Wichita eagle., 1890-03-16

II W w.
"Ths sooner the better" replied Ar.
StrGughnessy
had seemed most in need Of inn
provement were unchanged, and she
came to the conclusion that the work
done had been, as she had anticipated,
within the mysterious chamber.
II.
1t was raw November night. Fog,
with a tendency to drilling rain, had
prevailed throughout the day, and the
roads Of Strkbridge were saturated and
the cobbles darkened with moisture. Tt
was o'clock, and with the exception of
solitary figure hurrying along the
high street, no one seemed TO be abroad
The lights of lamp and fire were shining
rom many a cottage window, and the
sound of loud laughter and of the clink-
ing of glasses came through the doors of
the Red Lion.
The solitary wayfarer was the page
boy from The Towers, and, Judging from
the alarmed expression Of his face and
the speed with which he came dashing
up the street, without overcOat or UNI
breila, his errand was an urgent one.
About the middle Of the village was the
house Of DIR. Lotion, the Stirkbridge med
ical practitioner, and il was Onf his door
step the boy paused.
He rang the bell, inquired for DR..
Lotion, and was told the doctor was
within.
''The masters been taken ill.," he
gasped, his breath coming quick and
short, very i'll. They think 'es poisoned
'imself"
Good gracious" calculated the man
who had answered the door. "Well, l
for one am not surprised. He was
queer I'm, was Mr.. Straughnessy. I'll
tell the doctor at once. Lucky e 'ap-
pens to be in"
DR.. Lotion was informed his services
were in immediate request at The Tow
ers, and drawing on his topcoat he at
once proceeded thitherwards, in COM
pany with the boy. Swiftly striding
along, he questioned his companion as to
the circumstances surrounding the case.
He elected the facts that the poison taken
was laudanum, and that Mr.. Straugh-
messy had been accustomed to induce
sleep by its means, though never, as
upon this occasion, before retiring for the
night Arriving at The Towers he was
met at the door by Mrs. Drifheld, who,
pale and discomposed, ushered him up
~, ~ IT, h,E Do, lor.
the room in which he had been found,
laying back in an easy chair, mOtionleSs
aud rigid, with an empty bottle labeled
Poison" lying by his side. Huddled up
in the chair, his lips apart, his eyes closed,
one arm thrown over the back of the
chair, his fact gray and punched, he was
a CHASTITY sight.
The doctor took the nerveless hand
hanging over the chair in his. After a
while, He as dead, he said quietly.
''Dead.' repeated the housekeeper.
'That was what l feared"
"When did you last see him alive:' the
doctor inquired.
Il saw him just after dinner today,
sir"
did you notice anything strange in
his demeanor? Did he seem in his usual
spirits-not depressed at all:"
Mrs. Driffield considered moment be-
fore replying. her fingers nervously
twisting the fringe of her black silk
apron.
He was very quiet, sir" she said at
length, but that he often was. He
wasn't one to talk much to his servants.
Now think of it, thoagh, slowly, he
did look graver than ordinary"
DR.. Lotion meditativeiv rubbed his chin
with his hand a habit OF his when
thinking He remembered how many
times he had heard Mr. Straughnessy
spoken OF Is not being IN the full posses
sion OF his mental faculties. though Dir.
Barristaw had often asserted ne was
merely q little odd-nothing more. Even
the vicar, however. had latterlv run with
the popular verdict, giving as his reason
for the changing OF his opinion an ac-
count of his last interview with the old
mas. when he had been both shocked
snd startled Oy the wIldness OF his ICau-
strongly inclined TO suspect MIR. Straugh-
1essy's death had not been caused by an
accidental overdose-as the housekeeper
upon first seeing him had suggested
but that 1t was a case Of suicide-suiCIde
while in an unsound state OF mind
The tenor Of his thoughts was here In
corrupted 10y q succession Of loud pierre
ing shrieks, in which was sharp tone
Of terror. Coming As they did-wiJh
such startlina suddenuess, breaking the
before uudisturbed quiet Of the house,
and following closely upon her introduc-
non 10 the idea she plainly saw DR.. 10
ton entertained. and which had not pre-
sented Itself 10 her mind before. that NT.
StraUChutssv's death vas suicidal and
| not the result Of an accident-they com
pleteiy threw Mrs. Driheld off her bal
ance. She sank trembling into the near
est chair utterly unDerved. while even
Or. Lotion experienced an unpleasant
/ qualIn. remembering that strange storie,
had been circulated through the village
concerning the man who now hay so Ssif
and still, incapable alike OF committing
+ good or Ill.
Meanwhile the housemaid and tbs
! page had been sitting together by ths
kitchen tire. They had been discussing
/ their masters sudden illness. ms straugs
I WAYS, the mysterious locked room. and
I By and hy-thoagh this was not n con
+ neCcion with Mr.. Strau=Lnsssy, save ..
one weird topic leads 10 another CT li.zs
, kind-rhe murder in Stirkbridge Wood
! For some time they had sal thus, cher
| Mary remembeTing there were Certain