Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-04-28

| Dieu 1HVOluntarlly.
Aenas symptoms were those Of en-
rare poisoning. : -
puSneo the electric bell, wrote a few
words on sheet of paper, torn from
NY note book, and, giving it To tho
servant who answered nv summons
tolo ner to take it Immediately to INV
surgery, hand it to my assistant and
walt reply. Then, uncertain what to
say or do, I turned toward Mildred
naVensdale, who sat silent and compos-
ea on the chair near the couch.
This faintness," l ventured at lost
seems serious, alarming even"
indeed? am so sorry. What can
II be! Failure of the hearth"
No." I rejoined, looking fixedlv at
her; i should rather say it is a case
of poisoning"
She met my eyes with a cold IN.
credulous stare, but gave no reply.
Did you ever hear of poison called
curare?" I went on.
never" she answered, calmly.
reflected moment. Should I tell
her what Ella had revealed to me. and
challenge her to deny it? No, not yet,
decided.
ALI this while I had been chafng
Lena's hands, but now I let them go.
and walked uneasily round the room.
AT the dressing table stopped; on it
l noticed, abstractedly, a toilet case
my Wife's present-and beside the case
about the latter which caused me to
look again, and with trembling hands
to open the case. All! I could hardly
repress cry-the comb belonged to it;
and on the comb, tightly fastened to
one of the teeth by piece of thin
point. I had discovered the explana-
ton of the scarlet!
Yes, this woman was acting part;
she must be unmasked! A means
not perfect, but still worth trying
suggested itself to me, even as beads
of perspiration broke out on my brow,
and my heart began to beat with pain
full rapidity.
Miss Ravensdale," l said slowly,
will you please let me pull this como
through your hair?"
She sprang to her feet. "What an
extraordinary request!"
Then you decline?" I asked, ex-
citedly.
NO." she said, with a grim smile;
ooh, no. Do as you will" She remov-
ed the hat she had been wearing and
came and stood by my side. Come"
she added. IT am ready"
Il have changed my mind"
murmered, weakly.
She turned, and, before could stop
her, wrenched the comb from my hand,
drew it through her hair several times,
and flung it on the ground. Then she
said, in fierce, low voice:
eff death does occur, if were you,
should certify it as due to failure of
the hearts action. That would avoid
an inquest, which, under the circum-
stances, is most undesirable. For your
wife's sake, you know"
"My wife! How dare you sug
gest-"
11OW udl0 w CAL, yOO 0AoAA ASS'As
Your wife is angry because Lena saw
fit to make will, leaving her proper.
ty to my brother-her future husband.
Your wife was pleased to utter dis
graceful innuendoes about him and
about me. Even this afternoon she
and Lena quarrelled bitterly. I heard
them; so did my brother, who hap
pened to be in the house; so did the
servant. Your wife," she went on with
harsh laugh, wanted to keep Lena's
money in the family, and if this is
case of poisoning she must have adj
ministered it. She thought the will
was not to be signed until tomorrow,
but she was wrong. 1t was signed
yesterday. She was too late, too late!"
here was loud ring at the front
door. In dream nightmare, rath-
err, I ran downstairs, and, admitting
the servant-maid, took from her the
syringe furnished with an injection OF
strychnine, which I had demanded
from my assistant.
I returned to the bedroom, and,
avoiding Miss Ravensdale's inquiring
look, made an incision in the patients
arm. A little while, and I noticed
slight, natural movement of her mus
cles.
THANK Heaven!" exclaimed. "The
strychnine has proved the antidote
hoped. Lena will live now"
"She-will-live? Mildred Ravens
dale ran from the room.
She and her so-called brotner-it was
not till long afterward I round out he
was her husband never saw again.
| For Lena's sake, no steps were taken
to bring them to justice. But I was
soon in possession of enough informa-
ton to enable me to form pref
ty definite notion of the ingenuity Of
| the scheme which my superior know