Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-06-30
"And is she illY How long sincei"

hers. Two years ago, through the
desire Of her dying father, Alice
H"rndOu became James Spencer
wife. Before that she was a healthy
blooming girl; Immediately eftei
this marriage she began to fail.
Do YOU STE anything strange il
that?'
"NOt necessarily"
''Let me enlighten you further
DR.. Spencer was at one time en-
gagged to Miss Lucille MeIrOse, but
he broke the engagement and mar
rled MY mistress instead. Mist
MellOse was as poor as jobs turkey
Hiss Herndon was an helress, and
DR.. Spencer was deeply in debt,
and very bari pressed by his
creditors. Do you see anything
singular III that7"
"Perhaps. Go on"
"w hen my mistress married
Spencer she was only seventeen,
and she had been taught to obey
her father in everything. She was
a gentle, affcctiOnate child. and il
would have been easy for Spence r
to have won her love. But he did
not care for that. 1t was her money
I'll at h0 wanted. Ii paid bis debts
aud bought him fast horses; 1t set
his table with nice costly dishes,
and got it in bis power TO keep
Miss Melrose robed like queen.
And all this time my mistress has
been slowly bat surely sinking
Aud look you. DR. Lockwood, be
hele that she Is not dying OF dis
ease, hat ofr-here she lowered hci
voice to whisper as she spoke t.,
wOrk-"pOlson.'
"ImpossibIe ! This is a very
grave Charge
"Of poison given her by her hus
b nd, who on her de ith will have
s le control of her property, anC
be free to marry Miss MrIrose
| There is no time to explain to yOr
in detail the THOUSAND aud one
circumstances which have led me
TO tue belief, Tor we are almost a
the door. II is never the case tnat
he and Miss MrlrOsr are out at th'
same time, or 1 should have called
another physician before; bat TO-
nigh they are called away bv th'
ieath of Miss MelrOSe's sister, ant
will not be Oack TIL Tomorrow
With the consent of my mistress.
came for you, and oh! DR.: LOCK
wood, pray sou save my dea
MISTRESS"
Mrs. Spencer received me in he
bed chamber. 1t was on the sec
Ond floor, and furnished with ex
Quisite elegance. Everything II
the room bespoke the taste aut
tehcacy OF the occupant. Th'
warm air was tragant with tn
faint oder of the hellOtrOpe, an
glancing around saw The purpl
blossoms aud green leaves in a
tlabaster case on the ledge Of th
south window.
; She was a woman who, whed
once seen, could never be forgotten
: | haYe met in my life many beant
tul women, but never one 81 low ely
Sac was tall aud slight, with
purely oval face, liquid prowu eye
aud "a dash of hcc ic in her cheri
which Is meyer seen III perie'
! health.
AS for myself. I laid aside a
t ase delicacy, and questioned h'
plaluly as 10 ner symptoms. Mr.
Hurd, the nurse, renamed in th
room, and added many little III
pOrtant items OF information.
}, When she spoke of her busban
i; was with sort OF hopeless sal
t ness which distressed me great.
Not breath of suspicion again'
! MIN in her answers t. my q les
r, t ons, aud | felt sure that at pre-
e ont she knew nothing of what Mr.
(. iIurd had such serious appreheI
6. siOns. | was glad it was SO, iC
II with her finely strnng organiza
e lOn il might have produced serio
10 results.
made an examination Of I'll
as patient as closely as could al
le drew my CONCLUSION. lcOuId ha'
e sworn that Mrs. Spencer dai
d swallo ~ed arsenic in small qua
a titles, and the deadly drug was te
D. ing tearfuIly on a constitute
,D never robust.
I'd She SAID, answering my que
OF tiOns. that she had no physicl
y except her husband. He b
thought himself better acqnaint
nl With her case, and therefore bett
,u quahie TO treat it. lie never II