Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-10-18
THE POISONED POTION

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tions of the brain"
"And what have you been writing
to him about?"
Glow do you know l have"
81 happened to look at the letters
you left on the hall table this morn
ing"
"Well?"
"Well, I only asked. 1 wasn't
aware that you knew him."
ooh, yes, Ballantyne and I are
very old friends"
But | never heard you mention
his name before"
"Indeed?"
This dialogue had been conducted
with an evident anxiety on tho one
side and reserve on the other by NO
means characteristic of the speakers.
Jack Rivers had always been
frankness itself, and Dolly the most
light-hearted and unsuspicious oil
wives.
Their married life indeed, had been
one of unalloyed happiness, though
undertaken against the advice of all
their friends and relations.
Dolly's father had been furious at
her engagement to a "beggarly bank
er's clerk" and had refused TO attend
her wedding or to give her any as
sistance towards the young peoples
housekeeping expenses,
Jacks relatives, too, after his neg
lect of their solemn warnings against
marrying a penniless girl, when Miss
Argent with her $40, 1000 might have
been had for the asking, had "wash-
ed their hands as they put it, "of the
whole concern
In spite, however, of poverty and
isolation, the young wife had new
er regretted her marriage nor consid-
cred herself other than the happiest
OF women till within the last few
weeks preceding the above conversa-
ton.
The last few weeks!
When and how Dolly's misgivings
were first aroused she scarcely knew,
but at the time when she put the
question to her husband about his
letter to the specialist they had al
ready assumed a definite form.
Ste felt convinced that Jack had
something on his mind, and she,
moreover, suspected the cause OF his
trouble. 1t was not only that
his habits and manner had gradually
changed; that he ommitted the Gus
tomary little attentions to his wife:
that he sat at his meals drumming
with his fingers on the table, and
starting or staring vacantly when
suddenly addressed; not only that he
displayed strange irritability; that
he locked himself up in his study after
dinner, or went out late, with the I'M
satisfactory explanation that he
wanted to read at the club. 1t was
not alone that he came to bed at
irregular hours, only to toss and
tumble through the weary watches.
All this was nothing to the revela-
ton madeon eawrul night when Dolly,
listening breathlessly at his side, over
heard his muttered words. She knew
he was awake and not dreaming.
Why, then, should he talk of murder
and poison, and seem to be balanc-
ing in his mind the comparative
merits of alternativem modes OF death?
What could it mean
Could the terrible explanation
which had previously crossed her
mind be true, and were this irrita-
bility, this abstraction and this
the symptoms ofa weak
ening mind, ofapproaching insanity?
Such being the suspicion already
entertained, the result of Dollv's dis
covery that her husband was in COR
with Il brain doctor NAV
be imagined. Evidently, she thought,
Jack knew his danger and was ask
ing tor assistance, and what was the
duty OF wife in the circumstances?
Surely to ascertain the nature of the
advice given in reply and to carry it
out with all the discretion and devo-
ton possible.
There was no difficulty in the first
part of this program. A letter, OBJ
1iously from Sir Robert Ballantyne,
vas delivered during Jacks absence
rom home and the nature of it's con-
;ents could be easily discovered with
,ut exciting suspicion. Now, how
'ver, that the desired information
vas within her reach, Dolly hesitat-
ID.
Suppose" she thought, cher sus-
,icions were unfounded and her hus-
sands letters had no connection
With the alteration in his manner!
suppose him, instead, the reposi, ory
II some guilty secret. or to be him
ELF involved in some criminal enter
'riser Such hesitation, however,,
vas only momentary.