"was very
serious ... and it has had most serious consequences." He turned to
the waiting men and extended a hand in farewell.

"We are going to Europe, Ruth and I," he told them. "Just rambling
around a bit. Our honeymoon, you know. Look us up if you're cruising
out that way."

Murder Madness

PART TWO OF A FOUR-PART NOVEL

_By Murray Leinster_

[Illustration: "_As the madness grew, the two men fought. They were
murder mad. The local sub-deputy gave his guests the thrill of
watching maniacs battling to the death._"]

[Sidenote: Bell, of the secret "Trade," strikes into the South
American jungle to find the hidden stronghold of The Master--the
unknown monster whose diabolical poison swiftly and surely is
enslaving the whole continent.]

Seven United States Secret Service men have disappeared in South
America. Another is found--a screaming homicidal maniac. It is rumored
that they are victims of a diabolical poison which produces "murder
madness."

Charley Bell, of the "Trade"--a secret service organization that does
not officially exist--discovers that a sinister system of slavery is
flourishing in South America, headed by a mysterious man known only as
The Master. This slavery is accomplished by means of a poison which
causes its victims to experience a horrible writhing of the hands,
followed by a madness to do murder, two weeks after the poison is
taken.

The victims get relief only with an antidote supplied through Ribiera,
The Master's Chief Deputy; but in the antidote there is more of the
poison which again in two weeks will take effect. And so it is that a
person who once receives the poison is forever enslaved.

[Illustration]

Bell learns that Ribiera has kidnapped Paula Canalejas, daughter of a
Brazilian cabinet minister--himself a victim--who has killed himself
on feeling the "murder madness," caused by the poison, coming over
him. Bell corners Ribiera in his home, buries the muzzles of two
six-guns in his stomach, and demands that he set Paula free.

CHAPTER VI

In this room the electric lights were necessary at all times. And it
occurred to Bell irrelevantly that perhaps there were no windows
because there might be sometimes rather noisy scenes within these
walls. And windows will convey the sound of screaming to the outside
air, while solid walls will not.

He stood alert and grim, with his revolvers pressing into Ribiera's
flabby flesh. His fingers were tensed upon the trig