The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-09-13
CHAPTER VI.
SuRnfCiOna.

One morning after, when RosamOn
WAS waiting in the hall to ask the doc
tors opinion as to his patient, Mr..
Grant entered the dining room aud
bcckoned her to follow him. AS soon
as she had followed lie closed the door.
us he wOrse?" size asked, with
pale. anxiuOs face.
mo: much the same" lie answered;
'but l want to ask you few Gues-
tions. which want you to answer to
the best Of your knowledge. l mean
that, as they are very Important; you
must not answer them Mt haphazard.
Now. first of all, who gives Mr.. Metlli-
colt his fOOd?"
II always take 1t In myself; the maid
brings il to the library door. but he is
~ sensitive about-ahout his changed
appearance, that lie does not like nny
of the servants about him."
HAS he Any particular dislike to this
maid:"
'Oh. dear. no! She was always a
great fnvoritc of his: 1t is only Il sort
of nervous feeling. that Ia all-he will
not allow even me to remain with him
longer than lie can help"
"WhO gives him his medicine?"
II do"
"Has lie ever complained of his food
having any peculiar or disagree cable
tiavor!'
mot that am aware Of"
PerpleXed and troubled by these GU
rinus questions, and full Of anxiety for
the invalid, ItOsamOnd had grown ,)ale
and red by turns and evinccd a good
deal of emotion.
a fact to which DIR. Grant attributed
no meaning Mt the time, though It
aftcrward REQUIRED to him, when GER
tain circumstances called 1t back to
his memory.
Offering no explanation as to the
meaning Of his queries, DIR. Grant
wished her goOd-mornihg and took his
departure.
A day or two after he found IN op-
portunity of getting Luke Abersillw
alone and asking him almost the same
questions.
Miss Rosamond always brings him
mis- food and administers his medi-
cine" replied the secretary. "She ill.,
sists upon doing SO, though have fire..
quentl requested to relieve her Of those
duties"
"How are the household disposed to-
ward Mr.. Medlicott? mean," he add
cd, as Luke did not see INTO UNDER
stand him, do the servants like their
MASTER or is there any ill-feeling, as
there sometimes ISL"
''Oh, dear, no, Sir; am quite s1e
that they are all quite attached to
him."
The doctor knit his brows, bit his
lip and paused for q moment.
Mr.. Abershaw." lie said, with some
hesitation. "Mr. Medlicott's complaint
puzzles me, to be plain with you; Of
course, speak in the strictest .onfl-
hGnce. am something's suspicious of
foul play, that Mi. Medlicott is being
Good God, sir, you cannot he seri-
ous!'
There was genuine look of horror
upon the secretary's face that was sui
ficient to convince the doctor that ~
"Tbere Is only Ole kind of poison
that would produce the symptoms !
observe In Mr.. Medlicott."
".And that is?'
"a drug the effects of which are
known to very few, and only to those
who make tOXicology . study"
"I8ut who is there in the house That
would be likely to know anything
about such tllings?"
Exactly. 1t Is that which puzzles
me. 1t is impossible to suspect any
one. Now l want you, Mr.. Abershaw,
as the one who Is ut present the most
about Mr. Aledlicott's person, to be on
the watch; contrivc, without exciting
his notice, TO taste the food that Is
brought to him; If you observe any pc
culiar flavor. mark 1t well, and de-
scribe 1t to me-"
II will do all you desire. sir; but l
am quite sure your suspicious are UNI
foundctd."
Il hope SO, AMI belie,e SO: neverthe-
less, we cannot be too sure"
For several days after this the doc
tor received report from the secre-
tary; he had tasted all the food
brought to Mr.. MedlicOtt, but could not
detect anything In the flavor that was
not proper to it.
About this time the feverish symp.
toms slightly alated, and the patient
grew q little better, n circumstance
which, being coincident with the doc
tors first mention of Ills suspicious,
did not escape his attention. But
there was no approach to GONZALES
| cence; the action of the disease was
| slower. but not less certain.
DR.. Grant called In two other physi-
clans, and there was consultation.
They could perceive nothing in the
symptoms beyond those Of low, in-
termittent fever; Of course, they had
1 not watched the CAGE MS he had done.
After some hesitation, he mentioned
his suspicious. One disputed that the
drug wOul produce sucli SYMPHONIC; the
other argued upon the unlikellllood OF
I any ordinary person being acquainted
with the poisonous qualities Of the