Life — January 6, 1910 — page 48: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

48 ib ALE 12° (Continued from page 46) said cheerfully, “and as for the rest, well, it's merely a question of the protoplasm undergoing certain changes. A chemical psychic force goes out of it, just as the water runs out of any vessel. Now, I've got to watch the brain as the last bit of force leaves it.”” “If you should be discovered?" “It would be considered murder of course by the courts. I would then be a martyr to science. But if I win the great- est discovery in modern times will have taken place. You are worthless, as it is. You can’t even take care of your family, and——"* “What's the price? “One hundred thousand dollars. Here are the bonds. Municipal—just like so much cash."* “Um. You turn them over to me after I'm gone, I sup- pose."” The man looked at the package the doctor had brought The bonds were in denominations of They looked tempt- forth from his safe. one hundred, five hundred, one thousand. ing. But the man was suspicious. Til turn them over to your wife," said the doctor No, sir! It's got to be done beforehand. That's only fair” 4 You'll come back?’ “Of course I'll come back—if I say I will.”* The doctor smiled “You'll swallow the poison first. Now." “What'll it do to me?" “It's a slow poison. It You won't begin to feel it for twenty-four kes about thirty-six hours to reach a climax hours. Then: “Well, then?” “Tt will begin to work. At this moment—or in exactly twenty-four hours—you must come here. It will make no difference then, you understand. You'll die anyway. But of course the success of the operation will depend on your getting here. You'll have no object of course in not coming. “As I understand it, I take this stuff now, you give me the bonds, and I come back in twenty-four hours to complete the bargain.” “That's it. The moment you take the stuff the bargain’s been made. It only remains for you surely to come back You sce [am trusting you that much. “TM do it.” The doctor went over to his safe and in an inner com- partment found a small bottle. From this bottle he put twenty drops in a wine glass. Into this glass he poured some distilled water. He stirred the mixture with a glass stylus that he had held over a gas flame. “ Drink this."* “And in twenty-four hours You will begin to feel it. Be here then.” “ After that—" “T shall have everything ready. You may die in three live four—depends on vitality. Remember, You may take away hours; you ms be here in exactly twenty-four hours. the bonds. Here they are. First, the dose.”’ The man lifted the glass in his right hand and held it to the light, as a man holds a glass of wine. “Doctor,” he said, “your health. May your experiment prove a success. Here's to you He drained the glass, picked up the bundle and bowed him- self out of the of It was nine o'clock in the morning. He had all day be- Rapidly his mind worked, planning out the details time to think of death. He must fore him of his duty. He had ni provide for his family. First, he hurried to a bank, one of the tellers of which he knew. He deposited the bonds in a safe deposit vault, in his wife’s name as well as his own, and arranged to have her call later in the day to sign. Then he sold ten thousand dollars’ worth of the bonds through the bank, at a premium of 1% per cent. less the commission. The balance was placed to his credit, the whole transaction taking place over the telephone and not occupying more than an hour. Then he hurried to a railway station and sped out to a small suburban place chat ke knew and had often admired. He had tele- phoned ahead to the real estate dealer, who met him in an automobile. In two ‘hours more he had picked out a nice little house, made a bargain for ten thousand dollars, paid one thousand on account, got a temporary transfer of the property in his wife's name, and was on the way back. He hurried to his miserable little flat. “Good luck, my dear," he said, as he entered, his face radiant with happiness, for so absorbed was he with the thought that his family would be provided for for all time that he had entirely overlooked himself. “T have been left a fortune,” he exclaimed. “I haven't the time to tell you all about it now, but trust me that it’s all right. Now you must go to the lawyers and sign some papers, and to the bank and have the account put in your name, and first to get you some clothes. Oh, my dear! there is no time to lose His will, asserting itself so strongly, left her no alterna- tive. He overpowered her mentally The two children were left in charge of the third, a little girl of ten. He whirled her rapidly to a department store, where a suitable gown was purchased, and a new cloak. From there they went to the bank. All the money was placed in her name on deposit. The key of the safe deposit vault was turned over to her. Then they proceeded by the first train to the country, after cating a hurried luncheon, and the real estate transaction was made plain, the papers signed, then to the lawyer's, where the title was arranged for, and lastly to the new home, Then hack to town, where they arrived at six o'clock The man's wife was in a daze. Events had moved so rapidly, her husband had been so positive about everything, that she had had no time to understand. But at last she. de- ded to know what it meant, — He smiled. Perfectly simple,” he said. “A man whom I once knew and befriended in the West—an old bachclor—died suddenly and left me a hundred thousand dollars. Now you know that I have never been able to keep money. I was afraid that I might have an impulse to do something with it—specu- late, for example—so I determined to lose no time and turn it all over to you. Everything is now in your name, even all the money in the bank. When the title for the house passes you will give your check for the rest. You can sell another bond if necessary to buy your furniture. After that you will have the income at 4 per cent. of about eighty-five thou sand dollars, and a house free and clear. 1 wanted to have you in full possession of it all, so that there would never be any doubt of your being well taken care of.” The next morning he rose earlier than usual. He looked at the clock over the next building. It was six-thirty. He was due at the doctor's at nine. “We will have a fine breakfast,” he said, and going out to a caterer’s came back with a full basket His wife still regarded him with surprise. The unex- pectedness of the whole affair had taken her off her fect. It seemed 100 good to be truc. Nevertheless, she entered into the spirit of the affair Such a breakfast they had not had in years! He looked again at the clock through the window “I have an engagement,” he said, “at nine.” “And when will you come back? “T cannot quite tell, Ii I am gone longer than noon, however, I will send you word. “ And the furniture for the new home Ab, my dear, you know my taste is not of the best. T leave it all to you, Expect me when you see me. He laughed Then he kissed her and the children in turn. “ Remember,”” he said as he went out, “ you are now to be happy—happy all the rest of your life, for there is never any occasion for you to want.” He hurried to the doctor's office nine when he entered The doctor, on his face an immense look of relief, almost embraced him as he entered “Of course you would keep your word you shouldn't. It was on the stroke of No reason why You have arranged everything.”” (Continued on page 56) comicbooks.com