The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-01-31
(cHAPrEs XIII coNTIN UED.)

Now, Savotano, how is it?" h,
asked. "Have you seen the count ?"
"Aye; ! am from there now. BY
all that's bad, my lord, the villain is
gainingp'
"Gaining?" repeated Olga, with
surprise. "But you assured me he
was well nigh gone"
$50 he was, so he was. But he is
recovering now"
1'But how is it?"
"Why, he tells me he had a new
physician and that the old medicine
was all condemned and an entire
new course prescribed"
Sand under this new treatment
he is recovering, eh?"
'Yes."
swell, have you not taken some
measures to fix this new medicine
BY the gods, Savotano, you must
not let him slip nowp'
"Ah, my lord, have only told
you how he explained the matter. I
have another explanation"
"What is it, sir priest ?"
"Why, they simply know that
some one has attempted to poiso.
the count"
cha! Did they say anything?"
'No; there was no need. l know
that the medicine he was taking be-
fore was the right kind of medicine,
so far as it came from the hands of
the surgeon. And then there is an
other thing-the count must have
had some powerful antidote on pur-
pose for the poison"
GLOW do you know that ?"
"Simply because he would not
have now been alive had not such
been the case. You may be sure,
my lord, that they know poison has
been administered. They have dis
covered it in some way and taken
the most effective and speedy meth.
cd to overcome it. l know this"
"And do you think they suspect
your" the duke asked, with some
show of uneasiness.
81 don't know; but I fear they do.
However, that amounts to nothing
only to prevent me from working
any further at present in the same
direction. have not laid myself
open to detec ton in any way. By
heavens, it's too bad! In four and
twenty hours more he would have
been a dead man"
'"Then you know when the discov-
cry was made? ?"
eyes, on the afternoon before Ru-
ric Newell was captured. | was there
just before night, and the gunmaker
was then there, and | noticed that !
the walls were gone from the table,
though | gave no signs then of hav-
ing noticed it. They had even then
commenced some treatment for his
cure, for l could see that the appear
ance of his skin had changed. You
must not blame me-"
Il do not, Savotano, but there
may be some way left yet"
ooh, yes; there are hundred
ways in which we can dispose of
him. But may find some way yet
before he gets out"
'Look ye," the duke said after a
short bordering over his own
thoughts; "you must watch every
chance Something may turn up in
our favor. You may find some OPP
portunity to finish him yet. l wish
you could"
81 will do all l can, be sure of {
that. ! shall watch narrowly. And, t
now, about the other one. Young
Newell is safe and can be disposed of
at any moment. | have let him live I
thus far because had no orders 0
"Aye; that was right" replied ?
Olga. And as he did so he arose and il
commenced to pace the room. The
priest followed him with his eyes,
but said nothing. At length the t(
duke stopped and looked Savotano O
in the face.
cit would not be a difficult case j
to kill him." he uttered in a low d
whisper. h
"Not at all. Nothing could be .
more easy" a
"And could detection ensue?"
"1n no possible way" .,
"Then"- u
"Listen," spoke the humpback as n
olga hesitated. Il strongly suspect RI
hat twas this same gunmaker that
ed to the investigation of that med o.
cine, and if it was he then you n
sill be more quickly suspected than G
shall" .
"Ha! Why think We %" *
because he is a fellow of Won Is
rous wit and intelligence and can :
ee without being told. He has had