Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-16


see how his patient was, and then, by
persuasion or force, make him exc
cute a short will bequeathing some
thing handsome ito his dear friend
and attentive physician, Ohio Vandel-
lar, M. D." etc. He advanced to the
bedside and called Sir Michael by
name. There was no answer
Asleep" muttered Vandellar.
Sorry to disturb the old fellow, but it
can't be helped"
So saying he lit the lamp, for the
wintry afternoon light was failing
fast, and, approaching the bed, placed
his fingers on the silent occupants
wrist. He drew back with start.
General Sir Michael Trefusis, K c.
B., was dead.
DR.. Vandellar stood for a moment
staring blankly at the corpse. Death
had stepped in to thwart his plans and
absolute ruin must follow.
Must follow! Surely something
could be done? Something must be
done,
The doctor locked tie chamber door
and sat down i'll a chair by the siGe Of
the dead man. For q minute or two
he could not compel his thoughts to
definite form; but slowly, under the
influence Of his indomitable will, they
took shape.
Sir Michael was dead-so forcing
him to sign will iii his favor was out
Of the question. But what of the
iron box of bonds-to-bearer, and
precious jewels brought from India
which the general insisted upon keep
ing in the cabinet by his bedside?
The contents Of that box were worth
10000 or more, and were immedi-
ately realizable. The box was still IL
the cabinet, the doctor saw, and the
key was hanging around the dead
mans neck, as usual. That iron box
should be Vandellar's salvation, for he
would swear that the original owner
had given il to him on his deathbed.
Of course, the thing was quite easy
and impending ruin would vanish in
the sunshine Of prosperity!
And then, like cold hand laid upon
his hot heart, came Vandellar to the
recollection that such gifts, to be legal
must be conferred by hand, and in
the presence of witnesses.
So it must be ruin after all unless
but, no, he would not put himself in
the power of his servants by making
them his accomplices in false swear
ing. With a sharp exclamation OF
rage and disappointment, Vandellar
rose from his CHASTITY vigil, thinking
bitterly that, as Sir Michael had died
without a will, all his property, bonds
and jewels included, would go to his
heir-at-law, his nephew Harold, from
whom. by the irony of fate, he had
parted in anger.
But just as his hand was on the key
Of the door DR.. Vandellar turned back
again to the bedside. He had thought
of a device which might secure to him
the valuables he so coveted.
An adept in electrical and galvanic
science. Dr.. Vandellar possessed all
the newest apparatus for experiment.
ing upon animals and human beings
supposed to be dead, with view of
bringing them back to life. Many
such experiments had been made by
the doctor He had never succeeded in
restoring a subject to life, but he had
succeeded in making corpses initiate
the movements of living bodies. He
had also utilized his ventriloquial
ablity-acquired as an amateur enter
tainer in his student days-and in
some of his demonstrations with his
disguised voice persuaded students and
onlookers that his galvanized corpses
were living, speaking beings. True, in
such cases the lights had always been
low, and no examination had been
made until he explained the deception.
All this flashed through the active
doctors brain with the rapidity OF
thought, and he instantly decided to
put his idea into practice, risky as it
was 81 Micnael's body was not yet
cold, and the plan could be carried
out forthwith.
Softly Vandellar quilted the death
chamber, locking the door behind him,
and thinking how fortunate it was for
him It was that Sir MichaeIs nurse
was out for her daily walk, so that he
could conclude his operation before
her return. Entering his surgery,
Vandellar quickly adjusted his electric
apparatus, and carried it up to Sir
MichaeFs room. He soon fixed it be-
meath the clothes and attached the
electric commentators to the proper
parts of the dead mans frame. He
rehearSed the conversation and effects
once or twice, and though any sus-
picious witness might not have been
deceived by the jerky, hesitating
movements he succeeded in producing,
he considered that they would pass
muster with his housekeeper and but
Ter, whom he intended to call as wit
nesses. Placing the lamp so that the
dead mans face was thrown into the
shadow by the bed curtains, and ar
ranging the electric apparatus so that
he could govern it while pretending to
support the sinking invalid, Vandellar
unlocked the door and rang the bell
violently
"Mallinger," he said, as the house
keeper entered, fetch Jurgan, the but
| Ter, quickly. Sir Michael is worse, and
wishes to say something in the pres
ence of witnesses before the end
which is, l fear, only too nearr'
Jurgan, lank and frightened, and
Mrs. Mauinger, stout and fussy, soon
hurried in together, and, in obedience
to their masters orders, sat down al
some distance from the he'd