Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-10-12
DEADLY OCTAVE.
&C 7 SEE by your face, doctor, that
you think 1t very serious case
u Is not that SoT

as cheering q tone as possible. there
Is really no immediate cause for anx-
lety. Your daughter Is undoubtedly
not In q good state Of health; her
nerves are upset and she wants rest
and total freedom from worry"
But" said Mrs. Delmege, what can
she have had to worry herr She was
always, as you know, In the best OF
health and good spirits until the past
few months, when she has gradually
fallen into this condition"
Il should ike TO see DR.. O'Conncll,"
l replied, rather evasively. He has,
you say, been attending Miss Delmege
for some time pastr
DR.. O'Connell, the local practitioner,
lived but a short distance from Dean
park, Mr., Delmege's residence.
We will send the trap over there at
once with you if you wish" said Mr.,
Drlmcgc.
do sor | answered. Il am ANXIOUS
to see him as snau as possible"
had a lengthy conversation with
the doctor He was a smart, inteAI-
gcnt-looking man, and had the reputa-
ton of possessing larger share of
ability than is usual in a country Irac-
tliOHrr.
The result of our conversation was
that | decided TO remain for some time
at DeaHpark, and wired TO my house
In London for my things TO be sent on.
The case was Il more serious one than
cared to admit to Miss Dclmese's par
la. NO Al a 70
but if my diagnosis OF the case, with
which DR. O'Conneli quite agreed, was
correct one-the girls life was un-
doubleday in danger
Miss Delmcge was 4 young girl of
about Is, and extremely pretty; she
WAS an only child. and the idol of her
parents she had suddenly, some
months ago, fallen iuto rather bad
health, becoming subject TO violent
headaches, attended by continued sore
throat and pains in the eyes.
At length Or. O'Cannell, the local
man, advised calling in further ad-
viec, and, /, being IA old friend of Mr..
DeImcge's. was sent for.
Ten days or so~paSSed 10y after my
arrival at Dcanpark, during which
time / carefully studied and watched
the progreSs-for progress, alas. it was
of the malady from which Miss Del
mege was suffering, and at the end Of
that time | was fairly puzzled to ar
rive at the cause, though l was quite
satisfied as to what the nature of the
Illness was.
Can we do nothing fer nay peer
child" exclaimed Mr.. Beimege, during
one of my visits, rs she to die under
our very handsr
| determined then TO tell Mr.. Delmege
my opinion Of the case, Us there was
nothing to be gained by eoneealiRg it
any longer from him,
II have made" ] said, "a most care
full diagnosis of the complaint from
which your daughter is suffering, and
there IS in nay mind net the slightest
doubt but that 1t is the effects of ar
senic poisoning"
Mr.. Delmege stared at me in horror
'Poisoning"' he exclaimed.
Yes" I continued. "All her sy1np-
toms are those exhibited in arsenic poi
soning The mystery is how she is
getting 1t. She eats exactly the same
food as you eat; 1t cannot, therefore,
be in that way. l have examined crit
lcally the paper on the walls Of her
bedroom; | have subjected even the
soap, her teath rswder-every little
thing | can think of, IN fact-to a
most minute inspection, and in no way
can l ascertain any traces of the poi
SORing.
Il confess I feel helpless TO strike on
any likely theory at present, but at all
events ] would advise your taking your
daughter for change of air somewhere.
If she makes a decided Improvement
while away. candidly tell you would
not bring her back here until ! have
ascertained the source OF the poison,
which IS undoubtedly being admins
tered to your daughter in such a way
that 1t apparently affects no others in
your household"
Mr.. Belmege stood aghast at what l
told him.
Poison he said "Oh, who would
want 10 injure my poor Agnes, who
never did harm TO any one In her life?"
Tell me- | asked, " is there any enc
who would gain directly by her DEATH"
"No-oh. no!' Mr.. Delmege replied,
horrorstruck by my question "Ah. but
let me secI'' he went on, as If consider
Ing There is Mr.. Hunt He is q
trustee for flG,OOO, which was left to
Agnes by her aunt. II she should die
before she becomes Of age the money
goes to Mr.. Hunt OF his children. In
the event of her surviving that age, the
money becomes absolutely my daugb-
ter's. But ! cannot helisve that Mr.,
Hunt would Oh that account try 10 in
jure my child. He has always been
very obliging in many ways-lndeed, it
was Mr.. Hunt who chose that new
piano for Agnes, as we We're unable TO
20 to London ourselves at the time"
rs he well OFF, l inquired.
II really cannot say" answered Mr.
Delmcge; not very, l fancy. He is
connected with some chemical busl-
gess I believe, or was at one time. But,
doctor, if he had wished to injure my
,hild. he lTad no opportunity of doing
80. for he never comes here, though we
have often asked him; in fact, we real-
~ hear very little about him, and see
him less"
II certainly did not appear likely that
Air. Hunt could bs the author of Miss
Hclmegc's sickness; but at the same
Time / could not shake off the feeling
LAT in some way or other he was con
r"ctcI with It.
Well" I replied, after Il little CON
silcratioH, Il viii tell you what to do.
iakr your daughter at once away to
some place for change of air. Sea-
'1lnhe. Ivy the way, is a charming place
near the sea, and the air is most brac-
Eg. | must return to London for
short time, and when yea are settled at
s;cacombe | VIII run down to have a
l.,,r- mn I,a finnf