and arms pulled wide apart with buckskin thongs, he had
been fastened head down on the wall beside his door. Yet this was not
all. Hanging at the end of a string--in fact, now resting inertly
against his cheek--was the scarlet, black and yellow ringed body of a
coral snake, the deadly elaps. Its head had been severed and lay upon
the floor directly underneath.

In a flash I read the story: a duel of teeth between this captive
reptile and the semi-crucified man; the one in anger wounding, the other
snapping in his frenzy to sever that venomous head--his only means of
escape from it. From the way the thongs had cut into his wrists and
ankles I knew the struggle had been wild, yet much of this may have come
from the insanity later kindled by the poison. But that period of
torment now had passed. Strength was exhausted, and life dangled by the
merest thread.

I heard Tommy draw in his breath. With a shiver Smilax turned away.
Better than we he understood what the old man had endured. Together we
cut the pitiable victim down, carried him inside and laid him on a kind
of divan.

"Who did this?" Tommy kneeled and called in a loud voice close to his
ear, hoping to reach a consciousness that had receded far into the
shadows.

"I know who did it," I interrupted. "Quick! While there's time let me
ask something we're not so sure about!" And, taking Tommy's place, I
called: "Is Doloria the princess of Azuria?"

It was so obviously my duty to see that she learned the truth from one
who knew, that I may be forgiven this apparent disregard for the
sufferer in our hands. But he showed no sign of having heard, although I
called again and again in a more commanding voice. His mouth had not
munched the air since we put him down, and Tommy, listening for a heart
beat, looked up quietly, saying:

"Must have died on the way in."

"If we'd only come an hour ago," I exclaimed.

"No," Smilax shook his head, "him only squeal ve'y bad for last twelve
hour. Me reckon some men come back last night; say he plan Lady
run-'way; tie him up; tie on snake. No, him no talk hour ago. Coral
snake bite make him ve'y crazy bad."

Tommy had arisen and was walking softly back and forth across the room.
Finally he stopped, saying over his shoulder:

"I'll give odds there's more in this old desk than he could have told in
a week! Here's a safe, too, stuck back in an alcove, that looks like it
might hold a ton! You won't have any trouble finding out th