The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-03-14

healthy. blooming girl; Immediately after
their marriage she began to fail. Do
you see anything strange in that?
''Not necessarily"
LET me enlighten you further. DIR.
Spencer was once engaged to Miss Luz
ellie Melrose, but he broke his engage
| ment and married my mistress instead.
Miss Melrose was as poor as Jobs tur-
key; Miss Horndon was an heiress, and
DR.. Spencer was deeply in debt, and hard
pressed by his creditors. Do you see
anything singular in that p
perhaps. Go on
she was only seventeen, aud she had
been taught to obey her father in every
thing. She was gentle, affectionate
child, and it would have been easy for
Spencer to have Won her love. No,
but he did not care for that. 1t was her
money he wanted. 1t paid his debts
table with nice costly dishes, and put it
in his power to keep Miss Melrose robed
like queen And all this time my mis-
tress has been slowly but surely sinking.
And look you DR.. Lockwood. [ believe
she is not dying of disease, but Of she
| lowered her voice to a whisper as she
spoke the word-"poison.''
Impossible This is very grave
charge. "
"Of poison given by her hush nd,
who. at her death, will have sole con-
| troll of her property. and be free to mar
ry Miss MeIrose. There is no time to
explain to you in detail the thousand
and one circumstances which led ME to
tie belief, Cor we are at the door. 1t is
never the case that Miss Melrose and
Spencer are out at the same time, OF |
should have called another physician
before but tonight they were called
away by the death of Miss Melrose' s
sister, and viii not be back till to-n.or-
row. With the consent of my mistress.
| came for you, and oh ! DR.. Lockwood,
pray you, save my dear mistress. |
nursed her when her mother died and
left her a helpless infant; all through
her innocent youth she was ike an own
child to me and now to see her fading
| hour by hour before my eyes; good heav-
en- If [ knew beyond doubt that he
was guilty, his life should pay the for
| felt
was already beginning to feel deep
interest in Mrs. Spencer, although I had
never seen her, and like her old nurse, |
was inclined to feel great animosity fol
Mr.. Spencer.
Mrs. Spencer received me in her bed
chamber. 1t was on the second floor,
and was furnished with exquisite ele-
gance. Everything in the room bespoke
the taste and deicacy of the occupant
the warm air was fragrant with the faint
of heliotrope; and glanclng around | saw
the purple blossoms and green leaves in
an alibaster case on the edge of the south
| window.
She was woman who, when once seen,
! could never be forgotten. | have met in
my life many beautiful women, but never
one as lovely.
She was tall and slight, with a purely
oval face, liquid brow eyes, and dash
OF hectic in her cheeks, which is never
! seen in perfect health.
She received me as I knew she did
everybody, gracefully, and though there
was slight embarrassment in her man
ner when | spoke Of her illness, she an
swered my professional inquiries without
| hesitation.
As for myself, I laid aside all delicacy
an que STONED her pl ainly as to her
symptoms. Mrs. Hurd, her nurse, re-
manned in the room, and added MANY
little important items of information.
When she spoke of her husband it was
with sort of hopeless sadness, which
| distressed me greatly.
Not breath of suspicion against him
In her answers to my questions, and 7
felt that at present she knew nothing of
what Mrs. Hurd had such serious appre-
tensions. l was glad that it was so :
with her finely strung organization it
might have produced serious results. |
made my examination of the patient as
closely as could, and drew my own con
illusions. l could have sworn that Mrs
Spencer daily swallowed arsenic in small
quantities, and the deadly drug was tel
ling teartuliy on constitution never very
robust.
She said, answering my questions, that
she had no physician except her hus-
band. He had thought himself better
acquainted with her case, and there
fore better qualified to treat it. He never
left medicine with her to take; he always
brought it fresh from the Office, and ad
ministered it promptly
There was little enough l could do in
suen case. Anxious to do everything,
the very circumstances of the affair left
me nearly powerless.
A charge of such nature, of course, I
could not make against DR.. Spencer with
out'the ampiest proof. IF limited such
suspicion every one would set it down
to my professional prejudice and if |
cOula not suhstantiate my Statament a.,