The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-16

tho house / returned to the spot and exam,
ined tho coluber closely. 1t was an owl.
looking thing. The leaves wero thick aud
fleshy, shaped somewhat like q scrpent's
head n covered with looking
brown spots. Hero and there, between
opposite pairs of tho leaves, wpro small
groom globes, about tho size of u pca-no
doubt the fruit of tho shrub. / struck
ono of them of with my cane, and 1 crush.
cd it upon tho ground. A black, visoid
fluid escaped, whilo q strange, suffooating
odor diffuscd itself through tho nir. 1t
was an odor not to BIO forgotten, and SO op-
pressivo that I was glad to lcayo tho spot,
but I did 20 fully determined to keep al
eye upon Miss Misano's gardening oporn-
tions.
AT carly lawn OF tho following morn
ing 1 quietly loft tho house and concealed
myself in tho s~hrubbory opposite tho bod
containing the colubor. HAD not long to
wait. A soft, catliko tread warned mo of
hor approach. Sho carried tho sanlo box
I had noticed on tho previous morning
and wore the snlno thick gloves. Pausing
before tho oolubor, she glanced cautiously
around. Apparently satisfied that sho WAS
not observed, she pluoked ono Of tho green
berries 1 have described and put 1t in tho
box, keeping 1t, as I saw, at tho utmost
distance from hor face. Then she hurried
away. AS soon rs sho was out of sight, 1
stepped from my plnoo of oonconlmont and
likewise out off ono of the berries, which
I secured in n small vial 1 Ind nbout mo.
Then I, too, returncd to tho house. Going
to my room, / sat down to examine my
specimen of tho colubcr. With the means
of analysis which l had at hnnd 1 wns un-
able to discover anything rs to tho proper
ties OF tho berry and was about to givo up
tho task for n timo, when l happened TO
observe on II plato u picco of broad from
my last. nights supper, which had boon
served in my apartment. Breaking off q
small fragment, l squeezed II drop Of tho
juice upon it.
1 went 10 tho window II looked out.
just below mo IL stray fowl was scratching
in tho edge OF IL garden bed. L tossed tho
morsol within r~cuclrOf tho birds who swal-
lowed it promptly. L awaited tho result
with breathlcss anxiety. For some mo-
mont longer tho creature continued its
search for food. Then it appeared to
grow uneasy. Its eyes closed, it's wings
dropped, and its head foil upon it's breast.
Suddenly 1t dropped in II heap and lay mo-
t%ionless. 1 had discovered the properties
of tho colubor. i had detected Martha
Misanc's secret. now knew tho disease
from which Edna Trevor was slowly dy-
ing. With o rccling brain and quickly
beating heart 1 foil into Il chair and ro-
manned n long time motionless, utterly
overcome with my hideous discovery.
Then, with my resolution formed, 1 arose
and won't down stairs. Edna was awake
by this time, and 1 entered her room to
inquire how she felt. With a sad, patient
smile sho informed INC that she was cvon
worse than tho day before.
mo matter" 1 replied confidently,
"from this day forth you will got botter."
THANK heaven," said tho eager voice
of Mrs. Trevor, who had entered the room
bohind me. but are you quito sure, doc
tor?''
81 am" 1 answered firmly. ~ nave
discovered tho nature of tho disease, and I
can cure it,"
At that moment Martha Misano camo
in, bearing in her hands tho breakfast,
which, as usual, slo had prepared for Ed
ma. Sho placed tho tray beside tho girls
bed and assisted her to sit up. AS Edna
was about to take tho soup which tho wom-
an offered hor l checked her, and lifting
tho plato to my face snellcd at it. AS l
had expected, tho faint odor of the coluber
was plainly evident.
eve will begin tho euro by rejecting
Miss Misano's soup which is not good for
YOU"
With u CHASTITY faco the woman leaned
helplessly against tho bed, returning my
gazo with u stare of abject fear. "Will
you allow me II few moments conversa-
ton with you?" l said to her politely, but
with IL look which sho understood.
Sho followcd mo silently into tho nd
joining room and sank into u chair, whilo
L closed the door. You see, - said /, fac
ing her, 'tllat your secret is discovered.
For the sake of ginning your Cousins in
lcritancc you layo been slowly poisoning
his child with sinai doses of coluber,
whose internal properties you have learn
cd, | know not how"
"NIcrcy! mcrcy!' walled tho woman,
covering her face with her hands.
L replied STORMY: what mercy havo
you shown this innocent girl and loving
mother? But, for ,lioir s,kcs, there slinl
DO no scandal. Leave this house within
oEo hour, and, murk, IL hereafter you daro
show u sign of your existence, You shall
receive tho punishment / now withhold.
Coz Trembling, she crawlcd out of the
room, and within tho stipulated timo she
had departed and was never heard of again.
From that day Edna gained rapidly in
strength and in II month had recovered
her full health and bcauty.-London Tit
Bits.
His Papers Tial ded Up.
Sho was tho daughter of n judge, and