The Vestibule Limited Mystery — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

78 THE VESTIBULE LIMITED MYSTERY. white form and examines the face, even open. _ the mouth. Itis a scene I shall never forget—the fast traii. booming along in a cloud of dust as we cross streets, the anxious minutes of the sleeper, and this vener- able old rogue of an Israelite bending over poor Hammond. Then I see him feel about the body, searching the vest-pockets. As TI expect, he finds in one the empty vial that contained the opiate Robert Ham- mond did not take. Upon this he pounces with the | eagerness shown by a cat when it discovers a mouse. “Ah! now we have it, I think,” he says. Drawing the cork, he holds the vial to his nose, and smells of the odor; then, as if not fully satis- fied, he places it on his tongue to taste of it, and it is really ridiculous to see the look of alarm on his face, and note the eagerness with which he cleanses his tongue. “Gentlemen, I recognize all the symptoms of poisoning in this unfortunate young man, and here we have the means—arsenic. I have no doubt he has committed suicide, perhaps when out of his mind.” Those standing near, utter exclamations of horror and sympathy, while ‘he wretched Evangeline, in the opposite section, carries on in quite a hysterical fashion. “Is he dead?” asks one of the Englishmen. “So near it that there is no hope. I will try and get something down his throat, but I assure you, gentlemen, it is quite useless.” Again he thrusts his long beard and head into the lower berth. I chance to look toward Acton, and catch a quick motion. _ comicbooks.co m