The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-12
5 10 arouse the Indignation Of the whole

as TO arouse the Indignation Ol the NiApAS
The Victim, a young man Of wild habits, |
had been slowly poisoned by this James 4
Flood, who had only been detected py the |
merest chance, so subtle was the drug ne /
used, and so artful his mode OF proceed
ing. The murderer was tried and duly |
convicted and sentenced, and then came /
the most extraordinary part of 1t. on the /
very eve Of his execution, he suddenly /
dropped down dead in his CELL within an |
hour of a visit from his wife, and not [
doctor in the land could account for his
death. l remember, l in common with all
members of my profession, had taken
great interest in the case at the time.
1t was generally supposed that ne had
taken poison. Yes, but what poison? FOR
there was not a trace of it to be seen, and
how did he get it? Then the thought sud
denly flashed across my mind, as l stood
looking at my weeping love.
This must be Mary's secret"
My surmise proved correct, and when
Mary was sufficiently composed she made
me the Mortified recipient of it.
Whatever people may have suspected,
Frank" she said, before she began her
story, "helieve me, you are the only per-
son L have ever confided the truth to-"
las near as / can recollect,' she went on,
three months before he was arrested for
that-that dreadful crime, that my hus-
band, who had just returned from some
distant race meeting, and having hnlshed
his dinner, was sitting modify smoking
his cigar in front of the fire, suddenly
startled me by putting to me the following
I" Mary, supposing that was ever con-
victed of some great crime-such crime
der to save me from punishment do exact
ly as l told you-go to any length ior me,
in fact?'
"I thought for moment and then re-
piled tremblingly, for hardly knew what
he meant: .I-I-suppose SO, James; am
not your wife,?
with a sneer, for he hated me, Frank, l
know he did, but that is nothing to do with
| 1t. What l wanted to know is TINS: II l
was sentenced to death. and lying in the
| condemned cell awaiting my doom would
| you have pluck enough in you-suhcient
! regard, or love- or whatever you cal ~ 70
| convey-well something to me that would
| cheat the hangman of his prey? Tell me,
would your
''I couldn't answer him, Frank, for some
| time, / was so horrihed, ana nardly
| know what L replied, but whatever IL was
he took it in the negative.
| 4" oh, yes, you would, he said, conf
IDENTIFY YOU wouldn't like, know, to be
! pointed at by every one as the woman
| whose husband had been hung. Think
here, Mary he seized me rudely by the
| arm as he spoke, I hope such an I'M
| pleasant state of things as have sug-
| gested may never come to pass, but one
| never knows, you know, and accidents
| will happen in the best regulated families,
| but in case ii should, / want you just to
look here He produced as he spoke,
| the tinest pill box l ever saw, from his
waistcoat pocket and opening it, showed
me two equally tiny silvered pills nesting
in their wool in the inside.
" You see these, Mary, he said.
81 nodded, for 1 dared not speak.
d" Very well, l hand them over to your
keeping, as a sacred trust, 50 please to
of them. In the case of an accident to
me, you will, Of course, be allowed be-
fore my final exit from this beautiful
world, to pay your adored husband a
visit and bid him long farewell Very
good. Now attend to me; Before start
ing on this touching expedition, desire
nay, order-you to place one OF these pills
in the side of your mouth, and when In
floods of tears you embrace me, convey il
in kiss to. mine, to be swallowed when
YOU have taken your departUre-say half
an-hour after. The other pill you can dc
what you like with-take it yourself, il
you will he added brutally. it would
kill a horse, let alone woman, so you
need not be alarmed on that score
Now, these are my instructions. Have
your promise that you win carry then
out?" demanded my husband, taking ms
roughly by the shoulders, and looking
into my averted face with those wicket
'"At first I refused Frank. but at last
frightened at my husbands vehemenc'
and evident earnestness, | gave way, ant
God forgive me for it-gave him m!
promise on the Bible. He wouldn't tax
Three months afterward the crasl
camel You know what happened, Frank
, and how kept my word.
THAT is my story" Mary said simply
, when she had finished, and stood trem
bling in front Of me with downcast eyes
and hands clasped as If a culprit awaiting
) her sentence.
"And you thought" said /, after pause
, "that after listening to all you have toll
me- I should order you to leave my house
and never speak, or even notice you
again? You limited as much just now, di'
you not?'
NV old love bowed her head in response
The next instant and / was by he
side, and had taken her In my arms.
I (The End)