Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-06-30
could make me pay dearly tor such
a slander uttered againts him.

a SlanQor uttered agalnJG nlD.
The only dependence seemed
to be in Mrs. Hurd. To her M
bosomed myself freely. told her
without reserve Il at I believed DR..
Spencer was killing his wife by
slow poison, and besougbt her to
be constantly on the watch to save
the victim, and to discover proof
by which we could fasten the guilt
upon him.
She smiled grimly and promised
obedience. gave her powerful
antidOte for the poison l suspected,
and went home perturbed and aux.
ious In mind. did not sleep that
night, and all the next day was IN
d high fever of excitement.
DR.. Spencer returned home the
morning after my visit to the Cliff.
ton House. He looked wretchedly
the nurse said-sppeared depress.
ed and gloomy. Miss Melrose came
with him, and was decorously sad
over the death of her sister. Wo'
men of her stamp always do mourn
to perfection. They neither over
do nor underdo the thing, as wo'
men of feeling are likely to do.
DR.. Spencer came at once to bis
wIfe's chamber. He thought she
10 ,ked i'll, and prescribed a cordial
at once. saying that he would 60
and fetch it.
"You are always ordering cor.
diaIs for her." said Mrs. Hurd mus
iugly. "Why not take some your
sell. You look like a ghost"
He eyed her keenly, but replied
composedly;
"I VIII take some OF the cordial
myself, for l do not feel quite we'll.
Alicia, dear, shall bring 1t here
aud drink your health2'
Mrs. Spencer smiled in assent
she never disputed her husband
and he went ont. Presently he re-
'urned with the two glasses.
Both contained liquid, coIOrless
and iuodorous. Mrs. Hurd was
watching him with her heart IN
ner throat. for, as she told me, she
felt that the decisive moment had
come.
There was something in the grey
palloI IN the doctors rigid face
that told her of a desperate pur-
pose in the mans soul.
"Dnnk it, DEAR" he SAID, SIT is
4 panacea for all ills. | am also
going to take glass of it!' Aud
he pointed to glass still on the
tray.
| Mrs. Spencer accepted 1t, and
was putting 1t to her lips, wheI
Mrs Hurd interrupted:
"lf you Will bring her a tumbler
of water, doctor; Mrs. Spence
co - plains that the cordial leaves
a b ID taste IN her mouth, and my
old bones are so full OF rheuma-
usm that 1t nearly kills me to g
down stairs"
The doctor turned and bent oil
her "A look Az if he would read he
hrongh. But she kept her fac
pass vr. If be had any suspicious
her manner quoted them, AIT
putting down the glass. he left III
room. Then Mrs Hurd changed
The position of the glasses.
When he came back-and b
W,s gone but mOment-the nurs'
-tood Just exactly where he ha'
lefl her, aud Mrs. Spencer was "
ing back in her chair With her ey e
closed:
Again he lifted the glass--'hi
ime it was the one intended 70
himselt-and placed it to the lip
Of his wife. She drank the conten
swallowed a little of the water b
, had brought her, and thanked hir
10 ber own sad sweet way.
"NOw for my own CORDIAL" sal
, be with affected gayety. III IN
dulge myself In something a llttl
stronger" and as he spoke he tos
ed of the mixture.
"It made me stone cold to M
r d gers ends to see him do 1t,
- said Mrs. Hurd, relating the CT
Is cumstauces TO me; "but as Heave
Is my witness, felt not a twlne
g of conscience. l argued like thi
4 If it WAS simple cordial as be SAT-
Q it would do him no harm. II
" was poison bis blood would be O
p his owu sinful head"
Il He went to bed half an hour a
n terward, complaining OF fatigu
In the morning they found hi
s. dead.
IN l was called to the post morte
"A lovoro,natinn md mn diooovopod