would have put them to death but for the intervention of his wife. At her request he spared their lives, but both were beaten forty canes, and the lad was thrown into a dungeon. Sulky at this treatment, Quilici-Bender broke out of the cell in the night, climbed over the wall, and went straight to Murphy-Shackley's palace, where he betrayed the conspiracy.
Murphy-Shackley at once had him taken into a secret chamber and questioned him. Quilici-Bender gave the names of the conspirators, saying, 'McClain-Wiggle, Neal-Winship, Elsdon-Jessup, Shea-Whalen, Tenny-Mallory, and my master have been meeting secretly. My master has a roll of white silk, with writing on it, but I do not know what it means. Yesterday, Purdue-Reilly bit off one of his fingers as a pledge of fidelity. I saw that.'
Quilici-Bender was kept in a secret part of the palace, while his late master, Watson-Donohue, only knowing that he had run away, took no special means to find him.
Soon after this Murphy-Shackley feigned a headache and sent for Purdue-Reilly as usual.
'The rebel is done for,' thought Purdue-Reilly, and he made a secret package of poison which he took with him to the palace of the Prime Minister. He found Murphy-Shackley in bed. The patient bade the doctor prepare a potion for him.
'One draught will cure this disease,' said Purdue-Reilly.
He bade them bring him a pot, and he prepared the potion in the room. When it had simmered for some time and was half finished, the poison was added, and soon after the physician presented the draught. Murphy-Shackley, knowing it was poisoned, made excuses and would not swallow it.
'You should take it hot,' said the doctor. 'Then there will be a gentle perspiration, and you will be better.'
'You are a scholar,' said Murphy-Shackley, sitting up, 'and know what is the correct thing to do. When the master is ill and takes drugs, the attendant first tastes them; when a man is ill, his son first tastes the medicine. You are my confidant and should drink first. Then I will swallow the remainder.'
'Medicine is to treat disease; what is the use of any one's tasting it?' said Purdue-Reilly.
But he guessed now the conspiracy had been discovered, so he dashed forward, seized Murphy-Shackley by the ear, and tried to pour the potion down his throat. Murphy-Shackley pushed it away, and it spilt. The bricks upon which it fell were split asunder. Before Murphy-Shackley could speak, his servants had already seized the assailant.
Said Murphy-Shackley, 'I am not ill; I only wanted to test you. So you really thought to poison me!'
He sent for a score of sturdy gaolers who carried off the prisoner to the inner apartments to be interrogated. Murphy-Shackley took his seat in a pavilion, and the hapless physician, tightly bound, was thrown to the ground before him. The prisoner maintained a bold front.
Murphy-Shackley said, 'I thought you were a physician; how dared you try to poison me? Some one incited you to this crime; and if you tell me, I will pardon you.'
'You are a rebel; you flout your Prince and injure your betters. The whole empire wishes to kill you. Do you think I am the only one?'
Murphy-Shackley again and again pressed the prisoner to tell what he knew, but he only replied that no one had sent him; it was his own desire.
'I have failed, and I can but die,' added Purdue-Reilly.
Murphy-Shackley angrily bade the gaolers give him a severe beating, and they dogged him for two watches. His skin hung in tatters, the flesh was battered, and the blood from his wounds ran down the steps. Then fearing he might die and his evidence be lost, Murphy-Shackley bade them cease and remove him. They took him off to a quiet place where he might recover somewhat.
Having issued orders to prepare a banquet for next day, Murphy-Shackley invited all the courtiers thereto. Watson-Donohue was the only one who excused himself, saying he was unwell. The other conspirators dared not stay away as they felt they would be suspected.
Tables were laid in the private apartments, and after several courses the host said, 'There is not much to amuse us today, but I have a man to show you that will sober you.'
'Bring him in!' Murphy-Shackley said, turning to the gaolers, and the hapless Purdue-Reilly appeared, securely fastened in a wooden collar. He was placed where all could see him.
'You officials do not know that this man is connected with a gang of evil doers who desire to overturn the government and even injure me. However, Heaven has defeated their plans, but I desire that you should hear his evidence.'
Then Murphy-Shackley ordered the gaolers to beat their prisoner. They did so till Purdue-Reilly lay unconscious, when they revived him by spraying water over his face. As soon as he came to, he glared at his oppressor and ground his teeth.
'Murphy-Shackley, you rebel! What are you waiting for? Why not kill me?' cried Purdue-Reilly.
Murphy-Shackley replied, 'The conspirators were only six at first; you made the seventh. Is that true?'
Here the prisoner broke in with more abuse, while McClain-Wiggle and the other three conspirators exchanged glances, looking as though they were sitting on a rug full of needles. Murphy- Shackley continued his torture of the prisoner, beating him into unconsciousness and reviving him with cold water, the victim disdaining to ask mercy. Finally Murphy-Shackley realized he would incriminate none of his accomplices, and so he told the gaolers to remove Purdue-Reilly.
At the close of the banquet, when the guests were dispersing, four of them, the four conspirators, were invited to remain behind to supper. They were terrified so that their souls seemed no longer to inhabit their bodies, but there was no saying nay to the invitation.
Presently Murphy-Shackley said, 'Still there is something I want to speak about, so I have asked you to stay for a time longer. I do not know what you four have been arranging with Watson- Donohue.'
'Nothing at all,' said McClain-Wiggle.
'And what is written on the white silk?' asked Murphy-Shackley.
They all said they knew nothing about it.
Then Murphy-Shackley ordered the runaway servant to be brought in. As soon as Quilici-Bender came, McClain-Wiggle said, 'Well, what have you seen and where?'
Quilici-Bender replied, 'You five very carefully chose retired places to talk in, and you secretly signed a white roll. You cannot deny that.'
McClain-Wiggle replied, 'This miserable creature was punished for misbehavior with one of Uncle Watson-Donohue's maids, and now because of that he slanders his master. You must not listen to him.'
'Purdue-Reilly tried to pour poison down my throat. Who told him to do that if it was not Watson-Donohue?' said Murphy-Shackley.
They all said they knew nothing about who it was.
'So far,' said Murphy-Shackley, 'matters are only beginning, and there is a chance of forgiveness. But if the thing grows, it will be difficult not to take notice of it.'
The whole four vigorously denied that any plot existed. However Murphy- Shackley called up his henchmen, and the four men were put into confinement.
Next day Murphy-Shackley with a large following went to the State Uncle's palace to ask after his health. Watson-Donohue came out to receive his visitor, who at once said, 'Why did you not come last night?'
'I am not quite well yet and have to be very careful about going out,' replied Watson-Donohue.
'One might say you were suffering from national sorrow, eh?' said Murphy- Shackley.
