Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-09-08
"well," I replied after a little con-


sideration. II will tell you what to do.
Take your daughter at once away to
some place for change of air. Sea-
combe by the way, is a charming
place near the sea, and the air is most
bracing. | must return to London for
short time, and when you are settled
at Seacombe, | will run down to have
look at my patient"
After short time I ran down to
Seacombe, and was as delighted as her
parents to see the almost complete re-
covery that the change of air had
wrought in my patient.
III tell you what, DOCTOR said Mr..
Delmege, Il will just take your advice
about remaining here for bit. have
decided on taking house here Tor
the winter; the climate is mild, and
dare say We all need little change
after our recent anxiety. l will send
to Deanpark for some things, though
the house we have taken is small ana
we won't require very much, but Ag-
mes must have her piano-she is never
really happy without it.
Very good" l said; Il think it is
the best thing you can do. Your
daughter seems to have quite recoV-
ered."
did not like to damp his good
spirits, but in his joy at his chllds
recovery Mr. Delmege appeared to for
get the deadly nature of her complaint,
and as l returned to London l could
not help thinking that the stealtny
hand that was at work at Deanpark
would sooner or later find way TO
carry on it's murderous work, no mat
ter where it's victim might be.
In this surmise l was only too cor
rect. About a month afterward l re-
ceived a wire from Mr.. Delmege to
come to Seacombe at once.
Putting off all my other engage
ments l journeyed down by the next
train and got to Seacombe by the after
noon
The house Mr.. Delmege had taken
was small, but very prettily situated in
about an acre of ground commanding
a lovely view of the bay and hills be-
yond
l met him in the hall. He was in
terrible state.
"My poor child-she is as bad as
ever!' he exclaimed.
Miss Delmege was lying on a sofa in
a darkened room. She was suffering
from great headaches and pains in the
eyes; her throat, too, was very con-
stricted. 1t was pitiful to see the poor
thing so, and her patience under all
her sufferings.
gave something to ease the pain in
her head and send her to sleep. Sit
ting by her I noticed-indeed, I had
rather bitten. 1t was habit she was
inclined to, and which, when I spoke
about it once, she declared was in
duced by playing the piano so much. l
didn't pay much attention to it at the
time, but now the words came back to
me with peculiar significance.
I remembered that Mr.. Delmege told
me that Mr.. Hunt had chosen the pi
ano.
Nos, Miss Delmege was the only
one in the house that played, as Meth
err her father nor mother ever touched
the instrument.
This last attack had come on just
week after the piano had come from
Deanpark I sat thinking over the
matter for some time, and before say
ing anything to Mr.. Delmege decided to
make careful examination of the in
strument. which felt sure now was in
some mysterious way the cause of his
daughters sickness.
That night after diner, when Mrs.
Delmege had gone up to sit with her
daughter and Mr.. Delmege had walk
ed out for stroll l went over to the
piano, and, lighting the candles, sat
down and carefully scrutinized the