Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-07-02


across the floor until she stood before
Mr.. Millions bureau, when she took a
parcel from under her apron, and. open
ing drawer, dropped it in. The act
completed, she turned to leave the room,
and her gaze met that of the valet, who
was staring at her with open amaze
ment. She uttered muffled cry and
dropped Imply to the floor in a swoon.
"We hurried to her and lifted her to
the lounge, where she was placed in a
recumbent position.
"'Let her lie there, said I, while
explain what has occurred
"Then l opened the bureau drawer,
where, surely enough, found the lost
money, 40 bills of 81, 900 each, still fas
tened with the bands placed around
them at the bank. took them to Mr..
Milton. but he accepted them with lit
tie interest, merely remarking:
" Il knew they would turn up. 1
wonder where she found them, and
then turned away from us. as though
wearied.
~ was now at last assured that he
had had nothing whatever to do with
this last theft, and in his weakened con-
dition thought it best not to further
excite him. l therefore went into the
Wallets room. motioning the others to
follow me. When we were all assem-
bled. except the maid, who had not re-
covered from her swoon, Miss Milton
said:
Please explain this. doctor, and
began.
{" In the first place, Miss Milton
said !, your father is neither klepto-
maniac nor thief, He has merely been
the victim of plot. And l may add
that he has had a narrow escape from
death by poison.
by poisonr she cried. 'Impossi-
ble'
" The simple truth, assure you,
said l. When your mother died, some
one in this house conceived the scheme
and has relentlessly put it into practice.
This person knew the peculiar effects Of
stramonium and that one phenomenon
of its action is that the subject RECEIVERS
from its effects oblivious of what has
occurred during the period Of his intox-
ication. This arch villain began to ply
MIR. Milton with the drug and coinoi-
IDENTIFY inaugurated a series of petty
thefts, secreting the stolen articles in
such places that their discovery has led
to the conclusion that Mr. Milton was
the thief Furthermore. with extreme
cunning. these stolen things were Of
such trifiing value that it was easy to
lead his friends to believe in klepto-
mania, especially as all the while the
doses of stramonium were inducing
what appeared to be maniaoal spells. l
must say that the fellow has shown
consummate skill as we'll as patience
in developing his plot, for months have
passed since it began. Finally, the pres
ence of large sum Of money in the
house offered the final opportunity for
which he has waited. Two nights ago
he must have given Mr.. Milton an I'M
usually strong dose of the poison, for it
has nearly killed him. During the ao-
ton of the drug the money was stolen
and secreted by the girl Rose, and the
robbery might readily have been attrib-
uted to Mr. Millions supposed mania
had not discovered the truth.
" But do not see how you have
learned all this, said Miss Milton. Both
Mr.. Joseph and the valet remained 81
lent, though both followed my narrative
closely.
"'Lindley, here, gave me the first
clew, said l, at which the man percep-
tibly started. He told me that his mas
ter mistook black for green, and this
phenomenon has been recorded in his
tory of case of stramonium poisoning,
which by chance l was reading only
yesterday afternoon. Thus you see what
odd condolences occur in life. / at once
administered the proper antidote, with
good results. But let me tell you how
the poison was administered. l learned