The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-05-31

He sauntered coollY into the little phar-
macy, around which were ranged the vari-
Gus shelves containing the manifold fluids
and extracts requisite to the peculiar pro
fession with which they were associated
A young man, tall, dark, and with long,
unkempt hair, and cadaverous countenance
greeted his advent with bow.
What is your pleasure, sir p he asked.
You are the proprietor N
" No, sir
The clerk, then r.
The young man bowed.
Mr. Vivian, still keeping his eyes fixed
upon the clerk, said
" ou put up prescription from DIR.
Rodney, few hours since r.
" Yes, sir | hope there was no mistakei
There was a very large quantity Of a Ger
tain deadly drug in it, but | didn't know
but what it was for a special purpose"
" You were right in your inference, re-
piled Mr.. Vivian. DR.. Rodney desired
it for certain purpose. You preserve al
prescriptions I"
Always, sir. Here is the prescription
book.
He handed, as he spoke, thick volume,
in which were pasted large number Of
prescriptions.
Mr.. Vivian turned over its pages, until
he came to the one DR. Rodney had given
a short time before.
. 1 do not know, if 1t is contrary to
your usual custom" said Mr.. Vivian,
politely. but | should like a copy, an ex-
act copy, Of that prescription. DIR. Rod
ney's skill has convinced me that he is well
versed in his profession, and | should like
to use this some time.
"No objection at all, sir said the clerk
with alacrity, copying the prescription
a." ! will put Mr. Manly name to II, as he
always does, in giving a copy Of prescrip-
ton"
Mr.. Vivian, understanding that Mr.
Manly was the apothecary's name, took the
prescription, and, handing the clerk piece
Uf silver for his trouble, left the store
He found the house IN mourning when
he returned, and, without again entering
the room where lay Mr. Vincent's body, he
repaired to his own room.
" Everything goes right, he unused,
half aloud, " and l do not wonder that Ce-
ell Dare was enthusiastic over Bella Rod
ney's beauty. | made bold stroke when
| suggested to Mr. Vincent that she should
marry me. A bold game ] am playing
and, with the aid Of my usual good fortune
| shall make a paying and successful
one"
A cold shiver ran through his frame, as
on gazing at the open window in the dim
twilight, he saw, OF imagined he saw, that
spectral face and form, which, once before
that day, had haunted his vision. He rose
\ TO his feet with a startled cry Of horror and
amazement, and then, as the form disap-
peared he rushed to the window and
peered out into the darkness and gloom
Bnt he saw nothing A heavy trelis ran
up the house to the very window Of his
room, and, if mortal, his phantom had es
capped by that means.
Then drawing the curtain and lighting a
lamp which stood on the stand near by, he
with pale face and excited manner drew
from his pocket KEY, and with trembling
hands and agitated features, unlocked his
trunk.
He breathed more freely, as, reaching
far down, his hand came in contact with
some articles which he was IN search Uf
With sparkling eyes and flushed counte-
nance, he drew from the depths Of the
trunk small, curlousI constructed box Of
different woods He placed them on the
table, and then, drawing chair up to II,
unlocked with it small key which hung
pendant from his watch chain.
A dazzling blaze Of light flooded the
room as Mr. Vivian threw back the lid OF
the box, for the lamphght streaming upon
the small but exquisitely- shaped object in
the box. caused a thousand varied -lured
spears Of light to render the air pregnant
with brilliancy far out, rivalllng the most
L g he. hr,uh&a.& ,f
The man gazed at the object spell
/ bound d-entranced 1t was a diamond, q
parallelogram in shape, white and crystal
7 line in color. 1t lay embosomed by some
I finely -textured, curiously-woven, silky sub
stance, and was marvel of beauty, yer
table mountain of light
I Al fatal, fatal stone 4 tdlisp.GR once
bat nor one Of the links ~ a chain of cir-
euBlStdHces HrolriHg honor, reputation, and
eren life Itself A deadly possession, b,tt rs
otc,ser little thought il 30
Suddenly, Mr. Vivian closed the box,
and, turning, to his amazement, con
fronted Tom Gray
What do you want T. he demanded
brusquely.
Mrs Leonard sent me up, sir Will
7 you HdNc 1OuE lAiCdl Sclll W 1OuI NUpnl
mo. If they require my services down
stairs, come and inform me. | shall be in
my room all the evening
/ The boy withdrew, but the one glimpse
he had had Of the diamond was fixed upon
his memory.
II will put you away, my beauty" said
Mr.. Vivian. "Ah they will not find you,
if they search through all the world You
are worth the struggle had for YOU"
He placed the box back in the trunk. as
he spoke As he returned to his seat, a
folded paper on the table, which had hith-
erto escaped his notice, attracted his atten-
ton. He took It up, curiously, but, as
his eyes fell upon the Grabbed, peculiar
hand writing, that CHASTITY pallor which had
visited his face on a former occasion, be-
came again apparent
1T was no spectre, then - he groaned,
| thought him dead, long since. How 10 lg
has he tracked me, and am | ever to be
haunted by him Oh that | had made
sure Of him n
He again held the note up. 1t read
Traced from England to India, youl
hired emissary at Calcutta failed to make
away with me. | am on your track
have found you. When will YOU learr
to trust me, and to realize that he who i.
as silent as the night, as deep as your latest
plot and as ready rs ever, is valuable
man You must see me. | have visited
your room for the purpose Of leaving Thu
note &c. NJ"
Conrad Markham n gasped Mr.. Niv
ian. Then it is no ghost, but the hideou
reality. tViU trust him, but this time h,
shall carry no secrets Of mine about tn,
world -
TO By CONTINUED.
AN amateur snake-fancier. whose neigh
bors complain Of him for keeping beacon
strictors on the roof Of his house, defends
k....a.lf 4hnt h.. allr,r.oaoa h..