The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-13

wig, no spectacses. just as had risen from
my bed. Every dictate OF prudence told
me to go back yet an inner consciousness
whispered. Go forwardr
Are you going to stand there all nightH
came the now exaspsrat-d voics of Mr..
| Whitney.
No. Pm not Isasypcd out; but It's
hard poor servant gal can't get q breath
OF fresh air. And banged the door TO
with much unnecessary violence, as If had
got out OF temper.
Had I retreated into my rooms
| NO. had resolved to dare every thing.
In that brief moment. of time there had
| come vision to me OF my poor, helpless
uncle in the power of, Rretches. had
banged the door Co, but l had left myself
outside standing in the passage: with beat
ing heart and limbs that trembled, for
| knew that the flash OF light might reveal
me at any moment, and ] had learned by
this time the desperate character OF these
people, the WhitEsys Beyond a doubt of
/ II, they were slowly poisoning the man
whose wealth they covetsd.
sit had been impossible to get to the SICK
chamber; it was too well guarded for that !;
i but | Rad had to wash some medicine
| glasses, and had drained into a little vial,
the contents of one not entirely swallowed
A local druggist, whom l took into my
confidence, had told me it was undoubtedly
| arsenic.
"'Wen. that hussy's out of the way 1
heard Whitney remark, when l had shut
the door. DO you know, | don't like the
looks of that girl. Discharge herp
| "'Discharge her. said Mrs. Whitney. l
wouldn't do that. She's the best girl I've
1 ever had, and she's such fool, too. Pm
sure she suits in every way
"'If l thought she suspected anything,
| growled Whitney, I'd soon settle her Do
| you think she's asleep yet 2
"'Why, no; give her little time, replied
Mrs. Whitney. How impatient you are.
Wait ten minutes
'"I am impatient; wouldn't you be Think
of all have put up with from that old
dotard in tho next room. The years of la
Dor. of weary waiting; the indignities to
which he has subjected me; how have had
to toady and crings to him TO get a small
share in tue business OF course I'm impa-
tient. VIII he never drop off l wonder
That last dose should have do ie it,
"'All this time / was standing almost
paralized with an unspeakable horror. An
indetinable dread took possession of me- a
deadly terror seized upon my heart, my
knees trembled, | dared scarcely breathe
To stand alone thus at dead of night and
listen TO those wretches plotting how to
encompass the more speedy death of help
less man.
''To remain where / was was t. court
discovery, and. something told me. horri-
BILE death. 1t was equally impossible to re-
| treat, for the noise of the opening of my
room door would be the signal for instant
Investigation by the already suspicious
Whitney. and had no time to suddenly
assume my ordinary disguise. There re-
manned but one course to pursue. 1t re-
quired the exercise of the greatest caution,
and more courage than l believed l pos
sessed.
There was a small empty room beyond
the apartment of the Whituev's which COM
manded full view of the sick mans cham
Der. Once there l should be comparatively
safe.
But to reach it must pass the door OF
the room where the Whitneys Law.
Carefully posing myself l essayed to
pass across the Intervening space Slowly
l advanced, moving first one limb and then
another, hardly daring to breath, and feel
ing forward with my hands ouJstretched,
lest should suddenly encounter some unex-
pected obstacle
II had passed the open door of the Whit
neys' chamber, when l became confused,
and in the utter darkness lost my way.
Nainly l stretched out my hands. At last,
to my great joy, they fell upon door
handle. | turned it softly and noiselessly
and entered. AS quickly and as noiselessly
L closed it. There was dull light in the
room. looked around and by its rays saw
that by mistake l had entered the apart
ment of my sick uncle.
He was broad awake and sitting up in
ded staring at me with two glaring, awful
eyes. The ling image of my mother, as he
had known her in her youth, and clad in
my white night robe, his diseased aud dis
torted imagination completed the illusion
Mary he gasped. Do not come to re-
proach me-
"'Hushr whispered, fastening to the
bedside Hush, uncle Do not make a
noise, for Gods sake
''He trembled violently. I do not under
stand he said vaguely as one in dream
His terror seemed to have departed at the
touch of my hand.
LISTEN said. Il am not Mary, your
sister. am her daughter. We heard you
were very i'll and wished to see us, so
mother and l came to town. We have
been here for weeks trying to see you, but
they kept US away. DON'T be frightened at
what am going to tell you. The Whit
neys are not your friends. They are giving
you improper medicine. Don't take it,
uncle, for heavens sake. It's poisonl'
'Poison o, you don't mean that; and
Sam Whitney. too, my old partner
es, uncle, L do mean it, and Pm here
at the risk of my life to tell you. Hark,
he's coming now to give you your medi-
cine. Pretend 10 take it, but don't swallow
it. It's arsenic
face of the old man; but even in that mo-
ment he thought of my safety.
Hide, child, hide, he whispered, and be
pointed to the closet.
From there l witnessed what confirmed
my suspicious. 1t was Samuel Whitney who
poured the draught which my uncle pre-
tended to and did not drink Subsequent
analysis has, you know, proved it to be a
most deadly poison. Horror stricken at the
enormity Of this mans crime, with the
knowledge that instant death awaited the
penetration Of my disguise. 1 waited
only the coming of daylight to pick a
quarrel with my mistress, which resulted in
my instant dismissal. I left her house to
report at police headquarters. but some
thing had alarmed the Whitneys. When
the officers reached the house the birds had
flown .-s
"My uncle has been dead year. My
mother, sole heir to his considerable estatei,
lives surrounded as you see, by avery
luxury. As I am only %, and am quite
wealthy in my own right, I presume am
To be anyiod -