The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-07-12


ate my statement the doctor could
make me pay dearly for such slander
uttered against him.
The only dependence seemed to be
in Mrs. 1lurd. TO her I unbound my
self freely. told her without reserve
that believed DR.. Spencer was killing
bis wife by slow poison, and besought
her to be constantly on the watch to
save the victim, and to discover some
proof by which we could tastcu the
guilt upon him.
She smiled grimly and promised obe-
dicnce. [ gave her powerful anti
dote for the poison I suspected, and
went home perturbcd and anxious in
mind. l did not sleep that night, and
all the next day was in a high fever
of excitement. A ring at the bell
made me trenble-a step on the gravel
outside my office stopped my breath,
and hardly knew what expected to
hear, yet l felt sure that before slept
1 should hear something.
And now l must tell the story as it
was told to me.
DR. Spencer returned homo in the
morning after my visit to Clifton
House. He looked wretohedly, the
nurse said; appeared gloomy and de-
pressed. Miss Melrose came with him
and was decorously sad over the death
of her sister. Women IF her stamp
always do mourn to perfection. They
never overdo nor underdo the thing, as
women of feeling are likely to do.
DIR. Spencer came at once to his
wife's chamber. He thought she looked
i'll, and prescribed cordial at once,
saying that he would q and fetch it.
"You are always ordering cordials
for her." said Mrs. Hurd, musingly.
"Why not take something yourself! /!
You look like ghost.''
He eyed her kcenly, but replied COM
posedly.
'.It think I will take some of the
cordial myself, for do not feel quite
will. Alicia dear, shall bring it here
and drink your health?"
Mrs. Spencer smiled sadly in assent
she never disputed her Lusband--and
he went out. Presently he returned
with two glasses. Both contained
liquor, colorlcss and odorlcss. Mrs.
Hurd was watching him with her heart
in her throat, for as she told me, she
felt that the decisive moments had
come. There was something in the
gray pallor in doctors rigid face that
told her of a desperate purpose in the
mans soul.
lie lifted the glass On the right of
the tray and gave it to his wife.
"Drink it DEAR" he said, sit is a
panacea for all evils. l also am going
to take glass of it!' and he pointed
to the glass still on the tray.
Mrs. Spencer accepted it; and was
putting it to her lips, when Mrs. Hurd
interrupted.
''If you will bring her tumbler of
water, doctor: Mrs. Spencer complains
that the cordial leaves bad taste in
her mouth, and my old bones are so
full of rheumatism that it nearly kills
me to 60 down stairs"
The doctor turned and bent on her a
look as if he would read her through.
But she kept her face passive. If he
had any suspicious her manner quieted
them, and putting down the glass he
left the room. Then Mrs. Hurd chang
ed the position of the glasses.
When he came back-and he was
gone but moment--the nurse stood
just exactly where he had left her, and
Mrs. Spencer was lying back in her
chair with her eyes closed
Again he lifted the glass--this time
it was the one intended for himself
and placed it at the lips Of his wife.
She drank the contents, swallowed a
little of the water he had brought her
and thanked him in her sad, sweet
way.
'Now for my own cordial" said he
with affected gayety. Il indulge in
something little stronger" and as he
spoke he tossed off the mixture.
''It made me stone cold to my
fingures' ends to see him do it, said
Mrs. Hurd, relating the circumstances
to me, ''but heaven is my witness, |
felt not a single twinge of conscience. |
argued like this: if it was simple
cordial, as he had said, it would do him
no harm. If it was poison his blood
would be on his own sinfnl head"
He went to bed half an hour after
ward complaining of fatigue. In the
morning they found him dead!