Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-05

| ly. and opened the windows Neither the
| fresh air nor the light awoke the sleeping
| man.
Vimpany looked at his watch. "Time
| for the medicine" he said. "Wake him
up while get it ready"
Would you not-at least-suffer him to
have his sleep out?" asked Lord Harry,
| again turning pale.
WAX, Wake him n up: Shake ), him b.. by tn the
tor roughly. He will go to sleep again.
| 1t is one of the finer qualities of my medi-
| cine that it sends people to sleep. 1t is a
| most soothing medicine. 1t causes deep
| "a profound sleep. Wake him up, say"
| He went to the cupboard in which the
medicines were kept. Lord Harry with
some difficulty reused the sick man, who
awoke dull and heavy, asking why he was
disturbed
Thine for your medicine my good fell
| low" said the doctor. "Take it, and you
| shall not be disturbed again-I promise
| you that"
The door of the cupboard prevented the
| spy from seeing what the doctor was do
ing; but he took longer than usual in fill
| lug the glass. Lord Harry seemed to OBJ
serve this, for he left the Dane and looked
| over the Doctors shoulder.
| Whisper.
Better not inquire my lord" said the
doctor. 'FWhat do you know about the
| mysteries of medicine?"
"Why must | not inquirer"
Vimpany turned, closing the cupboard
behind him. In his hard was glass full
of the stuff he was. about to administer.
IF you look in the glass" he said, you
will understand why"
Lord Harry obeved. He saw a face
CHASTITY in pallor: he shrank back and fell
into chair, saying no more.
Now, my good friend" said the doctor,
drink this and you'll be better-ever SO
much better-ever so much better. Why
that is brave" He looked at him
strangely. Glow do you like the medi-
cine?"
OXbye shook his head as man who has
| taken something nauseous. 81 don't like
it at all" he said. 1T doesn't taste like
| the other physic."
mo: have been changing it-improv-
| ing it,"
The Dane shook his head again 'There's
pain in my throat he said; lit stings-
| it burns.''
'Patience-patience. 1t will pass away
directly, and you will lie down again and
fall asleep comfortably"
Oxbye sank back upon the sofa. His
e. eS closed. Then he opened them again,
looking about him strangely, as one who
| is suffering some new experience. Again
| he shook his head, again he closed his
| eyes, and he opened them no more. He
| was asleep.
The doctor stood at his head watching
| gravely Lord Harry, in his chair, leaned
| forward. also Watching. but with white
| face and trembling hands.
| AS they watched, the mans head rolled
| a little to the side, turning his face more
! towards the room. Then a curious and
terrifying thing happened. His mouth
began slowly to fall open.
as he-is he-fainting?" Lord Harry
! whispered.
No: he is asleep. Did you never see q
| man sleep with his mouth wide opens'
They were silent for space.
The doctor broke the silence.
There's good light this morning." he
said, carelessly. Il think | will try pho
tograph. Stop! Let me tie up his mouth
with a handkerchief-so." The patient
was not disturbed by the occasion, though
the doctor tieu up the handkerchief with
| vigor enough to awaken a sound sleeper.
New, We'll see ii he looks like post
norton portrait"
He went into the next room, and re-
tnrned with his camera. In few min
utes he had taken the picture, and was
holding the glass negative against the
dark sleeve of his coat, so as to make it
visible.
I'VE shall see how it looks" he said,
"when it is printed. At present | don't
think it is good enough as an imitation of
you to be sent to the insurance offices.
Nobody, r am afraid, who knew you,
would ever take THIS for a pOst-mortem
portrait of Lord Harry. Well, we shall
see. Perhaps by and by-to-lnorrow-we
NAV be able to take a better photograph.
Eh?' Lord Harry followed his move
ments. watching closely, but said moth
ing. His face remained pale, and his flu
gers still trembled. There was now no
doubt at all in his mind, not only as to
Vimpanys intentions, but as to the crime
| itself. He dared not spe lk or move.
A ring at the door pealed through the
| house. Lord Harry started in his chair
| with cry Of terror.
That said the doctor, quietly. lis the
| nurse-the new nurse-the strangerW He
took of the handkerchief from OXbye's
face, looked about he room as it careful
| that everything should be in its right
place. and went out to admit the woman.
Lord Harry sprang TO his feet and passed
his hand over the sick mans face.
rs it done?' he whispered. Can the
man be poisoned? Is he already dead?-
already? Before my eyes2"
He laid his finger on the sick mans
pulse. But the doctors step and voice
! stopped him. Then the nurse came in,
following Vimpany. She was an elderly,
| quiet-looking French woman.
Lord Harry remained standing at the
| side of the sofa, hoping to see the man re-
| vive.
Now" said vimpany. cheerfullv, ''here
| is your patient nurse. He is asleep now.
| Let him have his sleep out-he has taken
| his medicine and will want nothing more
| yet awhile. If you want anything let me
| know. We shall be in the next room or
| in the garden - somewhere about the
| house. Come, my friend" He drew away
| Lord Harry gently by the arm, and they
| left the room.
Behind the curtain Fanny Mere began
| to wonder how she was to get off unseen.
The nurse, left alone, looked at her pa
| tient, who lay with his head turned partly
| round, his eyes closed, his mouth open.
"a strange Sleep" she murmured; but
the doctor knows, 1 suppose. He is to have
| his sleep out"
"A strange sleep, indeedr' thought the
| watcher. She was tempted at this mo-
| ment to disclose herself and to reveal
| what she had seen; but the thought of
| Lord Harry's completely stopped her.
| With what face could she return to her
| mistress and tell her that she herself was
| the means of her husband being charged
| with murders She stayed herself, there
| fore, and waited.
Chance helped her at last to escape.
| The nurse took of her bonnet and shawl
| and began to look about the room. She
| stepped to the bed and examined the sheets
| and pillow-case, as a good French house
| wife should. Would she throw back the
| curtain! If so-what would happen next.
| Then it would become necessary to take
| the new nurse into confidence. otherwise
| - Fanny did not put the remainder of
he int