Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-09-06
Under tGe Cloud,
By E. 8. WILLIAMSON.
Continued.

III Is you WISH w otN' " A1AN ~ef''
/ speak to you uDdisturbedF
A little startled, yet too secure in
her own mind to be actually alarmed.
abe led the colonel to the kitchen, the
fire being out In her own room.
''Well, sir, what can | do for you!
abe asked somewhat detiantly, having
busted a chair and placed It for him.
.'Some time ago--nearly three weeks
ago. / suppose-sfr. Bowyer accidently
took some poison that must, 1t was I'M
agined. have been given him in cup
of tea that he drank that afternoon"
made and given by Miss Ellen
Warde," put in the housekeeper
quickly.
$50 far you are right; but one fact
you have withheld-that the poison
was placed In the sugar-basin by you,
and that consequently 1t was not Miss
Warde but you who were responsible
for what occurred.
The woman had turned ashy white,
and clutched the table for support, yet,
overcome as she was, she made a
desperate effort to defend herself.
at Is false--false, 1 tell your she
gasped, convufsiyely
at is unexpectedly true-and you
know IT," he retorted. calmly. shall
/ 90 on"
lyon can say what you choose; l
would not dare attack me 30. Am
have no one to protect me, or you
to be made the scapegoat for Ellen
Warde's sinsT
keep Miss Warde's name from your
Ups, IL you please, or | will not an
swer for my patience. 1t Is useless
to deny anything / say. You have
proofs to fight agalnst-not mere idle
accusations. When Mr. Bowyer was
30 III that you supposed him dying,
you gave him a tumbler OF what you
asserted TO be hot brandy and water;
but the cook noticed that there was
no smell of spirits, and tasted what
was left. 1t was merely hot water
and salt, which you gave him as an
emetlc."
at saved his lfe"-doggedly.
AT that time no one knew that he
was poisoned. so that your acting on
that knowledge alone would damn you
In any court Of justice"
ut vas because | suspected her"
"Hushr'-sternly. 'Such preyar-
icatlons and denials do no good; they
only iniure you. Further, you We're
seen Immediately afterward to 90 and
empty the contents of the sugar-basin
and put fresh sugar In Il. Are you
satisfied now that | know allG 4 de-
tective has been here ever since, and,
connecting several incidents, each In
sigificant in itself hut lncontreveru-
BILE when taken with the rest, has the
whole chain of evidence against you
complete. lie Il here now to act on
any Instructions that Mr. Bowyer may
give him"
The woman tcn upon ner knees with
a sob, and covered her face with her
derss, fighting no longer against what
she felt to be stronger than any de-
Tense she could invent
"On my honor, sir, | never meant to
do him any harmI swear it, she
protested Il only wanted to brighten
him, to- to-
ITO throw suspicion on to Miss
Warde. / know that too. That In
itself is a criminal offence"
Forgive me forgive me- ! never
thought-never realized what | was
doing. I'll never lift finger against her
again. III beg her pardon on my
knees; Ill do anything you tell me
promise anything sign anything II
You will only let me off.
IT Il not for me to judge you; II Is
,tr. Bowyer who viii decide whether
you deserve forgiveness or not"
You will not tell him?"~in a tone
OF agonized alarm.
How can do otherwise? Can let
Miss Warde remain under suspicion Of
having attempted murdcrY
eNot murder oh, good heavens. not
murderl Yon don't really believe |
meant that horror Enthusiastically
stamped on her faee.
$40. do not believe Il not because
You assert your Innocence 50 loudly,
bat because happen 70 be aware Of
the conversation between YOU and the
chemist OF whom you purchased the
poison Shall repeat Il to youT
sac cazed al him IN speechless, hope.
less pma2ement; and he went on -.
morsrlessly feeling that every blow he
struck was only avensing a slight part
Of the pain .be han caused 70 the
women H. loved
You .ail foa had i horror OF poi.
son. aud under cover IF this pretense,
found oui from his exactly how much
II would take To XIII a man and how
much merely to make him I'LL; but. Ia
your excess ~ caution Won neglected
70 elicit from him the Information that
a much less quantity can 10 taken
with lmnunlty By Il sick person than
one III full health aua STRENGTH Or
being a murdercs In inaut | de- not
accuse you; hat yan nearly mlde your.
self Liable Is Il charge s. mluslaugh-
ter"
Alarmed rs the gravity sc SIS man.
ner as much Ia MS hls words Mrs Pri
olo could not restrain shrin scream