The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-04-23
Why do you dislike Miss Ravensdale

she done to me.
II suppose you won't mind telling me
what that is ?"
IL cannot have promised to be
silent.
| said nothing. She seemed greatly
agitated. Then she cried suddenly
And, yet, I'm not sure. think m
justified in breaking my word; Miss Ra-
vensdale has broken hers. Yes, YES, I'll
tell you. Aubrey; you ought to know.
The day after that woman came, before
grew to distrust her, she asked me if |
could get her some poison.
''What ! exclaimed.
''Some poison, she continued, that
would kill dog She had favorite ter
rier, she said, that had grown old and
blind and was suffering greatly, and she
wanted it poisoned, but couldn't bear that
it should meet its death at the hands Of
any one but herself. .
"Well, well y
"When she asked for the poison sud
denly thought of the stuff you had spoken
of on the night first heard of Lena 8 en-
gagement y
| "Curare q
Yes, | found some in your surgery,
and II gave it to her Tread up about
it. too. and told her all she had to do was
to smear some on a needle and prick the
poor animal with it.
"Oh. you should have told me, dearest
but what happened afterward p
What happened ?''-my wife gave a
low mirthless laugh why, week later,
when she said she d killed the dog, and |
asked her to give ME back what remained
of the poison, she declined to do 50; and
now today, when l repeated the request.
she"
But at this moment there came ring
at the bell, followed by the entrance of
servant to tell me that a lady wished to see
me Immediately.
My visitor, a handsome, we'll dressed
woman of 80, was pacing e1citedly up and
dewn my counting room as l entered.
Doctor Cranleigh, - she cried .ex-
cuse my abruptness but you must come
with me at once Your wife sister, Miss
Lena Vernon, is suddenly taken ill., She
is unconscious-in fit, | think There
is not moment to lose Don't stop to
tell your wife now, it would only alarm
her She can be summoned later on. if
necessary.
''Are you,' gasped Miss Ravens
dale p
''Yes-but come, come p
Mechanically, | put on my hat, and fol-
lowed her into the street.
Now | said, briefly, can you give
me any additional particulars 2
Not many, she replied II had
been out, and, returning to the house.
went into Lena bedroom, where | found
her on the sofa, as have said, uncon-
scious. She seemed to have been seized
with faintness while dressing at all events
her hair was dishevelled. / tried to bring
her round, but my efforts were quite futile.
So called the servant to remain with her
and came off for you.
asked one or two further questions,
but she added nothin. Of importance, and
a few minutes more brought us to the
house
The girl who opened the door said there
was no change in the condition of her mis-
tress, and we made our way Immediately
to the bedroom.
Lena, her luxuriant hair awry and her
eyes closed, lay on couch by the window,
so still that at first feared she was dead
But even as | crossed the room her whole
frame shook in sudden, cenvulsive move
ment, which, however, only lasted mo-
ment. bent down to examine her more
closely, pushing back some of the loose
tresses which strayed over her white fore
head. My hand coming in contact with
something moist caused me to withdraw it
quickly. Then | started violently My
fingers were smeared with blood
Without a word | hastily raised the halt
lowered gas, and, with the aid Of the
stronger light thus afforded, saw for the
first time beneath the hair Just above
Lena brow, IL long irregular scratch. |
trembled involuntarily.
Lena symptoms were those of curare
poisoning
pushed the electric bell, wrote il few
words on sheet Of paper, torn trorn my
note book, and, giving it to the servant
who answered my summons. told her to
take it Immediately 10 my surgery, hand
it to my assistant and wait reply. Then,
uncertain what to say or do, | turned to-
ward Mildred kavensdale, who sat silent
and composed on chair near the couch.
This faintness, | ventured, at last
''seens serious, alarming even
Indeed am so sorry. What can
it be? Failure of the heart q
No" | reioined, looking fxedly at
her; II should rather say it is Il case of
poisoning
She met my eyes with ii cold, incredu-
lous stare, but gave no reply.
Did you ever hear of Il poison called
curare?' | went ON.
Never" she answered, calmly.
reflected moment Should tell her
what Ella had revealed to me, and chal-
lenge her to deny it? No, not yet, | de-
cided
All this whlie Had been chahnS Lera
hands, but now let them go, and walked
uneasily around the room. At the dress
ing table | stopped. On it l noticed, alb
stractedly, toilet case-my wife's pres
ent-and beside the case an ivory comb
There was something about the latter
which caused me to look again, and with
trembling hands to open the case. All
l could hardly repress Il cry-the comb
belonged to it; and on the comb, tightly
fastened to one of the teeth by piece of
thin wire, was pin with discolored point
had discovered the explanation of the
scratch !
Yes, this woman was acting part; she
must be unmasked 4 means-not per-
feet, but still worth trying-suggested it