People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-06-15


happen, in all probability his large
fortune, one hundred thousand dol
lars at least. would become his.
This would relieve him of all his en-
barassments, and give him a firm
financial standing.
Shortly after Ralph Raymond was
confined to his bed by sickness. The
physician who was called spoke am
biguously. He might die suddenly,
or he might linger for a year. DAYS
and weeks passed, and still he re-
manned in about the same condition,
so that the last seemed likely to be
the correct prediction.
In the meanwhile, Paul Morton's
affairs had become more and more
embarrassed. He had plunged into
speculations from which he did not
see the way out He perceived his
mistake, but too late. Nothing was
lett but for him to float with the
tide, and be borne where it might
carry him. As time wore on, and his
pecuniarY difficulties increased, he
began to long for his friends death.
"a few months more or less of life
would be of little Importance to him. u
he thought, while to me it is of in
caiculable Importance to come into
his estate as soon as possible
The more he thought of it the
more frequently the suggestion was
forced upon him that his friends
early death was most desirable. At
length, as he was in book store on
Nassau street one day, he picked up
an old medical work, in which there
was one division which treated of
poisons One was mentioned, of a
subtle character, whose agency was
difficult of detection. 1t must not
accomplish its purpose at once, but
it required some days Paul Morton
bought this book, and when he
reached home he locked it up Sc
curely in drawer accessible only to
himself.
The poison which ne sought in the
small shop on the Bowery was the
same whose effects he had seen de-
scribed in the volume he had pur.
chased in Nassau street He had an
object in going to an obscure shop.
as he would be less likely to be
known, and such a purchase would be
very apt to attract notice. But il
was only by chance that he sue.
ceeded. In most shops of such hum
BILE pretensiOns such an article would
not be found, but it so happened
that some had been ordered by a
chemist year before, and the drug.
gist, thinking it possible he might
have a call for it, had ordered some
to keep in his stock.
When Paul Morton reached home
ne went up to his friends chamber.
Ralph Raymond was lying stretched
out upon the bed, looking quite sick,
but not so sick as at times during
his illness.
chow do you feel, Raiph?" said
his false friend, bending over him.
81 am feeling more comfortable
to-day, Paul, he said.
Perhaps you will recover vet"
"No. | have no expectation Of
that; but | may be spared longer
than | supposed possible"
81 certainly hope So" said Paul
Norton but there was false ring
in his voice, though, the sick
man, who had no doubt OF his sim
cere friendship, was far enough from
detecting this.
81 know you do" said Ralph.
What medicines are you taking
now" inquired Paul Morton.
"There is a bottle of cordial: !
take a wine-glass of it once an hour. -
Paul Morton took it up and gazed
at it thOughtfully.
"Is your nurse attentive?" he
asked.
Yes, have no fault to find with
her"
Where is she now"
"She just went down to prepare
my dinner"
And when did you take your cor
dial last?"
About an hour since"
Then it is time to take it again. "
"1es, presume so; but presume
a few minutes later will make no diff.
ference"
To RE CONTTNI-ED