The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-09-12
6be Shadow G
BERTH, ): : ,,,,. Of a Crime.

NO., ne SHlu. We VIII Do'h 'dh' "
holiday tonight, We both need II.
SO Luke Abershaw adjourned with
them to the drawing room, and, in his
humble and deferential manner eX-
pressed the pleasure he felt at Rosa
mond's singing and playing.
She seemed to greatly interest him;
seated in the background, he kept his
eyes intently fixed upon her; yet, from
the expression of his countenance, it
would have been difficult to analyze
his thoughts.
Mr.. Medlicott could not help remark
ing this fixed attention, and it recalled
the idea that had once before fOated
across his mind, to try and make a
match between the secretary and his
adopted daughter.
Before retiring to rest ROsamOnd
wrote a long letter to Mrs Gardiner.
relating her reception by Mr.. Medli-
colt and all that had passed.
at is a long time since he has been
so kind to me-" she said: - am so
glad l have returned; he looks pale
and worn: the house is dull. and | am
sure he felt much better last night for
the little change / vas able to afford
him.
' Within a few days after Rosamond's
arrival Mr.. Medlicott appeared to have
recovered his usual health.
The doctor said ii was through his
prescription, the secretary said it was
from the brightness that the young
lady's presence had brought into the
gloomy house. the cOnvalescent him
self protested that there had never
been anything the matter with him be-
yOnd the effects of the weather.
But this recovery was only transient.
One morning when Mr.. Medlicott
came down to breakfast, he looked
feverish; there vas a hectic flush upon
his cheek and a strange brightness in
his eyes hat quite alarmed Rosamond.
AS usual, he protested there was
nothing the matter; but after a vain
effort to eat his breakfast, he had to
push away the knife and fork and con-
fess himself conquered.
Still, but for both Luke and Rosa
mond's persuasion he would have gone
to business as usual.
Toward evening the feverish symp-
toms abated, but he could not shake
off a feeling of lassitude and debility.
He went to the office the next morn
ing, but when he returned he looked
terribly i'll n worn, and. after much
persuasion he permitted DI. Grant to
be sent for.
Nothing much the matter, doctor"
he said, loosely. ITS the fall of the
year, or the stomach out of order, or a
little cold, OIL the weather or ONE
thing Of that sort"
Rosamond noticed that a grave, in
quiring look came into the doctors
face at the first glance he cast upon
the patient, and all the time he was
feeling his pulse he never tool his
eyes off him; and in spite of his as
sumed Indifference, Mr.. Medlicott was
not unaffected by it.
We'll, what is it, doctor?" he asked,
smilingly. .
Nothing very serious at present; I
will send you something Immediately,
which you must not neglect to take ex-
actly according to the prescription"
was he reply.
Rosamond vas in the hall when he
left.
What is the matter, doctor?" she
inquired ,anyiously.
well. from the symptoms, | should
say fever was impending; but if he
strictly carries out my directions he
may avert it,"
Rosamond felt very much alarmed;
she told the secretary what the doctor
had said. and he seemed to share in
her fears.
The next morning Mr.. Medlicott was
better, the pulse was lower, the glitter
had gone out of his eyes and the flush
out of his cheeks.
But the next day there was a slight
return of these symptoms. and so it
went on for a week, and then another
and another.
The doctor. a man of large expert
ence and %undOubted skill, was puz-
zled.
The furred tongue. the high pulse.
the dry, hot skin We're all symptoms
of fever, and yet the diagnosis was not
complete.
Day by day Mr.. Medlicott's strength
sinking beneath this mysterious
dy, and within five or six weeks
OF its first development the once
strong, wiry man had become a nerv-
Gus, q%uerulous invalid. the mere shad-
ow of his former self.
Some time before this he had TO ri ye
up attending his office. Fortunately,
his managing clerk was a man in
every way qualified to undertake the
business, and he had no anxiety on
that score.
Not rising until late. he spent all his
time In the library. sitting in an easy
clair doing, oil debating letters or
talking with his secretary.
And during all this time Luke Aber-
shaw's influence over his mind was
daily increasing.
Indeed, influence Is TOO weak a word
to describe the strange power that this
man, this comparative Stranger, had
come o exercise over the oncs sharp,
shrewd lawyer.