Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-04-20

storm clouds came the awful thought
that this wonderful girl stood before the
sight of Abner Ketcham criminal-that
her dainty hand 1t had been which drove
the murderous Malay creese homo to Dr.
Seabury's heart before the deadly poison
had been given time to work.
Terrible though the thought was it
brought me to my senses.
was no longer in dazed state, but
wide awake, ready and eager to grasp
the situation and wrestle with it.
@Are YOU waiting for the Doctor, sir?"
Her voice was musical. 1t sounded to
me like the tinkling of silver bells.
had never heard voice like it.
At the some time her words told me
that she meant 10 appear ignorant OF
what had occurred, however much that
feeling might be assumed.
It occurred to me to watch her while |
impaired the news.
Already her presence was having an
effect upon me in this way: Instead OF
an eagerness to bring her to justice as
the criminal. I was eager to find possi-
BILE flaw in the indictment OF the detect
i've.
81 beg your pardon, miss; am doc
tor. Vance Burton. | was sent for on
professional business.
There flashed across her face look OF
genuine alarm.
"Not for guardy-is he sick?"
The little dusky hands which had
been admiring came together in what
took to be sudden fear.
How could tell her?
Still, innocent or guilty, she must hear
the news soon-why not now?
"You are Leonore?" | asked.
eyes; l am Lconore. What has hap
pened to my uncle, sir?"
"Be seated, my dear young lady. l
have something to tell you that may
prove shock"
She sank into chair. Her large
black, lustrous eyes were fixed upon me.
l could not help but think of a frightened
gazelle.
Could it be possible that this innocent
looking girl was the female demon the
assassin had been pictured by Ketcham?
Heaven forbid!
I could not and would not believe it
unless stronger evidence was put for
ward.
"Tell me the worst, sir.
Her white teeth were pressed into her
lower lip, and I could see that she was
possessed of hidden powers for which l
had not given her credit.
No danger of her fainting away.
CDR. Seabury was your guardian as
understand it?"
ayes. yes why do you say was, sir?
Has anything happened to him?"
az am sorry to say there has. You
have met with heavy loss. During the
night the good old Doctor has passed
away"
"Dead, sir"
ayes; DIR. Seabury is dead"
AS | expected, she did not fall All
the color forsook her face, and her eyes
seemed bIacker than ever by contrast.
Her hands were tightly clenched, until
the nails seemed to almost pierce the
flesh.
Was this counterfeit agony?
If such it should prove to be, then all
I could say was that it had never been
eoualed as acting in my experience.
"Sir. you are not dcceiving me?" she
at length breathed.
"My dear young lady, heaven forbid
that should mock your affection for tho
good Doctor. He has passed away, and
is now at rest.
"From what did he die, sir?"
| hesitated.
This was direct question, and might
Le hurting Mr.. Ketcham's case If gave
too much information.
would be conservative, and allow him
to run his own business.
"Sad as it may seem, a phial wasfound
in the Doctors hand which had con-
tanned deadly poison"
"Then he took his own life?"
$50 it seems.
"Why was not / made aware of this
terrible calamity sooner? Why did not
Ursula come II me before sending for a
stranger? My position in this house is
such that | should have been consulted. J"
"Miss Leonore, Ursula has only learned
the truth in the last ten minutes"
"Then who sent for you, Doctor?
Peter?"
"No; he, too, has been in complete ig-
norance of the truth. You look puzzled.
Perhaps l can enlighten you little.
"Dr. Seabury was connected with the
Office of friend of mine by telegraphic
instrument. He feared sudden death,
and had made arrangements with this
friend to come the instant he was sum-
moned.
"This morning, about two o'clock, this
friend of mine received the summons.
He hastened here at once, let himself in
with key the old Doctor had given him,
and found DR.. Seabury dead, his hand
still grasping the fatal phial which he
had pressed to his lips.
GIn the hope that an antidote might be
OF some use, and knowing that [ was
skilled in the use of poisons, this friend
took cab and got me here.
"It was of no avail the old Doctor
had passed to that bourne from whence
no traveller returus. was waiting here
for my friend, who had gone to break
the sad news to Ursula and Peter, when
was surprised by your entrance.
at is hard for me to believe you, sir.
My dear, good guardian dead! Oh,
what shall do nowl ] am alone, alone,
with his faithful. arm to stand no more
between the blackness of the past and
my heartl Woe is me-"
Suddenly she seemed to remember my
presence and ceased moaning When
she looked at me / could see stern lines
near her mouth-lines that seemed for
eign to a woman's fair face, and which
spoke plainly of determination.
She was no ordinary woman.
No matter what the misty future had
to unfold in connection with this case,
was bound to believe this fact.