The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-05
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q from where it had stood was another glass similar in shape, filled with a colorless liquid. One of those glasses had held water, the other had been nlled whh solution he had made of 2 peculiar. coiorless. tasteless poison. And he had drunk one of them.
 There was dampness on his fore head. If it was the poison he had swallowed he was a dead man inside an hour. Then of q sudden he squared his shoulders and laughed harshly with relief. Hastily he reached for the other glass--he could test its contents and the suspense would be over. As he grasped it his. trembling hand shifted. the glass slipped into the sink and the contents disappeared down the drain.
 The man groaned. It had come on him so suddenly he had awakened to the everyday world so abruptly he had not had time to get his balance. He was not in a normal condition to face such a catastrophe and he sat clutch ing the table edge with starting eyes and a ghastly face. He did not want to die--he would not! A blind panic had him fast as he realized there was no use calling for help. No one could save him. With nerves tingling he sat waiting for the first twinge of pain, his imagination lending hideous aid to reality. In a few minutes everything would be ended for him if it was the poison he had swallowed and some thing of his old, dominating will came back as he rapidly adjusted his point of view Stubbornly his thoughts re- turned to Bessie Abbott but not with contemplative leisure this time. She loomed a solemn fact in the life he had suddenly become separated from and the idea of full expiation seized him and was insistent. With the odd notion growing, he rose and wavereo toward his desk in the next room an5 wrote hurriedly. There was really no one else. with so good a claim on hif wealth and the child, young man by this time-he still thought of him as an alien, nterestedly-might pos sibly make some use of prosperity even as he had done. With livid face he glanced over the unblotted letter.
 You could never have found me living" it ran, but it is my whim you should profit by my death. It will give New York something to talk about and wonder over. l do not ob- ject adding to the gayety of nations for I know the devil of ennui. Come to the address at the top of this sheet and take possession. Everything IS yours. I must confess l rarely remem- bered you till today when strangely enough you have been much in my thoughts. They say the mind of the aged reverts to scenes of youth-pos- sibly in my case forty is old. It is evidently sufficient in fate's judgment for in half an hour I shall be dead. Goodby."
 The brutality of the few words seemed to revive him and stop the dull pricking that was stealing over bis body. Methodically he sealed, ad- dressed and stamped the envelope, walked out and handed it to the post man who at that moment was unlock ing the nlailbox. Then he came back to the laboratory and shu tthe door behind him. There was no longer in his mind any doubt as to which of the glasses he had emptled for his hands were cold. he trembled as with an aguc and numbness stole over his brain. He could not think. He wan dered around the room with protest ing despairing tread and when his knees gave way beneath him he fell easping to the floor and the waves swept over him.
 Hours later those working over pr. Packard who had been found on the floor of hts laboratory were rewarded by the flicker of his eyelids and pres entiy he spoke. It was the usual inane question of those coming out of the depths.
 You are in your own room," brisk ly answered the physician at his right, 8 personal friend. Dr. Packard was trying to think as the waves which had submerged him receded. T was
 poisoned" he breathed in e puzzled way.
 His friends face broke into the hu-
 moring smile given remarks made by the feeble and incomptent. Mon sense." he said soothingly, you're been in the most extensive and all-pervad- ing faint ever saw but you weren't poisoned. man--what put that idea into your head? You're dreaming! And what do you mean by keeling over in such a reprehensible way? You were
 working too long without food and rest. that's what ailed you!"
 It was some minutes later that Dr.
 Packard remembered the letter. He laughed once, shortly. abruptly.
 before he turned his face toward the
 wall But the trained nurse at his side Jumped. She had never heard quite | such a laugh in all her experince l And she never wanted to hear it
 again.
 OvE AFFAIR" by Guion P Wilson.