is gloves, he proceeded.

"I have found out by a cablegram to-day that seven weeks ago an order
for one hundred milligrams of radium bromide at thirty-five dollars a
milligram from a certain person in America was filled by a corporation
dealing in this substance."

Kennedy said this with measured words, and I felt a thrill run through
me as he developed his case.

"At that same time, Mrs. Close began a series of treatments with
an X-ray specialist in New York," pursued Kennedy. "Now, it is not
generally known outside scientific circles, but the fact is that in
their physiological effects the X-ray and radium are quite one and
the same. Radium possesses this advantage, however, that no elaborate
apparatus is necessary for its use. And, in addition, the emanation from
radium is steady and constant, whereas the X-ray at best varies slightly
with changing conditions of the current and vacuum in the X-ray tube.
Still, the effects on the body are much the same.

"A few days before this order was placed I recall the following despatch
which appeared in the New York papers. I will read it.

"'Liege, Belgium, Oct.--, 1910. What is believed to be the first
criminal case in which radium figures as a death-dealing agent is
engaging public attention at this university town. A wealthy old
bachelor, Pailin by name, was found dead in his flat. A stroke of
apoplexy was at first believed to have caused his death, but a close
examination revealed a curious discolouration of his skin. A specialist
called in to view the body gave as his opinion that the old man had been
exposed for a long time to the emanations of X-ray or radium. The police
theory is that M. Pailin was done to death by a systematic application
of either X-rays or radium by a student in the university who roomed
next to him. The student has disappeared.'

"Now here, I believe, was the suggestion which this American criminal
followed, for I cut it out of the paper rather expecting sooner or later
that some clever person would act on it. I have thoroughly examined the
room of Mrs. Close. She herself told me she never wanted to return to
it, that her memory of sleepless nights in it was too vivid. That
served to fix the impression that I had already formed from reading
this clipping. Either the X-ray or radium had caused her dermatitis
and nervousness. Which was it? I wished to be sure that I would make no
mistake. Of course I knew it was useless to look for an X-ray mac