The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-05-02
-ince a profound hatred toward her


seemed stoical. she feigned indiffer
ence, but the pallor OF her face be
ira we'd her despair and troubled my
iov. The festivities terminated.
left for Italy with my wife. There
passed the happiest moments OF my
life. After six months of happiness
we returned to the home OF my wife's
parents. Zoe gave us Il hearty vel
come. and | thought she had forgot
ten her unfortunate love for me, and
| was happy once more.
About this time Denise's health
began To fail. She suffered indescriba-
bic pain; her disposition changed:
she became nervous and irritable
The old family physician came daily
to see her. He stopped me often aud
asked me the strangest questions,
but | accounted for this by the
thought that he was old and III his
dotage. Denise grew steadily worse,
and soon she was too i'll 10 rise from
| her bed. Zoe showed her the great
est devotion and hardly ever left the
bedside of Denise. | was desperate.
One evening during Toes absence,
Denise suddenly took my hand in
hers.
''Gaetan, she said to be. Il am
dying" | cried aloud, mo, no.
IF you only realized howl am
being poisoned by my sister, Zoe"
st is impossible; you are delirious"
| cried.
"Last night when she thought me
sleeping, | saw her pour out the poi
son. She is Jealous of my happiness;
she wanted to be your wife. Swear
that you will never marry herr' |
swore to what she wished and then
she died
My guest was silent for a time. The
story interested me; | was deeply i'm
pressed He continued:
you may imagine my grief was
awful. Zoe entered. l seized her by
the throat, and, dragging her near
the bed, confronted her with the
dead.
Miserable woman said to her,
behold your work know ALL She
threw herself at my feet and confess
ed her crime, i will not deliver you
over to justice, said. Il do not
wish to bring dishonor on your fam
lily name; but you must disappear to
some place where | can never find
you, or else
4 will disappear, she replied, sob
bling bitterly, i promise you l will |
disappear forever But the next |
day they found her dead upon her
bed-she had taken poison. The two
sisters had left me all their fortune. .
Again my guest paused. The plot
was thickening. Twas becoming more
After moment of ST
ence, he continued;
Il hoped that all was buried in
oblivion. Zoe being dead the horri-
Die secret was known to me alone.
But | had reckoned without the old
loctor. On the return from the Gem
terry he touched me on the shoulder
Monsieur lie Cemte, he said to me.
allow me to complimentyou on your
manner of poisoning people
What do you mean?' | demanded.
Let me tell you that your trial
will make a noise in the world.
lad my suspicious of the death of
our wife; to-day | have the proofs.
have analyzed the contents of the
'ottle which you used topoison your
ister-in-law.
What, You accuse me of murder?'
cried. What reason would | have
or poisoning my wife? Iadored her
Nhe doctor laughed
Who has profted by this crime?'
e said. You, who inherit from both
he victims 1t makes no difference
o me, however, you can explain all
'efore theiudges.
| was stunned, not only by the
bought OF the scandal my arrest
would cause, but also that | should
'e accused of this most abominable
# crimes-wife murder. Appearances
we're against me: it was enough to
make me lose my mind Then |
chemed. | promised to kill myself /
liter going home and arranging my
affairs, he to go with me- On the
way, at night, pushed him from the
IL, l-.llrl