The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-08-30
BADNESS AND-LOvE

Ormond had left the room. I know not
now, but there was something in the ST.
fence and the mystery of il that inspired
me with a foolish alarm Ny nerves
We're on edge I would have started at a
shadow
Gladys" said I. checking her at the
ocor, DO you know which way we are
drifting?"
No two Of US the same way. fancy. -
she replied But let's not speak of it
Inere IS no enga cement no PROMISE
between whom she asked smiling
Ana then with a far different manner: II
VIZ not pretend that do not know what
you mean. l am going TO tell you a secret
which IS between ourselves absolutely.
Uncle Henry wants me to marry him. and
SHAH do it-if I can. 1 love him Who
couia heip It? He is very noble, stead
last, honorable man
This is no secret" said L 1.-THE very
servants know it,
Let rs pretend that it is a secret" she
replied, "and for its greater security we
viii not mention IL even 10 each other.
Good night
/ remained alone in the room. Pres
emily a servant entered and put our the
AShts, not perceiving me- for / had walk
ed to a window and was shielded by one
OF the long and heavy curtains When
the man had gone ! flung myself into q
great chair and lost ali track of time in
the depth Of my meditation
The opening Of the outer door startled
me- l heard stealthy step in the hall
ana, turning. l saw Loren, my uncles
valet. He had taken some late excursion
without leave and was stealing in secret
ly. There was no harm in this fellow
and so l shut my eyes 10 his little mys-
terry. Ten minutes later 1 followed him
up the stairs
To my surprise Loren was lettering near
the door Of my room. AS I was about TO
speak to him he made a gesture OF eau
ton and then passed into the apartment
ahead of me.
II don't quite know what to make of
it, sir, said he. Il was in the hall a few
minutes ago, and l saw Mr.. Ormond
coming out of Mr.. Greer's room. He
didn't see me, sir. for l stepped out OF his
way, but he passed quite close. and 1 saw
that he had that gold box in his hand
Go on" said l. seeing that he had
more to tell.
Il looked into his room. through the
keyhole," continued Loren. "He had TAX
en- the little tablets out of the box and
seemed TO be painting one of them. sir
with brush no bigger than a match
that he dipped into bit of glass saucer
Ikea watch crystal. Then ne put them
all back-the one that he had painted
q 4.
sir?"
81 make this of IT," said l. that YOU
must not repeat one word of this story TO
any one. You have done right to tell me
but you must tell nobody else
1 had some slight hold upon the man
and his liking besides, as he had let me
know. and SO l got promise from him
which could be relied upon. After that |
sent him to bed and kept watch in the
hall until / saw OrmOnd. pale, tremulous
unsteady, creep TO my uncle's room bear
ing the little gold box.
An hour afterward /. too. crept softly
in, having made a plan meanwhile Mr.
Greer slept heavily, and after the first
few minutes l moved about his room
without cOnstraint. The gold box was in
its place, and / found also the old silver
one in q drawer OF his desk. / took one
tablet from the silver box and DESTROYED
it. so that there remained nineteen in
each Then l changed the contents of
the two and replaced the gold box with
its now harmless tablets in my uncle's
pocket. The silver box. in which there
must now be one tablet poisoned by Or
mond. / restored to the desk. first break
ing the spring Of the lid Sc that IL could
not be opened.
BY this stratagem ! had preserved Mr.
Greer from any further danger during
punishment for the assassin. Every even
ing he must watch what he would think
to be a game of chance. with death and