The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-26
UNDER THE CLOUD.

/, 20 eet him anything this kftancon.
That's the sugar, and that's ne salt; the
/. arsenic IL right out Of the way At the
Aack there. / declare Il makes me quite
nsrvous having such stuff In the house
hut no one could make mistake now"
"No, indeed, num-" said the house,
maid, visibly Impressed
Ellen, who could not help suspecting
that the housekeeper was speaking with
: IN object, remained silent, and presently
went upstairs.
Mr.. Bowyer was still alone, anda sud-
den impulse prompted her 30 strongly to
& speak then that she felt she must obey II,
. and would have done 90 but that, as she
waited for him to address her FIRST, the
ainner-bell rang, and her second chance
Was gone.
In the afternoon they were left alone
again, as Mrs. Priolo professed fatigue,
and went to her own room but Mr..
Bowyer was cross, and, CURLY declining
Ellen's offers to play to him or read
aloud sat quietly In his armchair near
the fire till at last the heat and the un-
broken silence caused him to doze Oh.
IAC btcpI lOE SOtnO hOulby 0hA WOAO Ny
In better temper. Presently he asked
for some tea, and she went to prepare It,
She came back In few minutes with
q cup OF tea sweetened and with cream
AS he liked it, and, putting 1t down on q
small table beside him, was going to
draw chair closer to the fire, when she
remembered something that she had for
gotten to tell the servants, and ran down.
stairs again. As she returned, having
been detained longer than she expected,
and while still at a little distance from
the sitting-room door, she thought she
heard stified cry proceeding from that
direction. She stood still to listen, then,
seized with sudden indefinable fear, she
rushed on into the room.
Mr.. Bowyer was writhing in terrible
agony In his chair, his face livid and
drawn out of oil resemblance to itself
with pain; at intervals sharp groan es-
capped from his lips, but it was evident
that already he was getting too weak to
ind relief even in that.
Mortified and bewildered, feeling she
was utterly useless in such fearful
emergency, Ellen ran back, screaming
for help.
The servants few upstairs, but Mrs.
Priolo, prompt and alert as usual, was
On the spot first.
What Is 1t ~ she called out sharply
- she came up.
Mr.. Bowyer lie dyingl" cried Ellen.
It was heart-rending to see how utterly
overcome and Frustrated he was by pain,
how his strength seemed to be slowly
leaving him with each paroxysm. Some
times, when the struggles ceased for
moment and he lay back with open up
turned eyes, they thought he must be dead.
Mrs. Priolo had disappeared, but In
about ten minutes she came back with .
glass Of what looked likesteaming punch.
With something Of her old composure
and promptitude, she raised MI. Bowyer's
head on her arm and ordered him TO
drink what she had brought.
Drink every drop Of It; It will do
jon good" she said, peremptorily; and
he obeyed her.
A few minutes later he vomited vio-
lently. After that the pains seemed to
grow fainter, though the prostration still
remained indeed increased.
When the doctor arrived, they had
managed to get him into bed, and he had
sunk into sleep from exhaustion.
1t was Mrs. Priolo who explained ex-
actly what had occurred, what the SYM
toms had been, and how. after violent
at of vomiting, his condition had seemed
to improve.
What caused the sickness? Did
you give him anything2" asked the doc
tor, looking keenly from one to another
OF the women who were in the room
Nothing but some hot brandy and
water" answered the housekeeper,
quickly. II thought it might be cramp,
or something Of that sort"
"Well, we'll, whatever caused it, un.
ldoubtedly 1t saved his life."
What was the matter with him, sir!"
0ried the cook. It came SO sudden like.
At dinner he was quite well, and at five
Miss Ellen came down and got him a
cup of tea. He was quite well then,
was he not, miss?"
Ellen nodded her head in confirmation.
Mr.. Bowyer has taken poison !" said
the doctor, severely. Through some
culpable carelessness, arsenic must have
been mixed in the tea he drank this
afternoon"
From Ellen Warde's lips burst forth
. faint exclamation. 1t was she who
had given that tea and rade II; 1t had
passed through no other hands Mrs.
Priolo kept her eyes 1axed on the DOCTORS
face.
The quantity he took was very email
doubtless" he went on, gravely-
Indeed 1t must have been SO for him
TO be alive now, for in his weak state
less than half the ordinary dose would
have 1seved fatal but"
& Ezz1\ IN.
~ 81