way until +her gaze rested upon the little body of her dead baby; the next instant +she was striking and cutting at Tixinopa, screaming like a mad thing. + +The attack was so sudden and fierce that, trained athlete and fighter as +he was, Tixinopa received a deep cut on the shoulder and a slight one on +the arm before he succeeded in grasping her wrist, and twisting the +knife from her. Then, seizing her by the hair, he drew her to him and +drove the knife twice into her breast, throwing her to the ground, where +she lay gasping her life away in broken sobs. + +Tixinopa stood for a moment looking at Malita and was quite still. His +arm pained him and he held up his hand and watched the blood dripping +from his fingers. Then he took a self-cocking revolver from his belt and +fired shot after shot into the bodies of the dead baby and the dying +mother. Twice the hammer clicked on an empty shell before he ceased to +pull the trigger, and he slowly turned away, pushing his empty pistol +into his belt. As he did so he found himself face to face with Jones, +but a different Jones than the one he had known. This Jones' face was +white and drawn, and looked years older than the other Jones. The hand +which held a pistol pointed at him shook unsteadily. A minute, perhaps +two minutes, passed, and still the two men faced each other; then an +evil light came into Tixinopa's eyes, and his hand slid slowly towards +the handle of his knife, to be instantly smashed by a bullet from Jones' +pistol. Another shot and the other arm was broken at the elbow. Neither +man had spoken, but now Tixinopa began a low, wild chant. Raised to his +full height, with his broken arms hanging by his sides, he chanted the +death song of his people, the same song which had been sung by his +father, and his father's father, and for generations past by all the +dying warriors of his tribe. + +"Tixinopa," the voice was a husky whisper, "for her sake I won't torture +yer as I would like ter,--God give me strength to keep from doin' +it!--but I'm afeared He won't unless I kill yer quick. All I hope is +that if there is a hell, your black soul will roast in it for ever and +ever, amen!" + +The muzzle of the pistol was now within a few inches of the naked +breast; still the low, wild chant went on, the bronze figure standing as +if turned to stone. Then another shot and the chant stopped. + + * * * * * + +Ten minutes later a horseman rode slowly into the desert. To his left, +as he crossed the half-dry bed of the alkali stream, two Indian boys +were skinning a rabbit alive and laughing at its agony. From afar back +on the other side of the valley he heard the strains of the "Star +Spangled Banner" played by the pride of the Reservation--the Indian +band! + + + + +A QUEER COINCIDENCE. + + +"You say," said Doctor Watson, as he rested one arm on the mantel and +looked thoughtfully at the open fire,--"you say there is no proof of the +actuality of what is called telepathy or thought-transference, and +perhaps you are right, but I have several times in my life had +experiences which were very difficult to explain except by some such +theory, and if you care to listen I will tell you one of them which I +have in mind." + +Our chorus of approval evidently left no doubt as to our desire to hear +the story, for Watson smiled, and lighting a fresh cigar he began as +follows: + +"On the seventeenth of January last year there was a slight wash-out on +the Northern road not far from Chicago, and the forward trucks of one of +the cars on train 61, on which I was a passenger, left the rails, but +luckily the train was going slowly at the time and there was little +damage done except a general shaking up of the passengers in the car as +the forward wheels bumped roughly over the sleepers for a few yards +before the train stopped. The other cars did not leave the track, and +only one man was seriously injured. + +"This man had been standing on the platform at the time and was thrown +between the cars and badly crushed. I was close to the end window and +saw him fall, and when the conductor called for a doctor I responded at +once. + +"I found the man lying on a blanket surrounded by a number of the +passengers. He seemed to suffer but little pain, and I feared, from a +casual examination, he was badly injured internally, although he was +perfectly conscious; he was bleeding at the mouth, and his legs seemed +to be paralyzed. He asked faintly if I thought he was going to die, and +I cheered him up, as is customary in such cases, but shortly afterwards +he developed such serious symptoms that I felt forced to tell him I +feared he was seriously hurt, and it was quite possible he would live +but a few hours. + +"Upon hearing this he became very much agitated, and whispered to me +that he wished to speak to me alone, saying he had something of the +utmost importance to communicate. + +"I thought it was probably some message to send to some members of his +family, or some instructions regarding his affairs, but after a few +words I became very much interested. He talked for fifteen minutes, part +of the time being sustained by the use of stimulants. His story, which +was a very strange one, I will repeat as nearly as possible in his own +words. After repeatedly asking me to assure him there was no possible +chance of his recovery he said: + +"'It is not necessary for you to know my name, but it is sufficient for +me to tell you that I received a good education in my youth and +graduated with high honors at one of the large universities in this +country. I always had more or less interest in the study of physiology, +and during my college course conducted a series of experiments in +hypnotism, and made some interesting discoveries regarding the +exaltation of the senses, and especially in relation to illusion and +hallucination by the aid of post-hypnotic suggestion. + +"'It had been my earnest desire to occupy the position of professor of +physiology in one of the universities, but failing to obtain a position +of this kind, and having no means of support, I gradually became poorer +and poorer, earning a livelihood as best I could, until I became +discouraged and attempted to make money in a way not quite so honest. + +"'The idea suggested itself to me during a series of experiments which I +had conducted with a friend of mine. It so happened that this friend was +paying teller in one of our well-known banks of Chicago, where he is +to-day. He is a thoroughly honorable man in every way, but I found that +he was a good hypnotic subject, or sensitive, as we call it. At first he +could not be considered first class, but he was much interested in the +subject, and allowed me to hypnotize him repeatedly. After a few +evenings he became very easily influenced and one of the best subjects I +had ever had. I could put him to sleep in a moment, simply snapping my +fingers and telling him I wished him to sleep; of course this can only +be done with sensitives who have been repeatedly hypnotized. + +"'Under these conditions I succeeded in making him do very many +wonderful things, especially in the way of post-hypnotic suggestions; a +post-hypnotic suggestion is a command given to hypnotized subjects that +at some future time they perform a certain act. In most cases, in waking +from the hypnotic sleep they have forgotten that the suggestion has been +given them, but at the time set they perform the act unconsciously, as +though by their own volition. Not only will they do this, but after the +act is performed they usually sink into a quiet sleep,[1] from which +they awake after passing into the normal sleep, and, as a rule, have +forgotten that they did anything unusual, or that they have been +hypnotized, and take up the thread of thought again at the point where +they first entered the hypnotic condition. They do not remember what +they have done or seen. Their mind is a blank as to all that occurred +during the time they were hypnotized. + +[Footnote 1: This is unusual; the subject rarely falls asleep after +carrying out a post-hypnotic suggestion unless commanded to do so.--ED.] + +"'For the last two years I have been rather fortunate, in a small way, +speculating in stocks. My capital being small, the amount of money I +could make was, of course, comparatively little; yet I succeeded in +doing very well until about three weeks ago, when, by two or three +unfortunate speculations, I found myself absolutely destitute, and +without a penny in the world. It was then the idea suggested itself to +me to hypnotize Mr. Herrick and make him bring me money from the bank. +This of course was perfectly possible, if no accident occurred, or no +unforeseen difficulty presented itself, which I had not previously +thought of, as the cashier would act simply as an instrument, being +governed entirely by my directions. I asked him in a casual way several +times about the affairs of the bank, and learned one day that the bank +would have an unusually large balance in settling with the +clearing-house. It was the custom for Mr. Herrick to lock up his own +funds, and simply state to the cashier that he had done so. + +"'According to a carefully arranged plan, I hypnotized him last evening +and commanded him to take all the money and securities he had in his +possession, after settling with the clearing-house, and instead of +locking them in his vault to put them in a bag, of course taking +precautions to do this when no one was observing him, and then leave the +bank in the usual manner. + +"'He was to take a carriage and drive directly to a small, unoccupied +house which is situated on the corner of Blank and 117th streets. + +"'It was my intention, as I had gone so far, to go still further. I knew +that Mr. Herrick would bring me the money and securities, and that I +should find him asleep in the house, but what I did not know positively, +and what I feared was, _that he might not forget what he had done when +he awoke_. As a rule, sensitives obey the command to forget, but in the +course of my various experiments I have found sensitives who had a vague +idea of what occurred, perhaps nothing tangible, but still sufficient, +in a case like this, when there would be a great row about the lost +securities, to suggest a possible clue. + +"'It was a very cold day, six degrees below, I think, and I had +deliberately intended to leave Mr. Herrick asleep after I had taken the +money from him and let him take his chances, sleeping without any fire +or covering, in an hypnotic condition, with the temperature below zero, +and you can judge what his chances would have been. This scheme I +thought out deliberately, and what seems strange, I had not the least +repugnance against arranging for the death of my friend. After I had +once made up my mind to make him steal the securities his disappearance +seemed to be the only way to insure my safety. Of course no one could +know I was connected with this matter. I would not go near the bank, and +unless he was followed, which was most unlikely, as he had been with the +bank some years and was a thoroughly trusted official, there would be +absolutely no chance of my detection.'" + +Watson relighted his cigar, which had gone out, and continued-- + +"While he had been speaking another train had arrived with a lot of +workmen who were busily engaged jacking the car back on the rails. The +train was about to return to Chicago, so I inquired the name of the bank +and its president, and the address of the house, writing them down so +there could be no possible mistake. I then hastened on board the train, +leaving my patient under the care of Dr. Morse, a local physician, who +agreed to notify me as to the condition of the man later in the day. + +"Upon arriving in Chicago I immediately drove to the bank, but found it +closed. I was told, however, that Mr. Bartlet, the president, was +attending a corporation meeting in an office in the same building. I +immediately hunted him up, and, upon hearing my story he hastily ordered +a carriage and we drove to the house as described. + +"On our way out we stopped and picked up Dr. Marsh, who as you know is +very much interested in such matters. It was quite a long drive, but we +found the place without difficulty. It was unoccupied, and many of the +windows were broken, and altogether it presented a very dilapidated +appearance, such as the cheap houses on the outskirts of a great city +often do after having been unoccupied for a year or two. We tried the +door and found it unlocked. On the first floor the rooms were entirely +empty, loose papers scattered about, and no signs of any one having +entered the house. Upon going upstairs we found the door on the first +landing at the head of the stairs closed, but not locked. At the back of +the room was a cracked wooden stool and a dilapidated hair sofa, which +had evidently been considered too used up to be of any value. Part of +the cover was torn away, one of the legs was broken, and some of the +hair stuffing was lying scattered about the floor. On this lounge lay +Mr. Herrick apparently sound asleep; his lips blue with cold, his face +pale, and the general appearance of a man half frozen to death. He was +breathing very quietly, however, and his heart action was still fairly +good, although somewhat slow. By his side lay a small bag, which, it is +needless to say, was pounced upon by Mr. Bartlet. It contained some +valuable securities, and a great bundle of bank bills of large +denomination. Both Marsh and I considered Herrick's condition as +decidedly interesting and unusual, and we were both of the opinion that, +as part of the story had proved true, it was very likely the whole would +turn out just as described. + +"If this proved to be the case, all that now remained to be done was to +restore Herrick to his normal condition, which might or might not be +easy to accomplish. The first thing to be done was to get him out of +such a low temperature. We tried various methods of restoring +consciousness, but without success. What we did not like was that his +heart action was gradually becoming weaker. We gave a hypodermic +injection of strychnia, and the heart was soon acting in a much more +satisfactory manner. There was no return to consciousness, however, so +taking him in the carriage we drove back to Dr. Marsh's house, and +arriving there we all turned to and did what we could to restore Herrick +to consciousness. Now that he was in a warm room the drawn expression +and the blue look left his face, but otherwise he appeared to sleep as +soundly as ever. The heart was now acting very well, and aside from the +coma the condition of the patient gave us no cause for anxiety. As time +went on, however, and we absolutely failed to waken him, and the heart +again showed signs of weakness, we began to feel somewhat uneasy. + +"You see," said Watson, "we did not know what suggestion was given the +patient; these post-hypnotic suggestions are peculiar in their action +upon some sensitives. If, as it is fair to suppose, this man was ordered +to sleep, he should in the natural course of events sleep for a number +of hours and then awake, after passing from the hypnotic sleep to the +normal sleep; but we know very little of the effect on some nervous +systems of post-hypnotic suggestions. Another thing, in many cases the +patient will not waken or cannot be wakened except by the person who put +him to sleep. The reason for this is plain enough. Part of the effect on +the mind of hypnotic suggestion is due entirely to sleep. The skilled +hypnotist commands one of his sensitives to sleep under certain +conditions. The sensitive expects to be awakened by the same voice and +in the same way, and habit and association have fixed in his mind +certain conditions which he associates with the order to awake. There is +no doubt whatever that Mr. Herrick heard what we were saying when we +spoke to him in a loud voice, but he heard it without understanding, +much as a person in a sleepy condition hears noises about him without +trying to comprehend them. It is undoubtedly true that the man who put +Herrick to sleep could have wakened him in a moment, while we, with all +our knowledge and experience, were unable to make his brain regain its +normal condition. We decided to let him sleep; and if, at the end of a +few hours, he did not regain consciousness, we would try again what we +could do to assist him, of course watching the heart in the meanwhile +and using nitro-glycerin or strychnia if indicated. + +"At that moment Herrick suddenly spoke, at first huskily and then in a +loud, clear voice, shouting, 'Yes, yes, I hear you; I am awake.' Then he +sat up, asking in a dazed way, 'Where am I? What does this mean?'" + +"As he did so the old-fashioned clock in the hall struck the hour of +seven." + +The queerest part of this story is suggested by a letter received from +Dr. Morse the next day, which read as follows: + + DEAR WATSON: You asked me to write you about the injured man, and + I do so now to tell you he is dead. He died a minute or two before + seven o'clock last evening; I know the hour exactly, because I was + watching him at the time, and for some moments he had been + whispering and muttering to himself, but all I could catch was + something about, "I withdraw my command;" when, suddenly raising + himself, he shouted, "Wake up, wake up!" and fell back dead just as + the clock in the church-yard struck seven. + + I should be much interested to hear whether his story was true or + not. Drop me a line about it when you have time. + + Very sincerely yours, + F. MORSE. + + + + +STORY OF AN INSANE SAILOR. + + +"That pocket-piece of yours," said the doctor, "reminds me that I have +an interesting one of my own; perhaps you can tell me what it is." He +took from his pocket a silver coin and handed it to Jennings, as he +spoke. One edge had been flattened, and a hole pierced in it. + +"Ah! an old Spanish piece," said Jennings, "evidently of the time of +Pope Leo Fourth, sometime in the sixteenth century. A very interesting +piece. Where did you get it?" + +"There is a curious story connected with that coin," meditatively +remarked Dr. Watson; "perhaps you would like to hear it." + +[Illustration: ONE EDGE HAD BEEN FLATTENED AND A HOLE PIERCED IN IT.] + +We had been dining with Watson and were now comfortably seated in the +library before an old-fashioned open fire. It was snowing outside, +making the warm, bright study all the more cheerful by contrast. + +"Perhaps you remember," said Watson, "that during the winter of 1886 I +devoted much more of my time than usual to the Insane Asylum. I was very +much interested in testing the value of hypnotism for insane patients, +especially mild cases and those having illusions and insistent ideas. I +had been quite successful in one case--a woman who had tried to starve +herself to death under the impression that the devil commanded her not +to eat was greatly benefited by post-hypnotic suggestion. Suggesting +that the devil would not come any more induced pronounced hysteria, but +when hypnotized, and told that the devil commanded her to eat, instead +of to abstain from food, she took nourishment readily, and soon +developed an extraordinary appetite. + +"An immediate improvement in her condition was noticeable, and as her +general bodily health improved, the illusions became less and less +frequent, and she was discharged from the asylum as cured in less than +three months." + +Watson paused and gazed meditatively at the end of his cigar. "Ever +tried to hypnotize an insane person, Jennings?" + +"Not that I remember." + +"You, Morris?" + +"Can't say that I have." + +"Hm! Well, sometimes you succeed, and sometimes you don't; more often +you don't. There was one patient, a man by the name of Allen, who had +been a sailor. He was subject to fits of extreme melancholia, and at +times was positively dangerous, as he imagined some one was trying to +poison him. + +"I never succeeded in hypnotizing him, although I tried repeatedly. +However, I saw him every day, and as his general health improved, his +attacks of melancholia became less frequent. He seemed grateful to me +for taking an interest in him, and often talked with me about his early +life and the out-of-the-way countries he had visited. Shortly after I +was called away and did not return to the asylum for two weeks, and when +I did go back I found that Allen was dead. He had cut his throat one +afternoon with a large pocket-knife and made a mighty clean job of it, +too. + +"Well," continued the doctor, "among his effects they found a package +addressed to me, which contained a letter and a silver coin. The coin +you now hold in your hand, the letter I have here in my desk." + +He opened a drawer and took out a large yellow envelope containing a +number of pages of closely written manuscript. + +"This letter," said Watson, as he slowly turned over the pages, +"contains a story so strange that I did not for a moment believe it had +any foundation in fact; but during the past year or two I have learned +certain things which have caused me to change my opinion. Whether the +story is true or not we will, of course, never know, but I _now_ believe +that it is a true record of events which actually happened. I have made +some inquiries and find that the places mentioned do exist, or did at +the time this story was written, and--but never mind; I will read you +the letter and you can form your own conclusions: + +"'DR. S. T. WATSON: + +"'DEAR SIR: I have made up my mind to kill myself, but before I die I +wish to make a confession of my wrong doings, as _he_ insists that I +shall and I dare not disobey him. I therefore write this confession, to +be read by you after I am dead. + +"'You tell me I _imagine_ I hear the voice and see the man. I tell you, +doctor, you who think me crazy are the one who is deceived. You do not +believe in telepathy and thought-transference, and yet I could tell many +times when you looked at me of what you were thinking. I tell you that I +hear Jim's voice as plainly as I ever heard yours, and he talks to me +and tells me that he will never leave me while I live, and then he +laughs. Oh, that laugh! He comes often at night and wakes me out of a +sound sleep with that awful laugh, and then he whispers to me to go to +sleep again. Of course you do not believe in spirits or ghosts, and you +believe I am crazy, and that the half-invisible form of my dead partner +which comes to me and talks to me, and whose voice I hear as plainly as +I ever heard yours, exists wholly in my imagination. Well, doctor, you +have been kind to me, and I hope and pray you will never suffer the way +I have suffered during the past three years. + +"'Just three years ago to-day I was on board the "Ada Gray," a small +schooner off the coast of Florida, bound for the Isthmus. There were +seven of us in all, including the captain and mate, the latter an old +pal of mine who had arranged to get me in as one of the crew. In some +way he had learned that the captain was to take with him some two +thousand in gold, and although we had no plans, we intended to get the +gold in some way. On our way down we had talked over many schemes, but +none of them seemed satisfactory. The gold was kept in a small fireproof +safe in the captain's cabin, but it was an old-fashioned key-lock +affair, and we did not anticipate much trouble from that quarter, even +if we could not find the key. The great point was, how we were to get +the money and get away. At last we decided to drug the men's coffee, +and when they were sleeping from its effects, we would take the money +and leave in the schooner's yawl, in which, as the weather was very calm +and the Florida coast could be seen in the distance, we should have no +difficulty in making the shore. + +"'Jim had overhauled the medicine chest and had found a vial containing +a lot of morphine pills marked one-eighth grain, and as neither he nor I +knew how much morphine it took to drug a man, he watched his opportunity +and emptied the contents of the vial into the coffee. + +"'After supper we kept on deck for some time waiting results. At last +Jim went forward and reported everything quiet and the men apparently +all asleep. We found the captain in his cabin lying on his bunk +breathing heavily. The key to the safe was in the captain's pocket, and +we opened it without difficulty. There were six rolls of twenty-dollar +pieces marked two hundred dollars each, eight rolls of ten-dollar +pieces, and a bag of silver. + +"'We took the money and some other things we found in the cabin, +including a pair of revolvers, a double-barrelled shot-gun, and a rifle, +and put them in the boat, together with a small keg of water, tinned +meat, and a bag of ship biscuit. After these were carefully stowed away +in the yawl, Jim went back to the cabin, while I busied myself arranging +things in the boat. He soon came on deck again bringing several bottles +of brandy, and coming to the side of the schooner reached them one by +one to me over the side. As he handed me the last bottle I saw the burly +form of our negro cook rise slowly out of the hatchway, rubbing his eyes +as if half asleep. Jim saw my stare of surprise, and, turning quickly, +faced the negro, who was looking at us with a dazed expression. He could +not have drunk of the coffee, for I have since learned the amount of +morphine Jim put in the pot was more than enough to kill the entire +crew. + +"'Jim turned, and, walking slowly up to the man, said hoarsely: "Go +down," at the same time pointing to the hatchway. + +"'"What for?" asked the negro, moving a step backward. + +"'"None of your business what for; go down, I tell you." + +"'"I don't take no orders from you, nohow," answered the man. "Where's +the captain?" + +"'Without a word Jim struck him full in the face with all his strength. +The blow was an awful one, and the negro staggered back, and would have +fallen had not he brought up against the foremast. He roared with rage, +and came at Jim with a rush like a mad bull. Jim bent sideways, and +something flashed in his hand, as he struck upwards under the man's arm. + +"'Instantly the negro stumbled forward, and fell on the deck, and then +sat up and began to cough. He coughed incessantly, like a man who has +swallowed something which choked him. Jim looked at him a moment, and +then, without a word, cast off the painter and jumped into the boat. +There was not a breath of wind, so we each took an oar and pulled +towards the faint line of land just visible in the western horizon. + +"'The schooner lay almost motionless, with the silence of death about +her. The negro had stopped coughing, and all was still, save the faint +creaking of the masts and spars and the sounds of our oars in the +rowlocks. + +"'In the west the sun-painted clouds lay in great masses of gold and +purple, tinting the sea with ever-changing colors. + +"'"Damn pretty sunset!" remarked Jim, as he drew in his oar, and bent +over to light his pipe, and then, musingly: "I wish I hadn't had to +kill that nigger." + +"'Shortly after dark a gentle breeze sprung up from the southeast, and +we put up a little sail we had brought with us. + +"'Fowley Rocks light was in plain sight, and about midnight we rounded +Cape Florida, and entered Biscayne Bay, and by daylight we made the +mouth of the Miami River, where we tied up to a small pier, owned by a +man named Brickle. On the other side of the river stood a long, low +stone building, which, they told us, was once used as a government +building, and was called Fort Dallas. + +"'We told the people we had come from Key West, following the coast +along inside the keys, and were on a hunting and fishing trip. Upon +inquiry we learned that there was very little game about the bay except +crocodiles, but that we could get splendid sport by going up the river +into the everglades and following the shore line north to New River. +They advised us to get an Indian to go with us. This plan suited us +exactly, as once having disappeared in the wilderness we could come out +at some other point, and having assumed new names could go forth into +the world in perfect safety. + +"'Before starting we bought a light flat-bottomed boat for use in +shallow water, and after rowing up the river a few miles we made camp +and burned the yawl, first breaking her up with our axes. This took up +the greater part of the day. In the afternoon Jim went up to the head of +the river and reported meeting an Indian who told him of a large island +which was, as near as he could judge, about thirty miles to the north, +on which there were deer and turkeys. + +"'We had plenty of provisions, and for three days we pushed our boat +northward among the islands of the great grassy lake. In many places +the water was so shallow we had to push our way through grass and reeds. +We noticed a great many white flowers growing on the banks of the +islands, and water-lilies were abundant, but they had no smell. + +"'Towards evening, on the third day, we landed on a large island on +which there was a high mound. Hundreds of white herons and various other +kinds of birds were nesting in the trees, and there were a good many +ducks about. We shot some of the herons and cut off the long hair-like +plumes, but the flesh was strong and unpalatable. The ducks, however, +were very good. + +"'We camped on the mound, which was much higher than the rest of the +island, and decided to stay there for a day or two. While putting up the +tent I saw something shine, and picked up a silver coin which had +evidently been worn as a medal, as one edge had been flattened and a +hole pierced in it. There was no date, but it was evidently very old. + +"'That day we tried fishing, and shot several ducks. We had but one +shot-gun, so took turns with it at the ducks. + +"'That evening Jim produced an old pack of cards from his pocket and +suggested a game of poker. My luck went against me from the beginning, +and when we stopped playing I had lost fully two-thirds of my share. The +next morning I awoke feeling remorseful and sulky, and demanded that Jim +play another game to give me a chance to get even. He assented readily +enough, but my bad luck continued, and in an hour I had lost all of my +money and had nothing left to bet. Jim got up, taking the gun, and went +down to the boat to repair a leak which had bothered us the day before. +I sat on a log, inwardly raging and cursing myself for my foolishness. +The rifle was leaning against the log near me, and involuntarily I took +it and dropped the lever to see if it was loaded. It was empty, and the +hammer moved back and forth at the touch of my finger. Evidently the +spring was broken. But how? Why? I felt in my pocket for my revolver +with feverish haste. Gone. Then I understood! + +"'I rose and walked slowly down the slope of the mound, and nearly +stepped on a large rattlesnake which lay coiled up beside a palmetto +root. I looked at the snake as he lay there watching me, rattling +angrily all the while, and then I looked at Jim's coat which hung on a +branch near by, and at the doctored rifle in my hand, and the more I +looked the more wicked thoughts came into my mind. I glanced towards +Jim; he was apparently busy with the boat, and I could just see the top +of his back as he bent over. I hastily fastened one of the dead herons +to a stick and held it in front of the snake, which immediately struck +it in the breast, and then uncoiled and slowly retreated into the scrub. +Taking two pins from my coat, I inserted them into the holes made by the +fangs of the rattlesnake, and took them out covered with blood and +poison. In a few minutes this dried, and I then fastened the pins inside +the arm of Jim's coat in such a way that his hand would be scratched +when he put it on. + +"'This done, I hung the coat back on the branch and walked off a little +way, but feeling more than half inclined to go back and take the pins +out again while there was yet time. Perhaps Jim did not mean to kill me, +but simply wished to protect himself against treachery on my part;--but +then I remembered the negro and the morphine, and--well, dead men tell +no tales. As I turned to go back, I saw Jim in the act of taking down +his coat, and I felt a queer choky sensation in my throat and a sort of +half catch to my breath as he pushed his arm through the sleeve, at the +same time putting the back of his hand to his lips in a way that could +only have one meaning. I watched him with an ugly feeling of +satisfaction, wondering how long it would take for the poison to begin +to take effect. + +"'Jim put a couple of sticks on the fire, and then sat down on a log and +commenced to fill his pipe, but soon laid it down. "Curse it!" he said; +"I feel queer." + +"'He got up and walked up and down, rubbing his arm. He looked at me in +an odd sort of way once or twice, and then went into the tent and lay +down. Shortly after he called to me, and on my going to the door of the +tent he tried to rise, but fell back and became delirious, laughing and +shouting my name, and muttering to himself. He breathed with difficulty, +and in a little while became unconscious, and just as the sun was +sinking over the faint line of trees in the west he died. + +"'I took down the tent and dug a hole and buried him where he lay. I +built a huge fire and sat by it all night without closing my eyes. +Towards morning the moon came up and the sounds of the night noises +ceased, and as soon as it was light I put the gold and what things I +needed in the boat and made haste to leave the island. I paddled for two +or three hours before I noticed that the sun, which had been to my right +when I started, was at my left, and I knew that I must have turned the +boat around. + +"'I turned about and paddled on steadily all day long, but night found +me with no signs of dry land anywhere, nothing but an unending stretch +of grass and water as far as the eye could reach. + +"'When it grew dark I lay down in the bottom of the boat and tried to +sleep; but as soon as I closed my eyes I felt cold all over, a creepy +sort of cold, and heard voices whispering. At first I told myself they +were not voices, 'twas a trick of my imagination, the wind, perhaps, or +the rustle of the grass about me; but then I heard Jim's voice. There +could be no mistaking his horrid, sneering laugh; it made me afraid, but +do what I would I could not help hearing it. I stopped my ears and +wrapped my head in my coat; but still, from time to time, I could hear +the voices whispering, and Jim's laugh, and at times I felt cold. + +"'The next day I poled and paddled until late in the afternoon. I felt +very hot, and my head ached as though it would split. I had a pain in +the back of my neck and drank a great deal of water. I knew I had some +sort of a fever, but having no medicine I could do nothing but push on, +hoping to find my way to dry land. + +"'All that day I continually heard Jim's voice laughing at me, and the +next I knew I found myself in an Indian camp, and was told that I had +been found in the boat sick. The gold was gone; the Indians claimed it +was not in the boat. One of them seemed to be a chief and wore a big +turban on his head with a silver band around it. They told me his name +was Tom Tiger. + +"'And now, doctor, good-by. Jim is whispering to me again and telling me +it is time. In five minutes after I sign this I shall be dead. I shall +make no mistake. My knife is very sharp. + +"'JOHN ALLEN.'" + + + + +THE ELIXIR OF LIFE. + + +"Behold," said Doctor Watson, "the Elixir of Life!" + +Robinson looked up from his writing and assumed an expression of deep +interest. + +"Wonderful! I have often heard of it. Is it the true _Elixir vitae_ of +the ancients, or a new and more subtle compound?" + +"Listen, scoffer; if you will behave with a decorum consistent with the +gravity of the subject, I will explain how I became the possessor of +this wonderful powder. Perhaps in your life of seclusion and deep toil +you may not have noticed this advertisement which has appeared for the +last month regularly in the morning paper?" Watson took from his +pocket-book a newspaper clipping and read as follows: + + "METHUSELAH CLUB. + + "The object of this club is to enable its members to live to + be one hundred and fifty years old. All persons desiring to + become members should apply for particulars to Rengee Sing, + No. -- Twenty-seventh street, City." + +"Are you a member?" inquired Robinson. + +"Not as yet, but Jones is, and it was through Jones that I came into +possession of this mysterious drug. It seems that Jones decided after +reading the advertisement that he would like to become a member of the +club. Jones' health is not very good, as you know, and he called on +Rengee Sing, and the result of the interview was that he came away with +this small vial of the wonderful Elixir, for which he paid twenty good +dollars. He was so impressed by the gentleman who sold him the powder +that he came to me, as his medical adviser, to ask my opinion as to the +advisability of taking some of it. He brought with him a paper +purporting to be the translation of an ancient papyrus manuscript, the +original of which was in Thibetian or Sanscrit and which was ingenious, +if fraudulent. He told me a rambling story of how this Rengee Sing had +procured this powder, and the whole thing was so peculiar that I decided +to interview the gentleman myself; but first I made a point of getting +our friend Strauss to analyze the powder. His report of the analysis +shows it to be composed entirely of chloride of sodium or common salt, +with a small quantity of some unknown vegetable matter which gives it a +yellow color. Armed with this information, I called upon Rengee Sing at +his office on Twenty-seventh street." + +"You interest me," said Robinson, glancing at his work, and palpably +attempting to suppress a yawn. + +Watson arose, and gently but firmly removed the pen from Robinson's +fingers; he then placed a book on the papers, and continued: + +"The office was distinctly oriental, and there were numerous Bokhara and +other good rugs scattered about; besides there were gorgeous divans, and +the air was heavy with peculiar Eastern odors. I was admitted by a +gigantic negro dressed in oriental costume, and another negro arose as I +entered, and stood respectfully at the inner door. I asked for Rengee +Sing, and was informed that he would 'be at liberty in a few moments,' +and 'would I sit down and wait,' all in very good English from one of +the gigantic sable guardians who bowed me in. I was kept waiting but a +few moments, when the door opened and a small black-bearded Hindoo came +softly into the room dressed in the ordinary European costume. There +was nothing striking about him except his eyes, which were really the +most wonderful eyes I have ever seen in a human being. With the gentle +manner peculiar to his race he smiled and asked me to take a seat near +the window." + +"Is it possible?" said Robinson, languidly, lighting a cigarette. + +"Is what possible?" inquired Watson, frowning slightly. + +"Why, that he asked you to take a seat near the window." + +"Robinson," remarked Watson sternly, "remember that your mental +infirmities will not prevent my punching your head if you interrupt me +with any more foolish questions." + +Robinson grinned, and after ostentatiously placing a paper-weight within +easy reach, Watson continued. + +"I inquired if he was the person to whom I should apply for information +about the Methuselah Club. + +"He answered that he had the honor of being the president of the club, +and would be glad to supply me with all information in his power. Did I +wish to join? + +"'A friend of mine,' I said, 'has already become a member, and the +description of a wonderful powder has interested me, likewise the +history of the powder.' + +"The Hindoo smiled gently, showing his white teeth, and said that he was +not surprised at my curiosity. He then went to a desk and took from it +the printed circular which Jones had already shown me, and which was +supposed to be a translation of the ancient manuscript. It is the one I +hold in my hand; please glance over it before I continue my story." + +Robinson took the paper. + +"What is this hieroglyphic affair at the top here?" he asked. + +"That," said Dr. Watson, "is probably a copy of some very ancient amulet +or talisman. The fish at the bottom was often used to designate '_Dag_,' +or the master; next above we have the Solomon's seal, then the four +Chaldaic letters _Jod-He-Van-He-Iaho_, which is 'The Deity;' the other +symbols are strange to me." + +"Ah," said Robinson, "a weird sort of thing, is it not?" + +"Don't be sarcastic, read it," sententiously remarked Watson. + +Robinson did so. + +[Illustration] + +"'Let him who dares to live forever take of the powder, but let him +think of "_Aum_;" but speak it not on pain of death; let absolute +"_muckta_" be known to him; let him study the secret "_mantras_," and +ponder on the mysteries of "_Vach_;" let him also say each day in his +prayer "_Aum ma-ni pad-me hum_." + +"'He who takes of the powder three times should acquaint himself with +"{Hebrew: khet dalet}" the _marcaba_ and the _lah gash_, then he will +never die. Even though he wished to live a thousand years, so it shall +be!'"[2] + +[Footnote 2: Translation of the sacred manuscript found with the "Elixir +of Life."] + +"Well," remarked Watson, "what do you think of it?" + +"Fake," answered Robinson. + +"Verily, out of the mouths of babes, etc.," said Watson, "but, O learned +friend, you have not heard the whole story. Listen. I asked Rengee Sing +if he would be good enough to explain to me fully about the powder and +especially how and where he obtained it. + +"'My dear sir,' he said, 'I see you are a scientific man, and it always +gives me great pleasure to meet such, and to explain to them as fully as +possible how I, Rengee Sing, obtained possession of one of the most +valuable treasures in the world, the Elixir of Life; but before doing so +I must enroll your name among the members of our Society; in fact, one +of the rules of the Society is that unless a person becomes a member we +can tell him nothing, beyond allowing him to read the circular which you +have already seen. The initiation fee is five dollars, and you are at +liberty not to take the powder if you desire not to do so after you have +become a member, but if you wish to become a member in high standing, +and to take the powder, which will insure you a length of life far +beyond that of ordinary mortals, an additional fee of twenty dollars is +charged for the powder.' + +"I decided," continued Watson, "that the experience was worth five +dollars, so I intimated that I should be delighted to become a member of +the Society, and handed Mr. Sing five dollars, whereupon he wrote me a +receipt and gave me a member's card, which stated that I was a member of +the Methuselah Club of the second class, and entitled to receive the +Elixir, and to become a member of the first class upon the further +payment of twenty dollars any time within the next ten days. After +which, if I had not been made a member of the first class, my name +should be dropped from the rolls. + +"Rengee Sing was the embodiment of courtesy when he bowed low and handed +me my receipt. + +"'My dear sir,' he said, 'I shall now be happy to explain to you +anything that I can.' + +"'I would like,' I said, 'if possible, to see the original papyrus which +I understand was found with the Elixir, and I also would like to learn +more fully the details as to how and where this Elixir was obtained.' + +"Rengee Sing bowed, and, going to the corner of the room, opened a small +fireproof safe, taking from it a roll of what proved after being +unrolled to be an ancient papyrus manuscript written in the Sanscrit +language. As far as I could make out it seemed to be the original of +which the printed circular was a translation. It certainly appeared +ancient enough. + +"'This manuscript,' said Sing, 'and the box of powder was obtained by my +brother and given to me at his death. He died from the effects of a fall +from his horse, which broke three ribs and otherwise injured him +internally. He never would have died except from the accident, as he had +taken several doses of the Elixir. Just how long it will enable a man to +live we do not know, but certainly one hundred and fifty years and +perhaps even two hundred years. He obtained it in the following manner: +My brother had long been desirous of visiting Lassa, which is, as you +know, the wonderful capital of Thibet, but was unable to do so until a +few years before his death, when he accompanied a Hindoo who went there +for the purpose of making certain reports to a foreign government. His +name I am not at liberty to disclose, but his report was simply signed +Punjaub A.B. My dear brother described Lassa to me very minutely, and +from all accounts it must be the most wonderful city in the world. As +you probably know, no European or Christian has ever been allowed to +enter within its walls. According to my brother's description the city +is situated in a fertile plain on the Sampo river some six hundred miles +north of Calcutta, and has a population of fully sixty thousand persons. +The streets are wide, and the houses have their walls whitened and the +frames of the doors and windows colored red and yellow. + +"'Nearly west of the city, connected with it by a splendid avenue, is +the mountain of Buddha, where now stands the temple of the Grand Lama. +This temple is four stories high, and therein dwells the Grand Lama and +his High Priests. Some idea of the magnificence of this temple may be +obtained when I tell you that its great pillars are covered with plates +of pure gold. The Grand Lama can live forever, and many people believe +he does so, but he really does not. After a certain time he reincarnates +himself into a new body. All of the priests, however, are very old. It +is claimed the Pandita is at least one hundred and fifty years old. The +Grand Lama has about him two priests of the highest grades, one the +Pandita and the other Tchoiji. The Grand Lama sits upon an altar or +throne for hours at a time, clothed in gold-woven cloth and jewels of +fabulous value. Over his head is a magnificent peacock's tail composed +entirely of gold and precious stones. It is the custom of the Grand Lama +to receive persons who desire to receive his blessing at certain hours +of the day. For a small amount of money one is allowed to bow before +him; for a little more one may touch his garment, and receive his silent +blessing; but for the sum of twenty rupees he will speak to the person +and touch him with a little wand. The Punjaub A.B. in describing his +interview states that the Grand Lama talks in a hoarse voice which he +tries to make as much as possible like God's. + +"'It was during his visit to the temple that my brother learned of the +wonderful treasures preserved there, fabulous stories being told about a +huge emerald with an ancient inscription engraved upon it,--the mystic +seal of the first Lama, which had been handed down for ages, together +with the greatest treasure of them all, known as the Elixir of Life. + +"'The wonderful powder was and is used by the high priests, some of whom +are of great age. It is supposed to have been brought into Thibet by +King Srongb Tsan, during the seventh century, and that it originally +came from Nepaul.' + +"'How did your brother procure it?' I asked. + +"'By bribing one of the priests. My brother was wealthy, and being very +desirous of procuring some of this wonderful powder, he tried to buy +some of it. Under no circumstances, however, would they listen to him or +even allow him to see it. He succeeded, however, as I said, in bribing +one of the priests, paying him a large sum of money, several hundred +rupees, I believe, and was shown the sacred chests containing this +powder, and other treasures, including precious manuscripts and some +jewels of great value. The powder was contained in five little gold +boxes, of beautiful workmanship. While examining them they heard a door +close and the sounds of footsteps in the passageway. The priest became +very much frightened and begged my brother to replace the boxes and +manuscript at once, and was so agitated that he did not notice my +brother when he slipped one of the gold boxes into his pocket. The +person, whoever he was, passed on down the passageway, and as soon as +they dared they hurriedly left the vault. Luckily for my brother he left +Lassa with the Punjaub that evening, and never learned whether the theft +was discovered or not. Probably his powder would have done him little +good had it been so and had he been suspected.' + +"'But how,' I asked, 'do you know that this Elixir will really prolong +life?' + +"Sing smiled sweetly, and said, 'I myself, my dear sir, am a living +proof of that; I am one hundred and ten years old, and to-day there are +in New York some sixty men who will live to that age, having taken the +powder, unless they die from some form of disease. This elixir will not +protect them against poison or diseases where the poison germ has +entered the system. That is impossible; but it acts upon the nerve +centres and upon the blood corpuscles in such a wonderful way that there +is no degeneration. The person simply lives along the same as he would +between the ages of thirty and forty; he is always the same. He may die +from many causes, but it would not be from old age.' + +"'My friend,' I said, 'took the liberty to analyze some of this powder.' + +"'Ah! And may I inquire the result of his analysis?' + +"A peculiar yellow light came into those eyes, and although he +smiled--Have you ever seen a caged tiger languidly looking at the crowd +of people in front of his cage suddenly discover a dog near him?" + +"I don't know that I have," said Robinson. + +"Well, if you do you will notice the same yellow light flash into his +eyes, and the sudden change of expression that I saw in the eyes of our +friend Sing. It was gone in a moment, however, and he was again smiling +sweetly. + +"'I understand he found it to consist principally of common salt.' + +"'Quite so,' answered Sing; 'but he must have discovered that it also +contained something else?' + +"'That is true,' I answered, 'there was a small amount of vegetable +matter which gave it a yellow color.' + +"'That is the true Elixir,' said Sing; 'salt is merely necessary for the +results. You, as a scientific man, know that the poison which kills so +quickly from the fang of a cobra and the ordinary white of an egg can +hardly be distinguished by the chemist. He finds them both to be +albumen.' + +"'Why, then, should one kill and the other be harmless?' I asked. + +"'Simply the minute "something else" which is contained in the snake +poison and which is held in solution by the albumen.' + +"'Have you any other proof of the power of this Elixir?' I inquired. + +"'My dear sir, I trust you do not question the truth of my statement +regarding my own age.' + +"He frowned slightly, and those wonderful eyes of his glanced like +lightning towards the two huge attendants standing in plain sight in the +hallway. + +"'Not at all,' I hastened to assure him. 'It all seems so wonderful to +me, you must excuse my apparent incredulity.' + +"'The most natural thing in the world,' smiled Sing with grave courtesy, +'but I will let your own eyes banish any doubt you may have as to the +wonderful properties of this strange powder. + +"'Ashmed,' he called, 'ask my son to come here a moment if he will be so +good.' + +"The attendant who had spoken to me when I entered immediately +disappeared, and in a moment a back door opened and the bent figure of a +very old man entered the room and spoke to Sing in a weak voice. The +language was evidently Hindustani, but I caught a word here and there +which sounded familiar. Sing spoke to him sharply, and turning to me +said, 'This is my son; he is nearly eighty years old, but refuses to +take the powder on account of his religious principles--he belongs to +the sect who believes that to die is better than to live, that his +spirit will become incarnate in another body, and in his next life he +will be at least a Kobtchie.' + +"My eyes must have betrayed my incredulity. + +"'You do not doubt that he is my son?' sweetly asked Mr. Sing. + +"'Certainly not,' I answered. + +"'I trust, then, that I shall have the pleasure of furnishing you with +some of the wonderful powder? There is not very much of it left, but +luckily it requires a very small dose. I have enough probably to supply +one hundred men to insure them existence for one hundred and fifty +years. When that is gone the supply can never be replenished.' + +"He sighed. + +"'Thank you,' I answered. 'I shall think the matter over and in all +probability give myself the pleasure of calling upon you again.' + +"Then I came away, being bowed out by the sable attendants with all +ceremony possible. There! What do you think of that?" + +"Do you intend to return and purchase the powder?" asked Robinson. + +"Perhaps," answered Watson, "but I think I will wait awhile and see if +Jones lives to be one hundred and fifty!" + + + + +THE VOODOO IDOL. + + +Jones lay on the sofa watching the consul mix a long, cool drink of +Apollinaris water and crushed sour-sop. His arm pained him a good deal +and the bandages felt hot and uncomfortable. By his side was a little +table on which were piled numerous articles in a manner common to +mankind, among which were a bottle of whiskey, a revolver, several +books, and a plate containing some bananas and sapodillias. A light +breeze stirred the curtains behind him, and under the awning he could +see the long stretch of green palms and waving cocoanuts, back of the +city. A faint white line indicated the road to Lecoup. + +"I tell you what, old man," said the consul, as he poured the mixture +from the shaker into the tall, thin glasses, "you are almightly lucky to +get out alive, and you took big chances. Stealing a god of the Voodoo +priests is about as dangerous an experiment as playing with fire over a +barrel of gunpowder. From your description I should judge the place you +found it was about fifteen miles back of Gantier." + +Jones nodded in silence. + +"Well," continued the consul, "it was somewhere in that vicinity they +killed that Frenchman last year, and how they ever let you get out alive +I don't know. They meant to kill you fast enough, tried to poison you at +Gantier, and knocked out that servant of yours. You escaped by not +drinking the coffee. Then some one shot at you on the road, and even +then you did not have sense enough to throw away the idol; but even if +you had I don't know that it would have made any difference. Then the +day before yesterday they put a bullet through your arm at Lecoup, and +if old Chabeau had not gone himself with you part of the way, I do not +believe you would ever have reached here alive. What on earth made you +monkey with that idol anyway?" + +Jones explained that he could not resist the temptation to steal it. He +had been camping on the banks of a nearly dry stream, ten miles or more +east of Gantier, where he had found the little hummingbird, _Mellisuga +minima_, the smallest bird in the world, very abundant. He had also +trapped a specimen of the extremely rare _Solenodon_, and being anxious +to procure more he had stayed there for several days. Within half a mile +of his camp was a small stone tower open at the sides, in the middle of +which stood a little idol on a sort of pedestal. This little idol was +about eighteen inches high and was carved out of stone, the eyes oddly +enough being bone. Jones had cast longing glances on this idol, but did +not dare to touch it, or in fact to go into the tower, as the natives +were sullen and suspicious, and on more than one occasion showed signs +of being decidedly ugly. + +Jones saw enough to confirm his impression that these people were a bad +lot, and one dark night he "folded his tent like the Arabs and silently +stole away," taking with him as a souvenir the little idol, which he had +carefully rolled in a blanket and packed on one side of his pack-horse +to balance his box of specimens on the other. Fear of possible +unpleasant consequences had caused Jones to ride fast, but he had been +followed and three separate attempts made on his life by unknown +persons. The last one resulted in a bullet through the upper part of the +left arm. He was safe enough now, however, as he remarked, there being +little likelihood of danger while under the protection of the American +consul in the city of Porto Prince. + +"Don't you be too sure of that," said the consul. "There, try that and +see how you like it." + +Jones sipped the cool mixture; it seemed like nectar to him in his +feverish condition. The bullet which had passed through his arm had made +a wound, which, while not in itself serious, had left him weak and +feverish. + +"Yes," continued the consul, "you were mighty lucky to get off as you +did. You may not know it, but right here in Hayti the people in the +interior are as savage and bloodthirsty as any Central African tribe. +Most of the inhabitants are descendants of negroes brought from the Gold +Coast many years ago. They have reverted to their original wild state, +keeping up many of the ancient customs. Mixing as they have with the +Indians of the interior, the present race is even worse than their +ancestors. From Toussant l'Overture in 1804, when he first ruled, to +Hyppolite Florvil and Salomon, the island has been the scene of +continuous insurrection, intrigue, and murder. + +"Salomon was probably the best of them all. He was an immense negro, +some six feet four inches tall, with a pock-marked face, who had +received an education in Paris and married a Frenchwoman. He, like the +rest, however, was superstitious and cruel at heart. Hyppolite was a +Voodoo priest and, it is said, an anthropophagist. The people of the +interior have an intense hatred for the white man, and still retain many +of the barbarous customs of the savages of the African interior. + +"The Voodoo dance is presided over by a high priest, who usually +commands a goat or a hen to be killed, but in some of the more +important ceremonies a child is murdered, and its blood mixed with the +_tafia_ and drunk by the dancers. The high priest is called _Papoloy_. +Every two years after the dance of the moon a human sacrifice is +ordered; generally a young girl is killed and eaten. You probably ran up +against one of the Voodoo gods, and the large stone in front was +undoubtedly the sacrificial stone. How you ever got away alive passes my +comprehension. They evidently thought that you would try to leave in the +day-time, and had things all arranged for taking a shot at you +somewhere, but your nocturnal skedaddle knocked their plans galley west. +There is one thing dead sure, those Voodoo priests are bad medicine, as +we used to say out West, and you want to keep your weather-eye open +until you are safe on board a steamer and out of the harbor. I wouldn't +give five cents for your life if you walked about the streets of Porto +Prince. When the time comes to leave I will have you smuggled on board. +The authorities would wink at your assassination, but they would not +openly countenance it." + +Jones remarked wearily that he had begun to believe it might be as well +for him to rest quietly in the consulate, and not give them another +chance. + +The soft flower-scented breeze blew softly in through the open window +and was soothing to Jones. Lying there on the lounge with his eyes +closed, he soon fell asleep, and the consul left him to attend to his +various duties. When Jones awoke he lay in a sort of drowsy +condition--half asleep and half awake. Through his partly open eyes he +looked through the open door leading out on the broad piazza. There was +a chair in front of the door, and over the top of this he saw a face and +a pair of very black eyes looking at him intently. For a moment he +imagined it was some freak of his imagination, as the face was as still +as though it was carved in wax. Right in line with Jones' eyes, and +within a foot of his half extended arm, was the little table, and the +handle of the revolver seemed to stand out as though placed there for +his especial benefit. That was certainly real, and it required a very +slight movement for his fingers to close over the pistol handle; but he +did not move and lay watching the figure, which began to rise slowly and +developed into the form of a large, ugly-looking negro. Jones remembered +particularly noticing a white scar across the cheek just under the eye. +The man was not looking at him now, but was glancing about with the +stealthy look of a hunted animal. At the same time he drew from under +his coat a long, unpleasant-looking knife. As he did so Jones lifted his +pistol, and, aiming hurriedly at the breast, fired. The man dropped, +grasping at the chair as he did so, but immediately rose to his feet, +swaying unsteadily. Bang! went Jones' pistol again. This time the negro +did not fall, but stood seeming half dazed, steadying himself by holding +on to the back of the chair. Jones fired again, and at the report the +man clapped his left hand tightly over his heart, and with a muttered +imprecation threw the knife at Jones just as he fired his fourth shot, +the thud of the knife driving deep into the wood close to Jones' head +being followed by the sound of a falling body on the hard floor. As the +consul ran into the room followed by one of his men he found Jones +sitting on the lounge, pale and weak from excitement and fever. + +"Lucky you had the pistol," remarked the consul; "might have been +unpleasant. See that gummy green stuff on the knife? Well, that is +poison, and a mighty bad poison, too; one little scratch--But all's well +that ends well; the steamer is in, and if I were you I would make a bee +line for the pier, and get on board just as soon as the Lord will let +you!" + +Jones rose with some difficulty and went out upon the wide balcony. On +the blue waters of the bay he saw a large steamer, and at her stern, +floating in the breeze, the most beautiful flag in the world, the Stars +and Stripes. + +The effect on him, in his half hysterical condition, was to make him +want to cry and cheer at the same time. The room he had just left was +dark in contrast to the bright sunshine outside; but he could see the +knife and the dead body of the negro, from which a narrow dark red +streak was slowly making its way across the floor. + +"We can't go any too quick to suit me," said Jones. + + + + +AN ARIZONA EPISODE. + + +I. + +Wendell Harrison was a club man with no ambition in life beyond making +his small income pay his club fees, and leave enough for him to live in +the manner peculiar to young men of his class. His one hope in life, as +he often told his particular crony, was to find a rich wife, and it +seemed to Harrison that chance had played into his hands when he +received an invitation from old John Stiversant to join his party on a +trip to the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona. + +Harrison had met old Stiversant on the yacht of a mutual friend a few +weeks before, and knowing how to make himself agreeable he had done so +to the best of his ability, with the result that he had been asked to +make one of a party on this western trip in Mr. Stiversant's private +car. + +"Good luck to you, old man," said his chum as he was leaving the club on +his way to the station. "Go in and win." + +"Trust me for that," answered Harrison. + +The trip out proved a delightful one. Miss Nellie Stiversant, the young +lady who, Harrison had decided, was the most likely catch, did not prove +as easy as he imagined. While charming and agreeable, she had evidently +seen more or less of the world, and was not to be gathered in by the +first man who made up his mind he would like to have her ornament his +home. Likewise, she was a girl with common sense, and knowing her +position and advantages did not lose her head when a man showed an +inclination for her society. In fact, just before the party arrived in +Flagstaff she had made it very evident that she did not care for +serious attentions from any one. She was, however, of a decidedly +romantic nature, and Harrison pondered deep and long as to the best +method of gaining her affections. Late that evening he was reading a +sensational novel, when suddenly he laid it down and a far-away look +came into his eyes. + +"By Jove," he muttered, "the very thing--on this very road too. Whether +the story is true or not, it is reasonable enough, although a trifle +dramatic, but that is what is wanted to attract a girl like Nell. She +don't care for me and never will, and all she wants is excitement and +novelty, but if she thinks I saved her life or risked my own in +protecting her, there might be a chance. In this story the chap had led +rather a tough life, but had reformed, and the road-agents recognized +him and knew he meant business. He got pretty well shot up, but the +whole thing cast a halo around him, which would undoubtedly attract any +romantic girl. Damn it, why couldn't I do it? It is that or nothing, the +trip will be over in two weeks, and it is pretty evident that I am not +in it unless something extraordinary happens." + + +II. + +The saloon was pretty well filled with a sprinkling of miners, Mexicans, +and ranchers. Men in blue overalls, flannel shirts, and wide-brimmed +hats were playing the different games of chance or standing in groups in +front of the bar. A harsh brass-sounding piano on a raised platform at +the end of the room was being played by a short-haired individual in a +dress suit, and a young lady who evidently did not object to the +calsomining process to aid nature was singing a topical song. In the +corner stood Wendell Harrison surrounded by four rough-looking men, who +seemed very much interested in what he was saying. + +"Now I think you understand thoroughly what is required," said +Harrison. "I am to pay you five dollars each now, and twenty dollars +each when the job is done, likewise if it comes off successfully and the +bluff works I am to give you twenty dollars more upon our return to +Flagstaff. Don't forget to carry out the plan exactly as we have agreed. +When I spring from the coach waving my pistol and firing blank +cartridges, one of you is to shout, 'Fighting Harrison, by God!' and +shoot two or three times as you run. The thing is easy, but requires a +little judgment. I do not care where you stop the stage. Stop it any old +place, but not too near Flagstaff. I shall be alone in the coach with an +old man and two young girls, so there is not the slightest danger, and I +will see that the old man is unarmed." + + +III. + +"Say, Jimmie, I must tell yer something, but let me larf first. Say, I +nearly fell down in a fit. I am going to tell yer all about it, but +don't call me a liar, or I'll kill yer. What do yer think? Oh, Lord, how +my stomach aches!--what _do_ yer think? Wait a minute--I'll tell yer in +a minute, let me larf it out now, or I shall drop down right here! + +"Say, I sat in that booth over there having a quiet drink, and what do +yer think? A dude in the next booth commenced putting up a job with four +ducks; one of them is Mexican John and the other is Brady, our assistant +bar-keeper here. As far as I can make it out Brady got the three other +ducks. Say, wait a minute! I don't believe I ever will stop larfin'. +What do yer think? this dude is going up to the Canyon on my next trip, +and is going to have these four fellers stop the stage to put up a +bluff on his girl to show what a fighter he is, and he is to give um +twenty dollars each. He is going to jump out and pull his gun and clean +out the crowd, and then go back and bask in the sunshine and admiration +of the young girls. Oh, Lord! The skunk don't care how much he scares +the girls and the old man who are goin' along, but all he wants is to +pose as a fighter from away back. But say, Jimmie, what do yer think? I +have been thinkin' this thing over, and I don't believe his little +picnic will transpire. He calculates to blow in eighty dollars to make a +monkey of himself, and I am thinkin' that we can use that eighty dollars +in our business and teach the fellow a good lesson all ter wonce. What +breaks me up more than anythin' is that he told Brady to hunt me up and +tell me on the quiet that there was a reformed desperado going with me +who used to be known by the name of 'Fightin' Harrison.' Worked me into +the job too, see? What do yer think?" + + +IV. + +The stage was slowly toiling up a dusty hill some five miles from +Flagstaff. The road was rough and the day was warm. The stage-driver let +the horses take things easy, and from time to time shook with suppressed +emotion. "I hope I may die," said he to himself, "if this ain't the +damndest." + +In the back seats the two young girls, the old man, and the would-be +hero were enjoying the scenery and the novelty of the trip in spite of +the dust. Suddenly three men sprang into the road, and a loud voice +commanded the stage to "hold up." + +"What is the matter?" asked Nellie excitedly. + +"Don't be afraid," said Wendell, pressing her hand, "remember I am with +you." + +A rough-looking man appeared at the side of the stage. + +"Is your name Harrison?" he said, addressing Wendell. + +"It is," answered Harrison boldly; "what do you want?" + +"I have a bill here for eighty dollars against you, which will have to +be paid or you will have to get out and go back to town with me." + +"What do you mean?" gasped Harrison. + +"Just what I say, young man; your name is Wendell Harrison, isn't it? +You used to be known here by the name of 'Fighting Harrison,' didn't +you?" + +"Certainly not, you have the wrong party," answered Harrison +indignantly. + +"Well, I don't know about that; didn't somebody tell you that this +fellow was 'Fighting Harrison,' Bill?" + +"They certainly did," answered the stage-driver. + +"It is all a mistake," said Harrison. + +"Mistake or not, you will have to pay or go back to town with us; that +is all there is to it. I believe you are the Harrison I want." + +"Oh, Mr. Harrison," said Nell, "do pay this man and let us go on; you +can easily recover the money when you go back to town." + +"Yes," said Mr. Stiversant, "that certainly is the best way to settle +the matter; it is, undoubtedly, a case of mistaken identity, but this +man is evidently acting in good faith, and you will have no difficulty +in straightening matters upon your return at Flagstaff." + +Harrison's face was very red, and he looked and acted ugly; but this man +evidently meant business, and there was no way out of it but to pay the +money, which he did with a very bad grace, taking a receipt made out to +Wendell Harrison, alias "Fighting Harrison of Arizona." + +"An exciting incident," said Nell, as the party rode away. + +"Yes," said Harrison, "but one that might just as well have been left +out of the programme." + +The stage moved on, but Harrison seemed uneasy; every few minutes he +mopped his face with his handkerchief and pressed his hand to his head +as if in pain. Visions of the little reception committee some few miles +ahead were constantly in his mind. What would he say and do when the +stage was stopped, and he received his cue to spring out and fire off +his six-shooter, especially as he had only fifteen dollars left in his +pocket. What would these pseudo-gentlemen of the road do to him, if, +after his little exhibit of bravery, he failed to wind up the melodrama +by settling with the actors? He didn't care to find out, and his mind +was bent now in deciding the best way to get back to Flagstaff. He +continued mopping his face, and once or twice he groaned. + +"What is the matter?" asked Mr. Stiversant; "are you ill?" + +"I fear so," answered Harrison faintly. "I have a dull pain in my head +and I feel faint." + +"Oh, let us go back," said Nell, "it is only five miles, and we can +start again to-morrow just as well." + +"Perhaps it would be as well," said Harrison weakly; "I fear I am going +to be ill." + +In the privacy of a room at the hotel Harrison hastily manufactured an +urgent telegram calling him at once to San Francisco to see a sick +uncle, and had barely time to explain matters and express his deep +regret at being forced to leave the party at such short notice. + +An hour later he lay back in a luxurious chair in the smoking +compartment of the California Limited, and gazed out of the windows at +the vast desert plains through which they passed. His eyes had a +far-away look in them, and ever and anon he sighed. + +Far up the Grand Canyon road late that evening Brady and his three +companions still sat watching sadly for the stage which came not. There +they had sat in the burning sun without food or water since ten o'clock +that morning. They did not speak to each other, but occasionally they +cursed, sometimes the birds, sometimes the inanimate things about them. +At times they thought of Harrison--but what their thoughts were no one +will ever know. + + + + +ONE TOUCH OF NATURE. + + +"Pretty good cigar this," remarked the Cowboy. + +The Eastern man nodded. + +"Nowadays we can buy good ones out where I live, but 'twa'n't very long +ago when good cigars were as rare out there as buffaloes are now round +Kansas City." + +"The enormous increase in population in some of your Western cities is +astonishing," remarked the Eastern man. + +The Cowboy glanced at him with an amused smile. The Eastern man smiled +back good-naturedly. + +"What's the joke?" he asked. + +[Illustration: RESTING HIS HEAD ON THE COWBOY'S KNEE.] + +"Oh, nothin'," answered the Cowboy, "only I was thinkin' maybe you +didn't live out West." + +"No, I am a New Yorker," answered the Eastern man. + +"Well, I guess they raise pretty good men in both places," remarked the +Cowboy. + +"Our late war proved that, I think." + +The train had stopped, but there were no signs of a station, although +two or three rather dilapidated houses and a typical Western saloon +could be seen a short distance ahead. + +"Wonder what we are stopping here for," remarked the Cowboy; "it strikes +me we've been here a pretty long time." + +Just then the porter passed the door of the smoking compartment, and the +Cowboy called to him: + +"Say, porter, what's the matter? Seems to me we have been stoppin' here +a whole lot. What's the name of this metropolis?" + +"It's mighty lucky you've got whole necks," answered the porter. "The +eccentric, or something about the engine, is broke, and we came mighty +near having a bad accident. They've sent on for another engine." + +"That's pleasant," remarked the Eastern man. "How long do you think we +shall have to stay here before the other engine arrives?" + +"Give it up," said the porter. "Maybe an hour, maybe two; can't tell +exactly. The train conductor will be along pretty soon and he will know +all about it." + +"Guess I'll have to appoint myself a committee of one to investigate," +remarked the Cowboy. + +He arose and went out on the platform of the car, followed by the +Eastern man. They climbed down and walked forward to where they saw a +crowd gathered about the engine. The eccentric rod had broken short +off, and had the engine not been slowing up at the time, the result +might have been serious. + +The two men strolled down the track for a short distance, and the Cowboy +discovered a small colony of prairie dogs. Several of the comical little +creatures were sitting on their hind legs on the mounds beside their +holes ready to disappear at the least sign of danger. Occasionally one +would run from one hole to another a short distance away, usually diving +out of sight, to reappear again in a few moments when satisfied that +there was no immediate cause for alarm. + +The Cowboy amused himself by listlessly throwing small stones at the +little animals. After a few moments of this he turned to the Eastern man +and said: + +"Say, I am goin' to take a little stroll over yonder towards that +luxurious mansion and get a drink from the well. Want to go along?" + +"With pleasure," answered the Eastern man. + +The two strolled slowly towards the house, which was decidedly in need +of repair. The fence surrounding it was broken down in many places, +weeds and grass filled the little yard in which there were still +evidences of some past attempts at ornamentation in the way of +flower-beds, and the whole place gave evidence of poverty and lack of +care. On the porch was seated a girl apparently between twelve and +fourteen years of age. She was hugging an immense shaggy dog and crying +as if her heart would break. + +"What's the matter, sis?" sympathetically inquired the Cowboy. + +"Oh, sir (sob), Jake's goin' to kill my Rover." + +"What for?" + +The sobs subsided a little and the girl looked up, wiping her eyes on +her torn apron. + +"Why, he bited Jake because he tried to kiss me and I didn't--want him +to--and they are goin' to come and kill him." + +"Who is goin' to come and kill him?" + +"The feller he bited--Jake." + +"There, don't cry, little un; seems to me the purp did the proper caper. +What do you think, pardner?" + +"In my opinion," answered the Eastern man, "the dog's action was +decidedly laudatory." + +"And yer think same as I do that the pup hadn't ought to be killed for +doin' it?" + +"Decidedly not." + +"Say, sis, ain't yer got any friends to sort of stand off the feller as +allows to do the killin'?" + +"No, sir, nobody except father, and he--drinks sometimes and don't care +for Rover, and he says he don't want no trouble." + +"Ain't yer got no one else?" + +"No, sir; nobody but Rover. Mother's dead and I ain't got nobody but +Rover. Oh, dear me!" + +The girl buried her face in the shaggy coat of her friend and sobbed. + +The Cowboy sat down on the step beside her; the dog eyed him +inquiringly, but evidently decided he was a friend and wagged his tail +slightly. + +"Don't cry, my girl; brace up, now; perhaps they won't kill him after +all." + +"Oh, yes, they will. Jake is over in the saloon now; I saw him go in. +He'll do it sure; he hates Rover." + +"May I speak to your lap-dog? Will he tear me up much if I pat him?" +inquired the Cowboy. + +"I wouldn't fool with him, sir; Rover don't like strangers." + +The Cowboy snapped his fingers at the dog and called to him: + +"Come here, Rover." + +The splendid animal walked solemnly to him and, resting his head on his +knee, looked up steadily into his face. + +"Don't seem to be too savage nor nothin'--pretty decent sort of dog." + +"Oh, he is, sir; he is just the sweetest, lovingest dog that ever lived. +I had him when he wa'n't no bigger than a coon, and couldn't eat nothin' +but milk, and he loves me, don't you, Rover? and I love him, and he's +all I've got to love in the world, and they're goin' to kill him. Oh, +Rover, Rover, what shall I do? what shall I do?" + +"Now, sis, tell us about the row--did the dog begin the trouble?" + +"Oh, no, sir; Jake came along this morning and I was settin' here +playin' with Rover, and Jake he grabbed me and tried to kiss me, and I +put up a holler and Rover bited him in the leg. Jake swore and wanted to +kill him, but he didn't darst to, and he didn't have no gun; so he's +gone home to get his gun and he'll be back pretty quick and he's goin' +to kill him." + +The girl had stopped crying, but little hysterical sobs choked her from +time to time as she talked. + +The Cowboy pulled the dog's ears gently and the animal responded by +licking his hand. + +"Seems to me, pardner, that Jake ain't actin' quite white in this deal." + +"It's an outrage," warmly responded the Eastern man. + +"I see two fellers," continued the Cowboy, gently stroking the dog's +head, "comin' around the corner of the house; maybe we'd better ask 'um +please not to hurt the dog." + +"I agree with you, most decidedly." + +The girl caught sight of the men and uttered a cry of fear. Seizing +Rover by the collar, she attempted to drag him inside the house, but the +dog braced himself and growled savagely, facing the newcomers. + +"Say, pard," remarked the Cowboy quietly, "suppose they are impolite?" + +"Well." + +"Can you fight?" + +"I can try." + +"Bully for you, pard; that's the stuff! Shake." + +The two men shook hands warmly. Jake and his companion were now very +near, and as they came up Jake pulled a large revolver from its holster. + +"Now, girl, get away from that dog; I'm goin' to shoot him and I don't +want to hurt yer." + +The girl turned white, but she placed herself in front of Rover, +shielding him as much as she could with her slender body. + +"Hold on, my friend," interposed the Cowboy; "you mus'n't shoot that +dog." + +"Who's goin' to stop me?" sneered Jake. + +"I am." + +"You are, are you? Well, I'm goin' to shoot him just the same." + +"If you shoot that dog I'll give you such a beating yer own mother won't +know yer. Sabby?" + +"Won't, hey? Perhaps you notice I've got a gun?" said Jake, with an evil +look in his eyes. + +"I've got one, too, but I ain't pulled it yet," answered the Cowboy +slowly. + +"See here, now," interposed Jake's companion, "where do I come in? +What'll I be doin' all the time when you're smashin' up my pard here?" + +"I will try and occupy your attention," quietly said the Eastern man. + +"The hell you will!" + +"I will." + +"Now, gentlemen," said the Cowboy, "we don't want no trouble, but there +is a peck of it around here if you fellers try to hurt that dog. The dog +bit yer because yer tried to kiss the girl, and he served you damn well +right!" + +"It's a lie!" interrupted Jake sullenly. + +How it was done the Eastern man never knew, but Jake went staggering +backward, and when he recovered himself and stood with the blood +trickling from a cut under his eye, the Cowboy had him covered with a +big Colt's 45, and the eyes which looked at him over the barrel were +ugly enough to make a gamer man than Jake feel uneasy. + +"Drop yer gun." + +Jake dropped it. + +"Now move away from it." + +Jake did so. + +The Cowboy handed his big pistol to the Eastern man and walked straight +up to Jake, who looked decidedly uncomfortable. + +"Now take it back, or I'll smash yer face," said the Cowboy savagely. + +"All right, but, damn you, if it warn't that my leg is sore where the +dog bit me I'd fight yer till I couldn't see!" + +The Cowboy smiled grimly. + +"Good enough! Now get out of here." + +"Wait a minute," interposed the Eastern man; "may I make a suggestion?" + +"Cert, pard,--why, sure!" answered the Cowboy. + +"Well, it seems to me this matter had better be settled amicably if +possible; if not, after we are gone something might happen to the dog. +After what has happened the gentleman naturally feels an animosity +towards the animal. Now, I would suggest that he name a sum of money +which he would consider sufficient to compensate him for injuries +received. I would be glad to pay a reasonable amount--say ten +dollars--in settlement of all damages, if the gentleman will agree not +to attempt to injure the dog in any way." + +"I'll agree to that," cried Jake eagerly. + +"Very well, here is the money." The Eastern man held out a ten-dollar +gold piece, which was seized upon by Jake, and without a word he and his +companion started in a straight line for the saloon. + +The Cowboy shouted after them: "Remember, I'll be back here next week, +and if the dog isn't all right there'll be trouble." Then, turning to +the girl, he said: + +"Well, sis, the show's over; the dog's all right, so I guess I'll get +aboard the train. So, so long." + +"Please tell me your name, sir, and you, too, sir," turning to the +Eastern man. + +"Why, sis, what do you want to know my name for?" + +"To pray for you, sir; mother's dead, but I pray every night just the +same, and I ask God to bless Rover--he's all I've got now, you know. Is +that wrong, sir? and to-night and every night I'm goin' to ask God to +bless both o' you for bein' so kind ter Rover and me." + +"Oh, that's all right, sis; don't think of it;" the Cowboy's voice was +husky. "Good-by; good-by, Rover, old boy." + +He seized the big dog in his arms and turned him over on his back, +holding him down. The dog caught one of the man's hands in his huge +mouth and chewed it gently, while the Cowboy poked him playfully in the +ribs with the other. Then the man jumped up and ran for the car, with +Rover leaping and romping about him, uttering great deep barks of joy. +The Eastern man followed more slowly; a cinder or something had got into +his eye, and he was ostentatiously wiping it out with the corner of his +handkerchief. + +That night, in the darkness of her room, the girl knelt by the side of +her rough bed, and whispered softly her little prayer: + + "God bless mamma, + God bless papa, + God bless Rover, and bless the two fellers that was good to + me and Rover--I dunno their names, God, but you do." + +The sounds of a slight figure getting into bed were followed by "'Scuse +me, Rover, I didn't mean to step on yer foot; goodnight, Rover, dear." +Several heavy blows on the floor answered her, and then for a time there +was silence. The wind moaned faintly in the chimney and a rat squeaked +and scampered across the floor; then a board creaked,--the child slept +on oblivious to it all,--but at each new sound the dark form on the +floor stirred slightly, a shaggy head was raised, and wide-open, +faithful eyes gazed in the direction from whence it came, intent, alert, +and watchful. + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Transcriber's Note: + +Two Hebrew characters (dalet on the left and khet on the right) on p. +180 of the original book appear in this ASCII version as {Hebrew: khet +dalet}, as Hebrew is read right-to-left. + +Spelling variants and dialect have been left as they appear in the +original (e.g. purp, p. 223; damndest, p. 212; and almightly, p. 195). +Two misspellings of foreign words have also been retained. (matats for +metates, p. 81; sapodillias for sapodillas, p. 194). + +The following corrections and changes were made: + + p. 19: pocket knife to pocket-knife + p. 87: " to ' (will say, 'Haven't you got any real good blankets?) + p. 121: is'nt to isn't (Nonsense, man, there isn't any dog.) + p. 135: thought-transferrence to thought-transference (what is called + telepathy or thought-transference) + p. 143: is to was (It was a very cold day) + p. 145: meetting to meeting (attending a corporation meeting) + p. 176-177: duplicate text removed (original read: "dressed in the + ordinary European costume. There [Page Break] in the ordinary European + costume. There was nothing striking about him") + p. 180: etc, to etc., ("Verily, out of the mouths of babes, etc.,") + p. 196: Mellissuga minima to Mellisuga minima + p. 202: ugly looking to ugly-looking + p. 205: Heading for section added (I.) + +Commas were changed to question marks in the following sentences: + + p. 104: "Were you a doctor when alive?" I asked. + p. 178: "What is this hieroglyphic affair at the top here?" he asked. + p. 187: 'How did your brother procure it?' I asked. + +Accents or ligatures in the following words were modified for this ASCII +version: + + -Canyon, canyon (n-tilde changed to 'ny') + -vitae (ae-ligature removed) + -Zoological (diaeresis on 2nd 'o' removed) + -Phoenix, chef-d'oeuvre (oe-ligatures removed) + -degrees (degree sign changed to word degrees) + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Montezuma's Castle and Other Weird +Tales, by Charles B. Cory + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE *** + +***** This file should be named 26995.txt or 26995.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/9/9/26995/ + +Produced by S. Drawehn and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |