The Black Mask — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

a : a ¥ After Midnight “Why rake all that up?’ snapped Dwyer impatiently. “All that detail came out at the trial.” “Because you are going to know the truth. Because I am going to prove my statements, I don’t know if Andrew Willoughby is insane or not, but I do know that in the interest of science he will stop at nothing, not even murder! Please,” he continued, raising a silencing hand as they would have interrupted him. “He was making some tests of a new, very strange and interesting Eastern poi- son—it left no trace of any kind; a touch of it on a mucous membrane would produce instant death. This was not enough for Dr. Willoughby; he was searching for a poison whose mere contact would be deadly. At last he hit upon one. A harmless enough liquid until combined with metal and moisture—” Lannen gave an exclamation of surprise. Willoughby had seated himself, and now.sat staring at the speaker with beaded, fascinated eyes. He —wet his lips with the tip of his tongue but otherwise made no move- ment. “The trouble with this poison,” continued Moore, “was that the vic- tim died in convulsions—the death being of several moments’ duration. Consequently Willoughby was still dissatisfied. I don’t know what his desire was in making of poisoning a fine art, I don’t think that at that time murder was his object. He sacrificed numerous animals in his experiments, even Louise’s pet Airedale and a Per- sian cat belonging to the house- keeper were destroyed. The brutal- ity of their death, the horrible agony they suffered was getting on my I wanted to get away. He- nerves. did not let John Gordon into the se- cret of these Poisons, SO | Gordon: wai . 119 in total ignorance of Willoughby’s ambition. “I began to fear my brother-in-law. _There was an insane glitter in his eyes when at work. It dawned upon me that he would not endure any ob- stacle being placed in his way, and that because of my knowledge of his tests, he hated me, although he needed me. Then John Gordon was found dead. His attitude, the tor- tured expression on his face proved conclusively he had been poisoned, though if Willoughby had not so painstakingly explained the nature of that poison no one would have de- tected it in his system. Whether my brother-in-law deliberately killed him as a test—or it was an accident, I am | not prepared to state,—but I had nothing to do with it. The metal cup which contained the coffee which Gordon drank, I never saw before— so help me God! Willoughby swore in court to my carelessnes—that I had deliberately left that cup which had been used on a tea table—and young Gordon had poured coffee in- to it and drank it! It was a lie; Dr. Willoughby himself did it! I had nothing to support my statement then. I was working for a reputable famous scientist. What was my word against his? With every proof in the world against me? But I made up my mind that the instant those prison doors closed behind me, and I was again a free man. [I would not only prove my innocence—but An- drew Willoughby’s guilt, and I have done so.’ He paused abruptly. “IT escaped. The papers gave the | details. I took a chance in coming | here,—but as Louise’s gardener I was safe from you if Willoughby did not recognize me. For a long time he __ mever noticed me. One servant was =. ee OS