The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-02-26
BY GEORGE E. WALSH


closed the book with bang. An idea
had occurred to me that fairly startled
me. was instantly positive that |
had at last clew 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 Il question of time
before he would succumb to the poison
instead of to any mythical disease.
Confronted by this thought, was
uncertain for a time just what to do.
! Ny first impulse was to so 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 rcyealnot a 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
We're high for him. and l knew that he
! would play cunning, sEillful hand,
| but as he would suspect no danger
! from me had the advantag sc of work
ing secretly and without much fear of
| discovery.
| a professional burglar has Il little of
! the detective spirit in him. and soon
I.found myself enjoying the scent with
all the keenness of an experienced Of
flcer of the law. had hunted detec-
| tives before, dogged 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 legtimately pursu-
ing Il criminal whose evil genius had
| been directed toward the destruction
of one whom ! had learned to like. 1t
| was no ordinary man that | had to
| fight against. and this gave more zest
to my undertaking.
| discovered that my master had Il
night appointment with DR.. Squires
about once Il week. These appoint
sinnts were irregular. Sometimes they
tTere early in the week and, again, in
he middle or the end. Evidently the
loctor told him each time when to
come again.
Upon reflection l was satisfied that
there was strange coincidence be
tween these weekly night calls and my
masters periodical attacks of ianguor
and sickness. Almost every time after
he had met the doctor at night he had
been in bed a good part of the follow
ing day. Tfas convinced me that the
poison was administered at the doe
tors Office and was not intrusted to
his patient.
This conclusion was reached one day
when | was considerably detected. |
had been working up the case for near
ly a week, and everything seemed to
point to the fact that l had made Il
mistake in my reasoning. | could dis
cover nothing to corroborate my suspi-
cions. On that very day | had man
aged to secure the medicines my mas
ter was in the habit of taking, and,
carrying them with 1ne to the city, l
had them analyzed by an expert chem
ist
l 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 them?' l asked in astonish-
ment.
"None Whatever" he replied.
did not believeShe understood his
business and probably said as much.
took them to another chemist and
spent $5 more just to have a correct
analysis made. The same conclusion
from this man convinced me that was
mistaken.
walked home, detected and batiied
The doctor was too shrewd for me, and
he had scored the first victory.
Nevertheless I was not discouraged
reasoned with sense that the man
would not adopt ordinary methods tc
poison my master He was too shrewd
for that. Then l thought of hypoder
mic injections, which might be admin
istered while in his office.