“Ah,” mused the colonel, “I think I must cling to my first scent, and follow it through or over the water or into the earth.”
Then, laying aside the little green book, with its atmosphere of calm delight, he picked up a little thin volume, which bore on its title page “The Poisonous Plants of New Jersey.”
And in that he read:
“The water hemlock (Cicuta maculata L.) is the most
poisonous plant in the flora of the United States, and has
probably destroyed more human lives than all our other
toxic plants combined. As a member of the parsley family
(Umbellifera) it resembles in general appearance the carrot
and parsnip of the same group of plants. It grows in swampy
land. The poisoning of the human is chiefly with the fleshy
roots.
“The active principle of this cicuta is the volatile
alkaloid canine, common also to the poison hemlock (Conium
macula turn L.) The symptoms of the poisoning are many,
including violent contraction of the muscles, dilated pupils
and epilepsy... No antidote for canine poisoning is known...
The active canine... was the poison employed by the Greeks
in putting prisoners to death, Socrates being one of its
illustrious victims.”
And having read that much, Colonel Ashley looked at a little slip in the book. It bore the penciled memorandum “58 C. H.—~161*.”
“I wonder—I wonder,” mused the colonel, and so wondering, and with fitful dreams attending his slumbers, he passed the night.
Jean Forette drove the colonel and Viola to the office. They arrived rather early. In fact LeGrand Blossom was not yet in, and when he did enter, a few minutes later, he was plainly surprised to see them.
“Is anything the matter?” asked the confidential clerk, as he quickly opened his desk. “I am sorry I was late this morning. But I had some matters to look after—”
“No apology necessary,” said Colonel Ashley, quickly. “We have not been waiting long. We have discovered something.”
If his life had depended on it LeGrand Blossom could not, at that moment, have concealed a start of surprise.