Horatio Vernon Ellis

“ Staggering like a man intoxicated, he followed me to his room, which was situated back of the library, my own being on the floor above, directly over his. I had brought the automatic with me from the library. Switching on the lights, I laid it on the chiffonier, remarking as I did so:
"There, Chadwick; that’s more than a match for a dozen animals, no matter what they are." ”

“ The odor of decay and mold was sickening. As our progress led us deeper into that hell-hole, the air grew heavier. It smelt dead.
"Suddenly one of the bush-beaters up ahead of me gave a yell. There was a crashing of brush, and an old she-gorilla carrying a young one at its breast bore down upon us. Froth dripped from its mouth. On the instant I raised my rifle and fired. With a scream the beast slumped to the ground, the young one tightly clutched to its breast. ”

“ I caught it just as it came up to the cage. As I clutched the little fellow, the mother let out a roar of rage and began tearing at the bars of her cage in a wild frenzy to reach me. As the howls of its mother increased in volume it started to scratch and bite like a little devil, in an effort to get away. Intending to choke it into insensibility I grasped it hy the throat, I must have held it in my grip too long, for when I dropped it to the ground it was dead. ”

“ Like a man in a trance he seemed searching his mind to gather together the loose ends of a shattered thought.
"Oh! yes—now I remember. After leaving the circus tent I went direct to my rooms. I had a feeling of impending doom. ”