Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-02-28

bearing on the tragedy which occurred
later. There was a big Persian cat II
the room, which Sugden seemed t.
take . strange delight in teasing to q
point OF fury. Finally, In its strug.
gles to get away from his rough han,
ding. the cat scratched his left thumb,
deeply enough to draw a good deal of
blood, and got a savage slap for doing
1t. and the dispenser got up and left
me. slamming the door behind him as
he went.
Hardly had he left the room when
Mrs. Woltord returned, and in n low,
frightened voice asked me to come at
once and see her son.
Certainly" said I: but what is the
matter?"
"He's in a ut Of some sort. And, oh,
DE-. Meldrum. I'm afraid-horribly
afraid-0f that sinister man."
His nurse was standing by the bed
side as we entered the boys bedroom,
holding his hand and trying to keep
MIN covered by the %bedclothes, which
IN Ills %convulsive movements he con-
tinually threw off. At our approach
She made way for us, and went over to
the fireplace. The first glance I took at
my little patient told me that it was no
trivial child's ailment that 1 had to
treat; the muscles of his face were
drawn and set, and his limbs We're
stretched out straight and rigid. L had
hardly time to note these symptoms,
however. before the paroxysm passed,
and the boy lay painting and exhausted,
and almost Immediately dropped into
u sound sleep.
"Send that woman away" whis-
pered to Mrs. Wolford.
You can go to your supper, Jane"
said the lady. "Dr. Medium and 1 will
stay with Master Roland"
Now" said 1, when the nurse had
gone. "how many of these attacks has
he had:"
Three. to-day. The first came on
Dou IL O'Clock, just after he had had
his lunch"
What did he have"
Some Strawberries. which l bought
for him myself"
n II could have tempered with
them, I suppose?"
Quite impossible" said Mrs. VOL
ford, decidedly. ~ brought them
straight up to this room, and he ate
them about half an hour afterwards.
l did not have occasion to leave the
room in the interval, so that the fruit
was in my sight the whole time until
he had it,"
"strange!" said 1. what else has he
hady"
Nothing that l have not prepared
tor him with my own hands," replied
Mrs. Wolford, emphatlcally; and then,
with a little cry, Haven't l told YOU
that l too, supected poison? Doctor.
what is the poison?"
"Strychnine," l answered; Eat least. 1
think so. but the symptoms are not alb.
solutely characteristic. He has not had
enough. fortunately, to be fatal, pro.
vided we can prevent him having any
more. But tell me-what made YOU
suspect poison?"
Because. said Mrs. Wolford. Ibis
father had a similar attack, though a
much milder one. the night before he
died"
But" said l, incredulously. 81 was
told that your husband died of heart
disease"
Yes! he died of heart disease-the
doctors say so; but how am 1 to he
sure that they are right? He was
found dead in his study chair. No one
saw him die: and there will he no in
quest"
But about your boy" said i; "why
you suspect Mr.. Sugden of wishing
him harm?"
AT this question Mrs. Wolford.
strangely enough, seemed to become
confused. She hesitated, began SEN
fences which she did not finish. and
then, in a sort Of defiant rush, gave
me three or four very feminine and, to
my mind, absolutely unconvincing rea-
sons for thinking as she did. was
puzzled by this peculiar change in her
manner. l said nothing, however, and
n movement on the part of our patient
put an end to what threatened to he
an awkward silence. The boy
was awake, and complained of thirst.
His mother ran to a cupboard, ana.
opening it with a key which she took
her pocket. brought out q plate
Of ~calves'-foot jelly.
II made this myself, doctor,' she
declared. "and have kept it locked up.
so it will be safe to give him it,"
There's a wasp having some of it,
said the boy. and was
to notice that the painful
symptoms which had shown them
selves before were now gone. The
muscles of his face We're still slightly
lrawD. but that was all. Mrs. VOL
ford took a spoon and knocked the
wasp. together with the part Of the
|elly which it had attacked, into the
ire, and then fed the boy with the re-
nainder. After he had had it he went
sleep at once.
Presently Mrs. Wolford went away
prepare some more food to be ready
or him when he should wake again.
md l meanwhile undertook to STAY
With him. l was musing over the diff
of this peculiar case. when I
suddenly became aware of a buzzing