After being deposited, in its usual
place, in the pantry, it began to darken; first of all it became light
blue, then deepened into an almost inky blackness, exhibiting curious
zigzag lines; and, lastly, the whole mass began to putrefy and to emit
a stench so overpowering that every one in the house retched, and the
whole place had to be disinfected. This occurred day after day.
Nothing would stop it. The dairyman who supplied the milk did all he
could to counteract it. He had his dairies constantly cleansed, he saw
that the cattle had a change of food, he bought an entirely new stock
of dairy utensils, and no milk was ever sent to the Cottage that he
had not had carefully analyzed.
The troubles continued for three weeks, at the end of which period
John Martin received a telephone call from Hamar.
"Hullo!" the latter said, "I guess you've had about enough of it by
this time. Wouldn't you like some sweet-smelling milk for a change, or
do you prefer to go on till you all get typhoid? The remedy, you know,
lies in your own hands. You've only to tell that daughter of yours to
accept me, and I'll undertake all your troubles shall cease."
"I'll see you hanged first," John Martin answered.
"Very well, then, you old mule," Hamar shouted, "look out for
yourself--and Miss Gladys."
CHAPTER XXIII
LOVE
To bring about plagues of insects Hamar had resorted to a very simple
method. He had first of all made a wax image representing a
cockroach--scorpion--centipede, or whatever other species came into
his mind.
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