The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-10-10
ever noticed anything peculiar about

Yes" he said, "and THAI may o.
one reason why I've been drawn TO
ward her. She looks as my daughtel
used TO look"
Your daughter never had a daugh
ter?n ,.
"No-onlv one child-William."
And you are sure William II
dead ?"
Certainly.
How do YOU know ?"
"Why-the captain of the shiI
in which he sailed wrote me TO thai
effect"
Did it ever occur to you that
William Steinburg might have writ
ten that letter himself?"
NO. Such thing never enter
ed my mind. But what do yor
mean ?"
III tell you to morrow, said L
Il am in a hurry now.
got rid Of him as easy as posi-
bic and then went back TO my own
dwelling, when took one of my pis,
tolls and carefully loaded it; ano
thus armed | returned TO the boust
of nv patients. In all probability
the reader sees the drift of my sus-
picion. 1t is enough for me TO say
that suspicion amounted almost to 8
moral certainty. When | reached
the house | called the coachmar
and the groom. and when | had
made them understand what was tC
be done, they were eager enough tC
lend their assistance.
The nurse was in her chamber.
went up and two stout men followed
me. They waited upon the outside
while / entered the room. Nurse
was sitting by window reading.
Sir What means this intrusion +?
There was a start, but it was not the
start of virtuous woman. No, no.
far from it.
Easy said |, leaving the door
aiar behind me. William Steinburg
YOU have run the length of youl
rope?'
1t was too much for human nerve
too much, because it had not been
expected. Nurse gasped and quiv.
cred and turned pale-then leaped
to a drawer and pulled out a pistol
Holdr Ny pistol was cooked and
pointed directly at his head. You
see | am prepared"
He had exposed himself and knew
it and his next movement was cal
culated to distract my attention
Whether he hoped to escape or
whether he aimed at my life, | could
not tell and il made little difference,
for | haG out one course to pursue
/ called for my companions, and by
the time the nurse was secured there
was no doubt remaining as to the
sex. / saw him in place of safety
with a stout guard over him, and
then | went to see Mr.. Lawson.
| believed that it would do my pa
tient good to tell him the story OF
my discovery, since | could give him
hopes of recovery and accordingly
! told him all. He was not startled
as expected to see him.
i have suspected this, be said,
his head.
Since when p Iasked.
Since you spoke to me before.
Your remarks opened my eyes.
was prepared for this. William has
been poisoning me-
Yes
DO you think you can ever cure
me?'
Yes, | hope so. We will go at il
at once, and the result will be appar.
ent in a few days. And, in the
meantime, what shall be done with
our prisoner 2
Let him be safely guarded to-
night, and we will consult about
that tomorrow.
That very night was satisfied !
could arrest the work of the poison
that had been given, and SO told
Mr.. Lawson. | did not speak with
his wife upon the subject, leaving
him to do that himself.
On the following morning Mr.
Lawson told me that William Stein
burg had gone.
Don't be astcnished,' he said. j
sent him off myself. He confessed
his crime and | let him off,
| sent for him and he came tC
my room, and when / made him
understand that | should not seek
revenge upon him, he confessed tn,
whole. He had fabricated the story
of his own death for the simple pur
pose of throwing me off my guard
and also with the thought that j
might prevent his being mentioned
in my will, in the shape of disinher
itance. He knew that as, the off
spring Of my only child, he was hei
to my property, and with that h'
worked. He then told me that b,
got the recipe for the poison from al
old Indian, and that if he had no
been careless in giving it his secre
would never have been discovered
He said he would leave the country
if | would let him 90, and l coulC
not refuse. He was the son of m,
only daughter, and / could not se'
him suffer felon's doom. | do no
believe he will ever trouble NJ,
again.
On the whole, | did not blame m,
friend for what he had done, and 81
l finally told him. He had Learned
how the poison had been compound
ed, and when | knew the secret
knew how TO apply the antidote
Within a month both Mr.. Lawson
and his wife were well again, and
as may be supposed, their feeling
toward me had not grown cold.
About a year after that We hearC
that William Steinberg had gone t,
California He was keeping a gam
bling house in San Francisco. Ii
another year he was dead. 1t wa
no deception this time. He wa
shot in street row, and a friend o
mine who happened to be there
wrote me the particulars.
Story Of a Texas Well.