Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-25
CHAPTER NX.

tCoPyright, lSaS, by Amorl~op Press Assooia-
 Gon.
 CHAPTER XX
 Everything connected with Mama Sa- hib's ruby was uncanny.
 X full week passed before my mind freed itself If the effect of that subtle, noxious drug which came within a hair of robbing Inc of life. When l became mentally my own master, l attempted to leave my bed and found could not stand. My lower limbs were paralyzed. l wondered whether it was permanent.
 would have summoned Ey physi- clan from New York but for the con viction that be could give me no help. The nature of the drug must be un- known to any medical man in this ooun- try. Only the fabricator or discoversr of the thing could neutralize its effects, and whoever that man was he was not ill America unless 1t was Darius c. Howard. So l decided to wait,
 Meanwhile 1 received the best of nursing 1 was visited continually by the Bridges with whom 1 had engaged quarters, and she and her husband were as anxious tp help me along the road of recovery as were the couple with whom l was forced to stay.
 They procured such articles as l need ed and handled me with the utmost kindness and care. l had long been forgiven fer the little deception practic- cd to obtain admission to the upper floor. for l convinced them that the handsome man and beautiful woman whu tu@k up their quarters with them were ~ il Iur>uHs who were engaged in unlawful praCtlc;.> Indeed Mrs. Bridges rt!ru1cnrd herself for having given them shelter <u long without being morr ValtlrUIar in her inquiries.
 At th2 end of thrto or four days a most thrilling discovery came to nc strength was returning to my frame In q little whi!r l would ho fully my self again.
 More than once l was on the point of sending word to my wife and bringing her to my bedside, as she would have hastrned to come the moment she knew I of my extremity.
 But wherefore? She could do no more for me than WAS being done by my faithful attendants, My wife has long urged mo to give mp my perilous voca- l tion for some pursuit of less danger. If l should tell her all, as l would be | obliged to do, she would allow me no rt>t until t'lo change WAS made. l was Hot ready make 1t and l2ubt whether | It vv,r Will l'u made.
 IT the time should come when be- l litNrd G,ath impcndcd, 1 could sum | mon I,r III few hours. l would wait until t..r l,,.,S S>ity arose, which, thank | heaven. I.,ytr came.
 It WAS d a suurCe of never ending an- | nCyance tu lie that when on the verge | of solving the mystery of the great ruby the ,lour Wa, closed ill my face. Had l been able to master myself when totter- ing a.-r,,>> the floor until the window | wu> raised believe Mrs. Howard would 1 hAvy imp"ritd the momcntous secret. But my collapse robbed me forever of that chance.
 My strength steadily increased until l thoni,ruin- vLiuc, when 1 carefully rose ] frl.u ii!rl d;tGd toEud 1 could stand on my i.lt "@I Guu my clothing l was | still w,ah Hut was making good prog | rosS.
 Thruusl. tho open door of my room l could see the one leading to that apart mcnt which had proved so we'll nigh fla tai to ne. The conviction had long been with me that if l entered that once more would find something to help me ill my groping for light.
 So, when all was quiet down Sial.S and no ore could know I was Gsti1, walked uncertainty across tho nall, turned the knob and stepped across the threshold.
 AS did so 1 caught that same odOr faint, almost inporccptible to ordi- nary senses, but in my delicate condi- tion it almost overcame me again. It was so abhnrrent, so Hoxious, so hate ful, that had l not instantly stepped back and closed the door 1 must have sucCumbcd as before. My system so re voted that a suspicion even of its exist crce near me would overpower my senses.
 Keep your secret" I exclaimed hastening back to my own room, where threw myself on tho bed until could rally. It shall remain a secret forever if it can To solved only through tha horrible taint. .'
 now began to figurn when 1 could leave my friends. The weather, whicl had been sunShiny and pleasant, hccam, cold, rainy and dismal. It lasted thrc, days before the skies cleared and tn, sun showed itself Then I told then that was going home.
 They urged mo to stay until III! strength was fully restored, but l as sured them that such Was the fact now
 and I would only be wasting preciou
 time, of which too much had alread, been squandrred.
 To test myself, 1 walked in from tn
 country, i2stcad of allowing Mir. Bridge r to bring me i'll his carriage. One of tn
 strangest things about my experienc
 with that dreadful drug was that whe
 I reached the station I could not per !. ceivo the slightest effects from it. I wa
 as strong, as robust, as powerful an
 active as ever in all my life
 Duty called me to New York, and
 went thither without delay Twas SOFT '' to learn afterward that my good wifi had begun to feel anxious about nt
 but. not suSpeCting anything of the kind devoted little time to work befor - going home.
 5 At the Astor House l learned thu
 Mir. and Mrs. Howard had staid thel I. on the night they came in from Ne - Jersey They left the following day h sail for England. A little inQuil
 brought me the cabman. an homes
 straightforward fellow, who had take