The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-08-10

"Well, well,' the misshapen vii
lain said, Il will call again when he
is awake. ] would not have him
die and | not by him."
Thus speaking Sayotano arose
and moved toward the door. His
step was eager, and his every look
betrayed some anxious purpose. He
stopped as he reached the door and
looked back, but he did not speak.
Ruric was afraid he might 60 TO the
sideboard to look at the medicine,
but he did not. He simply cast one
more glance at the watcher and then
left the room.
In half an hour more the surgeon
returned. His face wore a clear,
emphatic expression, and his move
ments were all quick and prompt,
as though each one was for the pur-
pose of announcing some self evi-
dent decision.
"Well," he uttered, with a quick
ly drawn breath, "we have put the
medicines to a test" And then he
leaned back and looked into Ruric's
face
"And what did you fnd?" the
young man asked.
'Just what we expected. We
have detected arsenic in three of
the medicines which the count had
to take But this poison is not
alone. There is much opium in the
wine, even so that we could smell it
Men our suspicious guided US. The
poison has been most adroitly fixed
The priest must have one of those
recipes which have been used by sci
entitic prisoners, for no physician in
Moscow could have concocted the
deadly poison"
"But wherein was it so wondrous-
" peculiar p asked Ruric, with in
terest.
"Why, in this: Arsenic was the
principal poisoning agent, but that
alone would produce symptoms
which any physician would know at
once. In this case there was some
thing present which ovcrcame all
the outward signs of the poison and
only let il eat upon the vitals. |
know not the secret, though / know
there is such a one. Had it not
been for your fortunate suspicious
the count would have died from the
effects of the wound. The poison
was working silently and surely,
without pain and without outward
sign different from the usual sink
ing of the worn and fainting body.
But l have hopes now. The villain
must not know that we have discoy-
cred him. We will let the thing run
for the present"
Kopani was not little surprised
when he found that the priest had
been there during his absence, but
before he could make any further
remark the count awoke He felt
very faint, but that strange sickness
Of the stomach was lessencd. The
surgeon prepared some suitable dill
uents, and, having called in the
woman. he gave directions that they
should be given in large quantities,
and also directed her TO prepare
some strong barley water for the pa
tent to drink as he wanted beycr-
age.
All the walls were replaced upon
the sideboard and then refilled with
liquids somewhat like those they
had before contained. But the nurse
was directed not TO use them. Ev-
erything that her patient was to
take she was to keep under her own
charge in the kitchen, and she was
also most particularly cautioned
against allowing the priest to gain
anything from her. But Kopani
meant TO be sure on that score. He
had little business TO transact, and
then he was coming back TO spend
the night himself by the counts
side. He meant at all events that
the poisoner should have no more
opportunity to exercise his diabol-
zeal science upon the sick nobleman.
He promised the count that he
should have safe and competent
watchers thereafter
1t was fairly dark now, as Ruric
could see by raising the curtain and
looking out. He had no idea il was
so late Time had passed without
his notice. He moved to the side
of the bed and took the invalid's
hand.
81 must 90 now" he said. "But
if you are willing / will come
again
"You will come" uttered Conrad
in reply, returning the grasp Of the
hand with all his feeble power ooh,
you must come often now. / hope
| | shall live. Perhaps | shall. If /