The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-03-14


q family with which he had been on
an intimate footing for years, and con-
sequently his personal interest was
awakened. The doctor saw no hope
whatever for the sick woman. Since
early morning he had hourly expected
her death. Weary and dispirited, af-
ter light and hasty supper, he sat
down at his writing table, and once
more passed in review the whole
course of his patients illness. Every
circumstance was recalled.
"Unaccomtable! perfectly unac-
countabler' he murmured over and
over again, and with each repetition
he shook his gray head.
"Doctorr' Brown started up in
alarm. He had not dreamed that any
enc besides himself was in the room.
As he looked up he saw a lady stand
ing in the door, dressed in a peculiar
night robe with only shawl thrown
ever 1t.
my Godi What is that?''
1t was indeed the subject Of his
thoughts. Amazed beyond expression,
Brown sprang from his armchair
and fastened toward the intruder.
'My dear madam! Mrs. Morley, in
heavens name. why are you here?"
never IulIlu, uOCtOT. SolI uOWu Jill
write what I tell you
Brown mechanically obeyed the
command There was something in
the look and bearing Of his visitor
which forbade contradiction. Strange
ly thrilled, Brown took up his pen and
wrote at her dictation the following
words: 81 hereby direct that in case
Of my death my body be opened and
the cause of my illness and final de-
mise be officially and authoritatively
stated by a competent physician. ]
am convinced that am poisoned, and
that by my own husband, and only
through such statement as the afore-
said will it be put out Of his power to
get possession of the property coming
to my own child, his step-daughter
My will relating to this property is in
the hands of my lawyer, Mr.. Bait, in
London. Mr.. Bait is, as / have un-
fortunately only lately discovered, a
man open to bribery, and my husband
counts upon his characteristic for the
attainment of his object: that is to
say, he hopes to induce this lawyer
by pure Justification, to make the will
read in his favor. I believe he has al
ready succeeded in doing this, for
when yesterday desired to see law
yer Of this town, in order to have him
take down my last wishes, my hus-
band put every obstacle in the way of
his coming. 1 have put sealed copy
of my will in the double bottom of
the little box which stands always
upon the table at my bedside. The
Sstensible contents of the box are my
daughters first cap and lock Of my
fathers hair"
DR.. Brown had driven his pen as if
under the domination of a higher
power. He was not conscious of hav-
ing once lifted it from the paper to
the inkstand, and yet there stood the
written characters, black and clear,
upon the white paper, and reminded
him that he was not alone; further
more, that the head and heart whose
wish and request these characters re-
corded, belonged to an existence which
held his own being, thought and will
in it's power.
He made an heroic effort to regain
the mastery of himself, and with a
powerful shake, as if to free himself
from the grasp of this strange will,
he arose. Madam, L"
"Yes, but, doctor, the master sent
me to tell you to come right away.
Mrs. Morley has been lying for two
hours like dead, and the master thinks
1T must be nearly over with her.
Brown staggered back in amaze
ment, and stared so vacantly at the
waiting coachman that the man was
struck dumb.
"Jan? Where did you come from? i?
Mrs. Morley is not yet"
Dead? No doctor. not yet, out the
master says she can't last much long
er."
"Very well. You see to the horses,
and I'll come right away"
DR.. Brown put his hands to his head
He had need to convince himself by
some such means Of his own mortal
existence. Then he seized his hat and
coat and hurried after the coachman.
Drawing his coat tightly about him,
he leaned back in the corner of the
carriage and racked his brain over
the strange occurrence, but to no pur-
pose. The doctor was a hard-headed,
practical man, and if anyone had re-
lated to him the events Of the past
day, he would haze laughed him to
scorn; but, earnestly as he tried to do
SO now, it was impossible for him to
conjure up a smile. The carriage
stopped and Mr.. Morley was at the
door to receive him.
81 am glad you have come, doctor
I was afraid you would be too late.
As the clock struck 12 there was alb
solutely no breath nor pulse, and not
until half an hour ago did she seem
to come back little to life. She has
just asked for you"
These words were spoken outside the
sick room door, The doctor laid aside
his coat and went in, followed by Mr.
Morley. The physician felt something
like horror at being in the near pres
cnce of this man, who since half an
hour ago had figured in his mind as
the murderer of his wife, and here in
the sick room, while looking upon the
dying woman, in whose features he
again saw plainly his recent guest,
did he feel again that compelling force
iafa had tho non in hia haxad