Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-01-22

yaux had told him doubt seemed no
longer possible. The girl left the room
us quietly as she had entered, closing
the door as though afraid Of being heard.
Jack rushed to the sideboard. He I'M
Etoppered the decanter. Yes, there was
certainly a strange smell, which was
not that Of wine. What should he do
call Angelina and accuse her on the
spot? He could not. Should he tell his
host? Should he pour away the poisoned
wine? Should he But before be could
make up his mind M. Barvaux looking
rather pale and disturbed, walked in
from the garden, and as he did so his
wife and Angelina entered the room,
and dinner was served. The girl was
dressed IN white, and a couple Of glori
GUS red roses CLEANED in her black hair.
Never before had she seemed so beauti
full to Jack He asked himself if it were
possible that so divine creature could
nurse thoughts Of murder III her soul.
But he could not forget what he had
just witnessed, and he resolved to be on
his guard and prevent NJ. Baryaux
drinking the wine.
Surprising, after all, he were to be
wrong, how could he face the girl he
loved after accusing her of such foul
and unnatural deed? He was too agitat-
ed to eat. and he observed that both M.
Baryaux and Angelina seemed also pre-
occupied and i'll at ease. At length he
managed to make his host understand
t,af I,nx .o4 - Tho
Belgian smiled with an almost sardonic
expression and eyed Angelina curious
ly. Presently he raised the decanter and
leaned over the table, looking at her
the while with his deep set black eyes.
"Allow me, Angelina, he said, 'to
pour you out glass Of wine. :"
"No-no thank you, stammered the
girl in an agitated manner.
Come insist. / will take no re-
fusal, he cried, springing to his feet
and filling her glass. The girl turned
pale as death and seemed to lose her
power of self will. Half mechanically
she took the glass of wine and raised it
to her lips. She emptied it at one gulp,
and then sank back in her chair, where
she lay still and white. With cry of
terror Nine Barvaux rushed to her as
sistance, but her husband commanded
her not to touch the girl Jack was on
his feet i'll an instant, but was too be-
wildered to know how to act With
sickening sense of the confirmation of
his worst suspicious he concluded that
the girl was poisoned and off be rushed
for the doctor. BY good fortune he ran
across the very person he was seeking.
III few words he told him his erTand
and implored him to return with him
at all haste
"It is matter of life and DEATH, ;" he
cried. LET us run.
Certainly, if you wish it, replied
the doctor, although l may tell you
matters are not SO serious as you inn
agine
But
Permit me to explain, monsieur.
The young lady is not poisoned at all,
as you will see The wine she drank
was intended for NJ Barvaux, was it
not?n
Eyes, believe so.
"Well, you must know that he is
subject to periodical fits of homicidal
madness, and when these attacks are
coming on it becomes necessary to adj
minister powerful opiates to him with
out his knowledge. The paroxysm pass
ed, he is once more the calm and cul
tured gentleman you know, butat times
he is very dangerous, and but for my
treatment it would probably become
necessary to put him under restraint. |
was just about to pay my customary
visit tonight when you met me- for
was expecting an outbreak. "
Jack was relieved beyond measure ON
hearing the DOCTORS story, but the
thought that he had left the girl he
loved with a man subject to homicidal
mania moderated his feelings of salts
faction, and, anxious to get back to as
sure himself of her safety, he tore away
from the doctor, for he felt that, if an
attack suddenly manifested itself i'll M.
Barvaux, Angelina, as being the person
who had raised his suspicious, would
probably DO the first victim Of his mad
rage
Indeed he arrived none too soon,
Mime. BarVauX was crouchlng IN an
agony of terror at the feet of the I'M
conscious girl, while her husband was
standing over them gesticulating wild
ly. Jack speedily oyerpowered him, and
a few minutes afterward the doctor ar
rived, whose presence had a wonderful
ly soothing effect ON the unfortunate
gentleman. Under the doctors care An
geline soon recovered, but both she and
Nine. Barvaux were very much upset
and were glad when Jack decided to
stay "a few days longer, They were days
of infinite happiness for both him and
Angelina, and when at length his stay
came to its end the Brussels express
bore away "A reluctant but very happy
man, to whose ears the rhythmic rum
BILE of the wheels seemed to say, can
geline, Angelina, Angeline!"-London
Sun.