The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-20

aMy glass contains plenty OF opium to
kill tho lot OF us, he said quietly. II
fortunately smelied It just asJ was about
to drink. suppose your giasses are both
poisoned.
Tom Devsriil 8 face turnedhs white as
sheet
''That means that the fond is still in
tho house, he said. II deoanted that
wine this morning just before the police
came.n
Macpherson rose from the table.
Then l cannot afford to leave Cantyll
alone for q moment. We ought to take
turns at sitting in his room. We ought to
have done so from the first"
He left the table as he spoke, and we
three sat and stared blankly at each other.
This new discovery was terrible. For five
minutes we did not speak a word, and
then poor Lillith began to cry Historically
/ was surprised that she had not broken
down before.
Her lover sprnng up at once to try to
comfort her, and thinking that he would
DO more likely to succeed If they were left
alone together 1 went off to look for Mao
pherson.
walked warily, feeling that at any
moment / might be attacked by the mys-
this peaceful country residence tho scene of
his diabolical crimes As l reached the
foot of the stairs, however, leading from
the hall changed my step and hurried up
three stairs at time, for on the floor
above l could hear Macpherson calling my
name urgently, as If he were in need of
my help. / ran straight up to Cantyll's
room, from which the cry seemed to come,
my steps FASTENED II possible by the un-
mistakable sounds of struggle going on
in tho sick mans room.
What expected to see when reached
1t do not know, but certainly it was mob
the sight that actually met my eyes when
l rushed into the sick ohamber-the sight
of DR.. Macpherson and John Cantyll Crap
ping together in life and death struggle
on the bed, the patient with formidable
knife in his hand, which tho physician
was preventing him from using by holding
his wrist in viselikc grip.
The fight had been pretty even one,
believe, till came on the scene, for though
Cantyll was still half stupid with the
drugs he had taken no was man of much
more powerful physique than his oppo-
nent My arrival decided the battle In
moment i had secured the knife, and
Cantyll had given up the hopeless strug-
| gle. He lay back on tho bed, glaring at
/ u.s. his face transformed into that of
fiend.
DR. Macpherson drew long breath aft
or his oxertions, and wiped drop of blood
from hin wrist, where the point of the
knife had cut him slightly.
| WELL we may congratulate ourselves,
| Ibelieve OIL having cleared up the mystery
| that has been botherinR us, he said
| quietly to me. "If you do not mind call
ing Deverill from the top of tho stairs, we
| will get him to bring some rope and help
| us tie up this patient Of mine until we
I have decided how to dispose Of him"
| 1t was not until we had left John Can
| tyll bound hand and foot on the bed that
! Macpherson explained to us, down in the
| dining room, exactly what had happened.
at occurred TO me during the inquiry
this morning." he said, THAT Cantyll
might be dosing himself with opium to
| remove himself from reach of suspicion,
| while he killed the two men who stood be-
tween him and the enjoyment of the
| whole Of his grandfather's fortune and
| marriage with Miss Andrews, with whom
will do him the credit of supposng him
to be in love, When left tho dinner TIA
bic, crept up silently to his room and
caught Inn in the act of preparing himself
/ another dose of the narcotic He must
have considerable acquaintance with
/ oBtuAi " uso ~ 81 uiIIbblg pll
lie seems to have stock of bottles hidden
between the mattresses of his bed, to-
gether with the knife with which he tried
| to kill Dyne, and which be drew ON inc
when he found that / had discovered his
secret. -
Liilith sprang up impulsively, threw
her arms round the great physicians neck
and kissed him.
You have saved all our livesu' she
cried gratefully, and Macpherson smiled,
well pleased.
''Wcll, think have done what came
down fol" he said hrlslSly. Il have cured
Cantyll OF his mysterious illness. Pail
Mall Budget.