The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-04


have taken it. Nobody would have done
so except yourself"
Her lip curied and she grew paler.
This Is so senseless Of you," she NUT
tered. "How could 1 possibly know
there was any nask that contained your
elixir"
"Ahl" he replied, "have ever referred
10 the elixir2 There spoke your own
guilty conscience" His anger made him
look like some vengeful ghost. He raised
one clenched hand. ssYou heard me talk
in my delirum about that tiaski" he went
on, or else you had spied on me
during those days / worked so hard,
after | had been fool enough to let
you learn my secret. You don't want
No? Then get me the flask. Do not
lose moment-get it'' He went up to
her and grasped her wrist as he ended
He was greatly incensed against her, and
yet any personal roughness would have
been impossible to such man as he.
That grasp of her wrist, and, perhaps, the
sternness of accusation in his enkindled
eyes as well, caused her to sink at his feet.
He had made her afraid Of him, and posi-
bly, he had stirred her conscience also.
She was woman with an immensity of
conscience. though the tremulous words
that she now addressed to him would have
implied that she had been very far from
violating one of its high and extremely
mystic laws.
IL can't give you that flask" she
stammered, there on her knees before him.
IL did hear you rave about il when you
were out of your mind with fever. For
that reason IL came here into this room
and found it.
Found i'll" he faltered, with both hands
Imply falling at his sides. "You mean
that you
destroyed it, Egbert? Yes: l did de-
stroy it," She rose and looked into his
CLASSY eyes. as though fearful that murder
might be ambushed there.
''You--destroyed-it." he gasped. re-
ceding from her. In an instant she saw
that there was no danger of personal as
sault, and as he sank, breathing heavily,
into chair, she went close TO his side
"Egbert. thought your trying to do any
thing like that Gas a crimes dreadful
crime against God. He is all merciful to
us, ii il had been His will that we should
live an instant longer than we do natur-
ally live, He would have given Us His holy
sanction. Only evil could have come of
your discovery, which ! believe your in
tellect quite able To have achieved. But
Egbert, it was for your own good-for the
sake OF your salvation after death--for-"
The voice died in her throat Her hus-
bands eyes had closed, giving him literally
the look of a corpse. "Get me back 10
bed, he murmured. Il have this fright
full weakness, and this sense Of; he tried
10 pronounce the word "suffocation." but
failed; yet in a few more seconds, and
while both hands were pulling at the
wooden stuff which clad his breast. be de-
manded with good deal of vocal clear
ness, that DIR. Thorndyke should be sum-
moned. After his wife and a servant had
together helped him back 10 his room and
bed he insisted on retaining the gown i'm
which he had clad himself. He did not
speak again until Ross Thorndyke arrived.
and through that interval (which lasted
nearly an hourl he lay quite motionless.
with eyes that wore the vacancy of coma
But the instant Thorndyke appeared he
turned, grasping the vigorous and familiar
hand of his friend.
Don't forbid me to speak, Ross he
said, with the sudden flash of forlorn
smile. I've only short time TO live
Help this awful load here on my lungs. If
YOU can. But while you're with me send
her from the room" He glanced toward
his wife, who stood at Thorndyke's elbow.
''Shes been my curse-my murderess!F
"Egbertl" reproyei Thorndyke.
'ltss true, Ross. Make her leave Us
togetherh
Thorndyke turned 20 Georgiua. who had
begun 20 tremhle and weep. lie went out
of the room with her, bur soon came hack.
Ill as he was, Maynard now insisted on
talking. he told the young doctor a great
deal, and hnally placed in his hands the
letter and manuscript for Sylvan. Ii be
failed 10 state what was the contents Of
the envelope, this omission sprang en-
tirely from his growing bodily distress,
which dened Thorndyke's appeasing
efforts.
MY dear Eghert,' the latter at length
said, ''you really snst not speak again.
liz is suicide. and"
If il isl" broke in the suffering man.
with despair, born Of courage" | can't
last the night through. and You known it.
Ross. All, if there were only chance to
brew that liquid before goI But il would