Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-04-07

probable that they might meet, she
would perhaps have been able to
trace some connection between it and
his renewed interest in her health.
She could not longer take refuge
from her harassing thoughts in the
hope that she was mistaken, and,
even had she had any doubt, a dis
covery made later on would nave
finally convinced her. Yet, with the
ample proof that she had, she felt
sure that, were she to seek advice or
help she would be laughed at; the
whole story seemed even to herself
SD incredible and horrible.
Angela was passing the library
windows, which looked on to the ter
race. at an hour when she was gen
orally with her mother. On reach
ing the middle window, she halted,
and out of mere curiosity looked in.
She saw the captain standing inside
with his back to the windows and his
face to the great mirror over the
lew mantlepiece; and, as the mirror
was exactly opposite to the window
she could see the reflection plainly
He held two small bottles in his hands,
and was dropping some perfectly
colorless fluid from one into the
other, evidently counting the drops
as they fell He was so engrossed n
his task that he did not hear the APP
proach of the watcher, nor did he
raise his eyes to the mirror. Had he
done so. he must have seen the re-
Election of the colorless face so in
tently, watching his movements.
Drop after drop was slowly and
cautiously measured, yet the hands
that held the Walls did not tremble.
One drop fell upon the side of the
lCwermost bottle, and she saw now
carefully he removed it. Then he
began again, and the drops trickled
slowly from one vial to the other
All at once the idea flashed through
her mind that what he had in the
bottles was intended for her. She
could not avoid the suspicious
thought; she could not help the
quick impulsive action that followed.
She opened the long glass door anc
walked quickly up to his side
What are you doing?" she asked
abruptly.
She never forgot the terror her sud
den appearance caused him.
Great Heaven!" he cried in
voluntarily.
| He started back, fear and horror
in his white face, and in his agita-
| ton both bottles fell to the ground.
| The next moment the room was filed
with a faint odor as of peaches. He
gave one swift glance at her and one
at the fragments; then he made a
desperate attempt to recover himself.
''How you startled me" he ex-
claimed.
81 am sorry" she said coldly. i
did not mean to startle you. I have
been at the window some few
minutes, and ! wonder you did not
see me- How carefully you were
measuring that fluid What was it? :
| Angela was not slow to notice the
abject terror that came into his
eyes: but it lasted only for mo-
ment.
81 have suffered dreadfully from
tho toothache lately" he explained;
"and this was something l had pro-
cured for it. [ was obliged to
measure it carefully; the druggist
tells me that it is a poison
And meant for me-" thought the
girl, "as surely as 1 live."
EEVO17 1.OoJ1v cfo mo, Tho
tain went on. The color was return
ing slowly to his lips and face "And
now see-I have lost my precious
drops'"
''You can get more where those
came from" she told him; and he
looked with eager piercing eyes into
her face.
Nothing was to be learned there;
/ it was quite calm and inscrutable.
| 1t was impossible that she should
have even the faintest suspicion.
! Why or how should she?
Il thought my nerves were
stronger" he said laughingly.
| Angela was looking at the frag-
ments of glass on the ground.
"What a strange odor!'1 she re-
marked. ct is exactly like that of
Ipeache'
Peaches,' he repeated. ooh. no.
rot at all. 1t is rather like musk, if
anything. l will ring the bell and
have the glass taken away"
When the servant answered the
summons. he said.
Il have had an accident, and have
broken two small bottles and spilled
some medicine See that it is all
| cleared up
| He was not quite himself as re
spoke and his eyes moved restlessly
from the servant to Angela. He
would not leave the library until the
fragments of glass had been removed
! and the carpet well cleansed. Even
when that was done a faint od0r as
lOf peaches fingered in the room. He
went to his dressing-rOom, and pro
cured a bottle of strong perfume
which he SDrinkIed on thp carnat ond