I will read it.
"'Liege, Belgium, Oct. -, 1910. What is believed to be the first
criminal case in which radium figures as a death-dealing agent is
engaging public attention at this university town. A wealthy old
bachelor, Pailin by name, was found dead in his flat. A stroke of
apoplexy was at first believed to have caused his death, but a
close examination revealed a curious discolouration of his skin.
A specialist called in to view the body gave as his opinion that
the old man had been exposed for a long time to the emanations of
X-ray or radium. The police theory is that M. Pailin was done to
death by a systematic application of either X-rays or radium by a
student in the university who roomed next to him. The student has
disappeared.'
"Now here, I believe, was the suggestion which this American
criminal followed, for I cut it out of the paper rather expecting
sooner or later that some clever person would act on it. I have
thoroughly examined the room of Mrs. Close. She herself told me
she never wanted to return to it, that her memory of sleepless
nights in it was too vivid. That served to fix the impression
that I had already formed from reading this clipping. Either the
X-ray or radium had caused her dermatitis and nervousness. Which
was it? I wished to be sure that I would make no mistake.
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