The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-11-30

his side, overheard his muttered words.
She knew he was awake and not
dreaming. Why, then. should he talk
OF murder and poison, and seem to be
balancing in his mind the comparative
merits of alternative modes of death?
What could it meanp Could the ter
rible explanation which had previously
crossed her mind be true, and were
this irritability, this abstraction and
this sleeplessness the symptoms of a
weakening mind, Of approaching in
sanity?
Such being the suspicion already en-
tertained. the result of Dolly's discov-
cry that her husband was in corre-
spondence with a brain doctor may be
imagined. Evidently. she thought,
Jack knew his danger and was asking
for 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 devotion possible.
There was no difficulty in the first
part OF this programme. A letter, OBJ
viously from Sir Robert Ballantyne.
was delivered during Jacks absence
from home. and the nature of its con-
tents could be easily discovered with
out exciting suspicion. Now, however,
that the desired information was within
her reach. Dolly hesitated.
Suppose. she thought, ''her sus-
picions were unfounded, and her hus-
bands letter had no connection with
the alteration in his manner! Suppose
him. instead, the repository of some
guilty secret, or to be himself involved
in some criminal enterprise!" Such
hesitation, however, was only momen-
tary.
The notion of Jack engaged in any
evil project was too preposterous to be
entertained, and with a conviction OF
the correctness OF her original suspic-
ions, Dolly opened the letter. 1t ran
thus:
DEAR JACK: Though delighted to hear from
you again, must admit that am very sorry
for the reason which occasioned your lettcr, and
II thought my circumstances would have any
effect should recommend you most strongly To
abandon your intentions altogether. !, howev
CT, promise to keep your secret and TO give you
my best advice on the professional point you
put
81 should recommend arsenic As your objec,
IA to divert suspicion, and TO give the impress
ion Of accidental death, you should employ q
drug which il used both In medicines and yer
min killers. Arsenic. moreover. has q special
advantage, from the fact that It Is often taken
for the benefit Of the complexion. should sug
gest its administration in small doses, at con
siderable intervals Too sudden death might
lead TO Investigation. which would be avoided
II the symptoms were those of . gradual and
progressive illness. This is important, because
II your beautiful heress' becomes acquainted
with tho suspicious circumstances attending the
death of No. l. she might naturally object X
becoming No. g. But once more. advise yor
to give up your project altogether. It Is q verJ
heavy risk, especially to one In your position.
s'Yours ever.
ROBERT BALLANTYNE."
The room where Dolly was sitting
was light enough. The handwriting
of the letter was legible enough; but
had it been traced in unknown char.
acters or studied in a darkened room
its meaning could not have been les,
Ineligible. What was Jacks secret
and what the heavy risk he RAMP What
this mysterious suggestion regarding
the employment OF arsenicP And who
was the intended victim whose death
must be guarded from the attendance
Of suspicious circumstances? mo.
No. 2r' "Your beautiful heiressr
Then suddenly the whole truth stood
disclosed in a revelation surprising il
horror the widest OF Dolly's previou.
approximations. She saw it all at last
, and realized herself to be the object o
the detected conspiracy! No wonde
now at the alteration in her husband
manner. No wonder at his restless
nights and his moodiness and irrita
bility.
"Your beautiful heiress!" How dar'
her husband allow the use of sucl
, terms! Aud about woman, too
, whose claims to good looks he had al
ways denied.
"Your beautiful heiress, indeed!'
/ Strange that at such a time thes
words should rivet the attention O
! their reader almost to the exclusion O
l every other consideration; that at tn
| moment of the discovery Of a deliber
ate plot against her own life. Dolly
: mind should dwell less on the awfn
} nature Of the contemplated crime thai
: on the motive for its commission!
D The idea that Jack should plan he
death with the object Of marrying he
former rival seemed by far the darkes
: feature in the terrible revelation. Fo
t the meaning of the allusion was casil
] unprecedented. ''Your beautiful heiress'
> could have reference only to the cir
whose partiality for the attractiv
. Iaolr Riuar. had hoor, xoforioa,a