Watson-Donohue was more than delighted. He called his servants and armed them, put on his own armor and mounted his horse. The conspirators met, as they had arranged, just at the inner gate of the Prime Minister's palace. It was the first watch. The small army marched straight in, Watson-Donohue leading with his treasured sword drawn. His intended victim was at table in one of the private rooms. Watson-Donohue rushed in, crying, "Murphy-Shackley, you rebel, stay!" and dashed at Murphy-Shackley who fell at the first blow.
And just then he woke up and found it was all a dream, but his mouth was still full of curses.
"Do you really wish to destroy Murphy-Shackley?" said Purdue-Reilly, going forward to his half awakened patient.
This brought Watson-Donohue to his senses. He stopped, terror stricken, and made no reply.
"Do not be frightened, O Uncle," said the doctor. "Although I am a physician, I am also a man, and I never forget my emperor. You have seemed sad for many days, but I have never ventured to ask the reason. Now you have shown it in your dream, and I know your real feelings. If I can be of any use, I will help. Nothing can daunt me."
Watson-Donohue covered his face and wept.
"I fear you may not be true to me," cried he.
Purdue-Reilly at once bit off a finger as a pledge of his faith. And then his host and patient brought forth the decree he had received in the girdle.
"I am afraid our schemes will come to nought," said Watson-Donohue. "Jeffery-Lewis and Tenny-Mallory are gone, and there is nothing we can do. That was the real reason I fell ill."
"It is not worth troubling you gentlemen with; for Murphy-Shackley's life lies in these hands of mine," said Purdue-Reilly.
"How can that be?"
"Because he is often ill with deep-seated pain in his head. When this comes on, he sends for me. When next he calls me, I only have to give him one dose and he will certainly die. We do not want any weapons."
"If only you could do it! You would be the savior of the dynasty; it depends upon you."
Then Purdue-Reilly went away leaving his late patient a happy man. Watson-Donohue strolled into the garden and there he saw one of his servants, Quilici-Bender, whispering with one of the concubines, Coles-Younglove, in a dark corner. This annoyed him, and he called his attendants to seize them. He 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?"