The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-09-19

&B u Was L TAU All dWlul AI5hs
stood here my natural self no
rouge, no wig, no spectAcles, just
as had risen from my bed. Every
dictate of prudence told me to go
back yet an inner consciousness
whispered, Go forwardv
scare you going to stand there
all night = came now the exasper.
ated voice of Mr.. Whitney.
"'No, I'm not | snapped out /;
but it's hard a poor servant girl
can't gel a breath Of fresh air. and
| banged the door too with much
unnecessary violence, as il / had
got out of temper.
"Had | retreated into my room
"No; | had resolved 10 dare
everything. In that brief mo-
ment of time there had come a
vision to me of my poor, helpless
uncle III the power of these
wretches. had banged the door
to, but l had lett myself outside
standing in the passage, with beat
ing heart and limbs that trembled,
for l knew that the flash OF a light
might reveal me at any moment,
and | had learned by this time the
desperate character of these peo-
pie, the Whitneys. Beyond a
doubt of it, they were slowly pois.
oning the man whose wealth they
coveied.
SIT had been impossible TO get 10
the sick chamber, it was too we'll
guarded for that but | had had to
wash some medicine glasses, and l
had drained into a little vial the
contents of one not entirely swal.
lowed. A local druggist whom |
took into my confidence had told
me il was undoubtedly arsenic.
"Well, that hnssy's out Of the
way | heard Whitney remark
when l had shut the door. Do
you know, | don't like the looks oi
that girl. Discharge her!
"Oischarge herp said Mrs,
Whitney, i wouldn't do that
She'e the best girl | ever had, and
she's such fool, too. Pm sure she
suits in every way
"'If / thought she suspected
anything,' growled Whitney, 'Pd
soon settle her. Do you think she
is asleep yetp
/ "'Why, no; give her a little
time replied Mrs. Whitney. How
impatient you are. Wait ten min
utes.'
'"'I am impatient; wouldn't yOr
beg Think of all II have put uE
with from that old dotard in the
next room. The years of labor
OF weary waiting, the indigniiie'
to which he has subjected me how
| have to tOady and cringe 10 hin
to get small share in the busi
ness. OF course Pm impatient
Will he never drop off, wonder
That last dose should have done
| it,
"All this time | was standing 81
most paralyzed with an unspeak
able horror. An,indefinable dread
took possession of me, deadly
terror seized upon my heart, my
knees trembled, dared scarcely
breathe. To stand alone thus al
dead of night and listen TO those
wretches plotting how to encOm-
pass the more speedy death of 8
helpless man.
"To remain where | was was TO
court discovery, and something
told me a horrible death. II was
equally impossible to retreat, for
the noise OF opening my room door
would be The signal for instant in
vestigation by the already suspic.
iouS Whitney, and had no time
10 suddenly asst me my ordinary
disguise. There remained but one
course to pursue. 1t required the
exercise Of the greatest caution
and more courage than | believed
| possessed.
"There was a small empty room
beyond the apartment OF the Whit
neys, which commanded a full
view of the sick mans chamber.
Once there | should. be compare
lively safe.
"But to reach it / must pass the
door Of the room where the Whit
neys lay.
"Carefully poiEing myself. es.
sayed to pass across the inierven.
ing space. Slowly I advanced,
moving first one limb and then an
other, hardly daring to breathe,
and feeling forward with my hands
outslretched, lest should encoun-
ter some unexpected obstacle.
IL had safely passed the open
door ot the Whitneys' chamber
when | became confused, and in
the utter darkness lost my way
Vainly I stretched out my hands
| At last, 10 my great joy, they fel
upon a door handle. ! turned j
softly and noiselessly and entered
As quickly and as noiselessly
closed It. There was a dull ligh
in the room. I looked around am
by its rays saw that by mistake
had entered the apartment Of m.
sick uncle.
ale was broad awake and stan
] ing at me with two glar;ng, awfu
eyes. The living image Of m.
mother, as he had known her il
his youth, and clad in my Whit
night robe, his diseased and dis
torted imagination completed ID