Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-05-19

a Wicked Womar.
CHAPTER I.
A Mysterious Tragedy.

A Mysterious Tragedy.
deaG mani A CHASTITY spectacle
huddled upon the gayly carpeted floor
of a room at fashionable hotel in
certain large city. Dead Yes, there
was no doubt, for the body was quite
cold and fast growing rigid.
On a table beside the chair in which
the man had evidently been sitting,
stood a tiny wineglass and vial Ia
beled laudanum; the glass showed
traces of the poison and the man he'd
died from its effects.
He was 4 stranger TO the house; had
called the evening before and secured
room, retiring to It Immediately, having
first requested TO be called in the
morning in time for the six O'Clock
Western train. But when the hour ar
rived for him TO be aroused, and the
servant went to awaken him, ne did
not respond TO the summons. Hour
after hosIr passed, and still the
stranger failed 70 make his appear
ance, AMI finally the proprietor OF the
house. alarmed at the strange silence
! within the room, burst open the door
Of the chamber. revealing its ghastly
! occupant
The affair was enshrouded In my5"
| terry The door Of the room was
! locked on the inside; there was but
one window, opening ont upon a small
! balcony, and this window. though
| closed. was not fastened; but the room
was in The third story, and could not
| be reached from without except by
! the aid Of a long ladder, and certain
exposure would follow such an at
| tempt
They crowded about the doorway
| Of that chamber of death-the terrified
| servants and guests of the hotel; while
inside two police officers guarded the
| body, awaiting the arrival of a coroner.
| At last Coroner Jackson and DR.. Dud-
ley were announced. An investigation
revealed the tcsuth of the statement al
ready made-chat the deceased died
from the effects Of an overdose of laud-
! anum."
Il wonder who she isl" observed the
doctor, a grave, cynical looking man,
as he stood beside the body, discussing
the strange affair
Coroner jackson looked surprised
II don't understand you, DOCTOR"
he returned.
The physician smiled sardpnically,
his dark, rugged face growing sterner.
"Of course there's a woman at the
bottom of this tragedy" he explained.
"Since l have practiced medicine, I
have had plenty of experience, but I
have never come across an affair of
this sort-for it's suicide, of course;
that's plain to be seen-but there was
always a woman in the case! A
daughter of Eve at the bottom of the
mystery, as, indeed, they are con-
terned in most OF our troubles"
Coroner Jackson shrugged his shoul-
ders.
"Well. perhaps so. DOCTOR" he VEN
tured; but"
Gentlemen"
There was the rustling of silken
drapery in the corridor without, the |
odor Of frangipanni, and Dr. Dudley |
started forward, as lady stepped over
tha tfnashnld =-=-----==-t
a slight, graceful figure. in a trail |
Ing robe of gray silk, with a broad
brinmed+h hat, and long, sweeping gray
piumes. A woman beautiful as a
dream! The childish little face as fair
as the 'daintiest lily, with faint pink
on the dimpled cheaks; a mouth like
Q scarlet pomegranate blossom, white
teeth, and dimpIed chin; eyes large
Iustrohs. like black velvet, veiled by
long. sweeping dark lashes, while
strange contrastl-her hair was the
broad brow.
DR.. Dudley removed his hat, bowing
eourteously; but as his eyes fell full
upon the face OF the-Iady he started as
with an electric shock, and a dull red
lush stained his dariS face for an in
stant.
Where have I4uet herr" he NUT
tered TO himself. by Jove! I know!
fhBre's no nista9llng chat face among
\ thousand"
But the lady-qutte unconscious of
bis close scrutiny -advanced to the
senter Of the room, near where the
lead man lay, paused irresolutely, and
Dir. Dudley observed that she did not
turn her eyes in thes direction Of the
corpse upon the floor
qSne"
The low, sweet vibrant tone stirred
the heart of every man present.
Il have veDturedshere because II
have just arrived in the city, and as
soon as reached this hotel was In
formed of the-this awful affair, and
b''--her eyes searched the room, with
/ nervous hunted look In their Iustrous
fepths, resting at last upon the white,
apturaed face OF the dead man.
She darted forward with g low cry
sf horror.
1T is!" she walled "Oh, Bartonl
Bartoni my husband!"
She fell upon her knees and pillowed |
me dead mans head upon her breast,
Iobbing, moaning, waifing.
"Is he really dead? Is there no |
hope?" she cried, wildly, glancing in
10 the faces of the men who stood near |
IN respectful silence. 81 must see a
physician"
DR.. Dudley came nearer.
II am a physician, madam" he OBJ |
served, "Dr. Morris Dudley, of this
sity. have made an examination,
snd-I regret xceedingly-but-he Is |
quite dead--an overdose of laudanum,
madam"
"Oh, Heaven!" she groaned, Il
feared this! l have warned him re-
peatedly, but he would not desistI
Doctor, my husband was 4 great suf-
ferer from an acute nervous disease |
He contracted the habit OF using laud- |
| enum and opium some months since;
he must have taken an overdose! Yes
she added, thoughtfuily, in an under
| tone-her eyes dropped TO the still,
dead face before her-"he must have
taken an overdosei"
Her head was bowed again as though |
she was weeping violently. But at
last she arose.
There will he an {nouest I Dre-