Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-09-10
mer languid condition.

" IeuuluS lue uOOkS which 1Ounu II
Mr.. Goddard's study. Many of these
were medical treatises. Evidently the
man had tried to make study of his
complaint and had collected all the lit
erature possible upon the subject
These books were handsomely bound
and copiously illustrated, but they
We're too technical for my limited un
derstanding. Nevertheless l frequent
ly found myself turning over theil
leaves and aimlessly reading para.
graphs here and there.
One day ! was engaged in this idle
amusement when l happened to open
the book at n chapter headed, "Poisons
and Their Administration" l had not
read many lines before suddenly
closed the book with Il bang. An idea
had occurred to me that fairly startled
me. l was instantly positive that !
had at last cew to the sickness of
my master and possibly the reason for
DR.. Squires' mystery.
The doctor was slowly poisoning Mr..
Goddard while pretending to help him
to ward off an inherited disease.
This accounted for the peculiar Ian.
guild condition of my master at certain
intervals. After every dose of the in,
sidious poison he was made weak and
listless. Each attack helped to break
down his naturally rugged constitu-
ton. 1t was merely question of time
before he would succumb to the poison
instead of to any mythical disease.
Confronted by this thought, l was
uncertain for time just what to do.
My first impulse was to go to my mas
ter and tell him my suspicious SO he
could be placed on his guard, but as
my life has never been guided by i'm
pulse soon dismissed this from mind.
Besides, had nothing but my suspi-
cions to reveal-not single fact to
prove anything. 1t was my duty to
collect facts and then to confront the
doctor with them and have him ar
rested. II he was determined to put
my master out Of the way and gain
the hand and fortune of Miss Stetson,
was equally determined to thwart
him in his little game. The stakes
were high for him, and knew that he
would play a cunning, skillful hand,
but as he would suspect no danger
from me had the advantage Of work
ing secretly and without much fear of
discovery.
A professional burglar has little of
the detective spirit in him, and l soon
found myself enjoying the scent with
all the keenness of an experienced Of
f1cer of the law. 1 had hunted detec-
tives before, logged their tracks, pen
etrated their DISCUSSES and followed
up little clews that they left behind in
their work, but all in the interest of
crime. Now, however, / had turned
reformer and was legitimately pursu-
ing criminal whose evil genius had
been directed toward the destruction
Of one whom had learned to like. 1t
was no ordinary man that 1 had to
fight against, and this gave more zest
to my undertaking.
l discovered that my master had Il
night appointment with. DR.. Squires
about once week. These appoint.
ments We're irregular. Sometimes they
were early in the week and, again, in
the middle or the end. Evidently the
A~~I~.. told him 90 oh tin,a yuhon "a
come again.
Upon reflection was satisfied that
there was a strange coincidence be-
tween these weekly night calls and my
masters periodical attacks of languor
and sickness Almost every time after
he had met the doctor at night he had
been In bed good part of the follow
Ing day. This convinced me that the
poison was administered at the doc
tors office and was not intrusted to
his patient.
This conclusion was reached one day
when l was considerably detected. I
had been working up the case for near
ly a week, and everything seemed to
point to the fact that I had made q
mistake in my reasoning. could dis
cover nothing to corroborate my suspi-
cions. On that very day 1 had man
aged to secure the medicines my mas
ter was in the habit Of taking, and,
carrying them with me to the city,
had them analysed by an expert chem
list.
1 was SO confident that poison was
contained In some Of them that l was
greatly surprised and perturbed when
he told me that they were composed
Of harmless herbs and oils.
"You mean to say there is no poison
in any Of themY asked in astonish-
ment.
"None whatever" he replied.
I did not believe he understood his
business and probably said as much.
took them to another chemist and
spent So more just to have correct
analysis made. The same conclusion
from this man convinced me that was
mistaken.
walked home, detected and baftled.
The doctor was too shrewd for me, and
he had scored the first victory.
Nevertheless l was not discouraged.
I reasoned with sense that the man
would not adopt ordinary methods to
poison my master. He was too shrewd
for that. Then thought of hypoder-
mic injections, which might be admin
istered while in his office.
1t was while specializing upon the
possible methods Of giving him poison
that I reached the conclusion that my
masters night visits to the Doctors ac-
counted for everything. 1t was at
these meetings that the harm was done.
I would be present at the next meet
ing or l would relinquish all claim to
the possession Of abilities Of certain
order necessary for success in my line
Of work.
CHAPTER Y.