The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-01-14

deal. Her eyes were red, her cheeks
pale, yet she was q sweet. lovable
little thing, in her black dress, all the
gold hair knotted plainly back, as
John Steele came upon her, standing
d~isconsolato upon the hearthrug be-
fore the ruddy drawing room fire.
Mrs. Calista was with him, and ef-
fusively performed the introduction.
Aud what did this blue.eyed, curly
bearded, pleasant stranger do? Bow
formally to pretty little Miss Renirew,
of Silverside? Not at all. He took
both her little, cold hands in his warm,
strong clasp.
"Wby, you poor child" he said.
Don't grieve SOL
Ruby met the kind yet piercing
eyes with d culver OF the lip.
"She was all | had. l have no n
now," moaned She
81 don't know about that" SAID Mr..
Steele.
In all her life Ruby had never seen
any one SO pleasant and hearty. with
such an eye of courage and voice OF
cheer. All at once she felt friendless
no longer.
And Mr.. Steele evidently took care
that she should not feel so. Soon the
g~lances which rested upon this girl
were more than kind-they were ten
der-and Mrs. Calista saw them.
One morning, Ruby rose with a
STRANGE dizziness end ringing in her
ears. After an effort mado to dress,
she was compelled to return to her
bed, aud Mrs. Ca!ista came to attend
her.
"She has taken everything so much
to heart, she is worn out" said the
woman.
Her words seemed true. Ruby was
robbed of all strength. No pain, no
disturbance, but a strange languor,
in which everything swan before her
eyes.
She heard Mr.. Steele urge calling q
physician, but Mrs. Calista s~trenuously
opposed.
"No-no, indeedl She does not
need drugs, but rest and relief from
excitement. Leave her to mel"
And Ruby. since she did not suffer,
and was so heavy.headed, did not care
what was done, since they did not dis
turb her.
But the languor grew deeper. Day
aud night werea dream. In this trance
she sometimes saw Mrs. Calista turning
something from q vial into the glass
from which she drank. but she cared
not for this, and thought of nothing.
One day she saw John Steele's blue
eyes bending over her.
"Darling my little darling!" he
said, tenderly, "what ais you?"
She was conscious OF longing to ease
the pity and pain in his face, but the
strange inertia hung upon her so heav-
lily she could not lift Il lid or move q
finger.
Then came q long blank, full of
strange dreams. Sometimes, in the
night, Mrs. Calista held q feather to
her lips to see if she breathed. 1t was
long since food had passed them; she
only drank from q spoon upon
her pillow. And it was always Mrs.
Calista who presented it.
She missed the Others, yet could not
dwell upon the thought OF their alb.
sence.
But n day q piercing scream pene-
trated even her dulled ears. Before
her eyes struggled two figures. Mrs.
Calista held the glass and the vial in
her hands. Mrs. Sllcott grasped firm
ly her wrists, and called londly for
help.
"You are poisoning herl 1t is the
truth! l have caught you! Help!
help!"
John Steele rushed into the room,
and the two combined to restrain the
frenzied woman, who struggled madly
to dash the vial upon the floor.
But John Steele secured it, and read
the label with a blanching cheek. Then
he closed his hand upon it, land direct
ing Mrs. Silcott to make no cutlery,
but send for a physician, closed the
door upon the only witness of Mrs.
Callsta guilt, and sternly faced the
woman alone.
"Why are you poisoning that limo.
cent child?" he demanded.
"Yon love her, and / had loved you
madly for years. 1 have Vol your
fortune for you. You shall marry me
never herr" was the reply.
dreadful, infatuated woman
Mad. indeedl" he cried. "Calista, /
could not love you, if You brought me
the wealth of the Indies. Horrible,
horrible! Oh, If she dies, ] will give
you over to the law-criminal tina.
you are!"
For Il moment he forgot her, and
} stopped over Ruby's pillow. In that
instant Mrs. Calista slipped from the
room.
The physician came, and Mrs. Silcott
was stationed at the patients bedside.
But Mrs. Calista's work was nearly &C.
complished. The breath of life fut'
tered feebly on the girls lips, threat
: ening at any instant to take its depar