St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-07-16
DR.. spencer's Great Crime.

night was stormy and the clock was on
tue stroke of eleven. | was just about
to turn off the gds and retire, for, be
ing a bachelor, ! slept in the room con
nected with my office, when there was
pull at the bell.
/ started up suddenly, for this was
something new. Middlebury was 1
decorous sort of place, and the peOpl,
usually managed to be taken sick al
seasonabIe hours.
Old Mrs. Jerome had been threaten
ing to die for the past five years, and
every time | visited her she sOlemnly
informed me that when the decisive
moment did come, she desired me pres
ent. But az nothing allied the old lady
beyond now and then AN indigestion
from too much high living, had never
yet been called upon to he present al
her death
Now, thought, it must he old Mrs
jerome is going.
took up my night lamp aud went
to the door. A strong gust of damp
sleet wind nearly extiuguished the
light, but, shading it with my hand,
discerned the face of a woman.
Come ill.," said /, holding open the
door, but she declined with IL gesture
of impatience.
"YOu must come out" she said, in q
sharp, incisive voice, "and he quick
about it,"
j put on my OvercOat without demur
locked the surgery door, and stepped
into the storm. As did so the woman
laid IA firm hand on my arm, and put
ting her face close to mine said
"Dr. Lockwood, can You keep a Sc
cret ~
IL think So, madam"
"Swear it,"
"Is this secret of yours of profess
sional character That is, is it any
thing YOU wish to cOntide in me as a
medical man ?"
at is"
every well, then. | swear it,"
THAT is right"
A man respects an oath, though why
he should is "a mystery, since mems
mouths are running over with them.
WHITTIER are you taking me and for
what purpose 7"
'"To the Clifton house to see the mis-
tress." | started.
Clifton house was the old mansion
recently taken 10y DR.. Spencer, a strang-
er to every one in Middlebury. Spen-
Ger was IA tall, dark, rather distinguish
ed looking person, who had hung out
his sign in the village, only a few doors
above mine, but as yet he had got no
practice.
lie was unsOcial in the extreme,
avoiding his neighbors persistently,
and when he did speak it was in such a
curt, half-savage way that no one was
f., . hs..
The doctor had wife, it was said,
but no one had ever seen her. She
was an invalid, and Miss MelrOse, a
friend of the family, presided over the
family and sat ut the head of the table.
Miss Mclrose was yet beautiful, and
won the admiration of all who visited
Clifton house 10y her ease of manner
and tacinating conversation.
"As we walk along" said my com
panion, "let me explain tn you just
what is necessary for you to know. My
mistress is very sick"
II beg your pardon it Mrs. Spen-
Ger or Miss MelroSe P'
She laughed bitterly.
Miss MelrOse would stab her to
the heart sooner than own her for a
mistress. My mistress is IA lady-noble,
royal and of gentle birth. 1T is an
honor To serve my mistress"
"And is she i'll d? How long since ?"
ever since she married him-curse
him ~ she muttered in fierce tone A.;
''but must not get excited. | must
tell my story, or rather hers. Two years
ago, through the desire of her dying
father. Alice Herdou became James
Spenccr's wife. Before that she was a
healthy, blooming girl; immediately
after their marriage she began to fail
DO you see anything strange in that ~
mot necessarily"
Let me enlighten you further. DIR.
Spencer was at one time engaged to
Miss Lucille MelrOse, but he broke the
engagement and married my mistress
instead. Miss Melrose was as poor as
Jobs turkey. Miss Herdon was an
heiress, and DIR. Spencer was deeply in
debt, and hard pressed by his credi-
tors. DO you see anything strange in
that ?n
perhaps so. Go on"
"N hen my mistress married Spencer
she was only seventeen, and had been
taught to obey her father in every
thing. She WIS a gentle, atfectiOuate
child, and it would have been easy for
Spencer tn have won her love. But he
did not care for that. 1t was her money
he wanted. 1t paid his debts aud
bought linn fast horses it set his table
with nice and costly dishes, aud put it
IN his power TO keep Miss Melrose
ROBBED like "A queen. Aud all this time
my mistress had been slowly, but sure
". sinking, and look you. DIR. Lock
wood, ] believe she is not dying of dis
ease, but of she lowered her voice
To a whisper as she spoke the word
''pOisOn."
"ImpOssibie, this is grave charge"
''Of poison given her by her husband
who, at her death, will have sole con
troll OF her property and be free to
marry Miss Meirose. There Is no time
to explain the details of the thousand
and one circumstances which have led
me Ia believe it, for we are almost at
the door. Ii is never the case that
Miss Meirose and Spencer are out at
the same time, or should have called
a physician before but tonight they
are both called away by the death of
Miss Melrose's sister and will not be
back until Tomorrow. With the con-
sent of my mistress | came for You,
and OH DIR. Lockwood, / pray You
save my dear mistress. | nursed her
when her mother died and left her a
helpless infant all through her limo
cent youth she was like an own child
to me and now to see her fading hour
by hour before my eyes Good heav- !
ensi If knew beyond doubt that he |