Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1905-09-29

fellows" By this time other problems
had crowded into his perturbed brain,
his head felt like bursting. He knew
that susceptibility to opium varied
enormously with different persons,
though the chances were that Miss
Purdeet, taking the ematic at once,
would not have absorbed sufficient of
the poison to He dared not dwell
OH the horrible thought.
Then how was he TO explain the
mistake to her; and, again, how was
he to keep it from the knowledge of
DR.. Crabbe? If that redoubtable pa
tron got to know of it-as it was quite
likely he would-the reputation of Mr..
watkins, so laboriously built up. would
be blasted forever. InstinctiveIy he
looked round the shop, holding the
now wrapped and addressed bottle in
his hand, till his glance fell on the
wondering errand boy.
Tom" he almost shouted, run with
this to Miss Purfeet's as hard as you
can! Say it ought to have gone before
the other, and that a dose is to be
taken at oncew Then come back-I've
a telegram for your
"A telegram" queried Mrs. Watkins,
at that moment appearing from the
house. "Come and finish your dinnerr'
Il tell you | can't be. bothered!' said
her husband, snappishly.
Mrs. Watkins gasped; tne errand boy
grinned. Never had such a thing hap.
pened before. Then, recovering her.
self, the lady Numbered, go, boy,
when your master tells your and with
drew, slamming the door.
The telegram was a brilliant inspira-
tion-the most brilliant, perhaps. that
had ever come to Mr.. Watkins in the
whole of his. professional career. Read
ing one Of his trade Journalistic sub
scribed to three-that morning, he had
seen an advertisement that had aroused
his interest. 1t related to a new gen
eral antidote, for which it was claimed
that it would completely neutralize. or
even in the worst cases sensibly
modify. the action of every known poi
son. Mr.. Watkins. as became a man
of scientific training, had said to him.
self that the idea was medieval and
almost incredible. But now. in his
hour of need. he thanked the happy
Providence that had directed him to
read that advertisement. That he had
been specially guided to read it he had
no shadow of doubt, and what bless
ing it was that London, whence it
came, was only thirty miles away! He
wrote the telegram in terms of the
greatest urgency, asking for full in
structions to be sent with the nostrum.
On the temperance of the boy he
pelted him with questicns-"Whom did
you see? What did they say?' and the
like.
The boy had an incurable stammer:
it was some seconds-to Mr.. Watkins
it seemed hours-before he got out,
Miss P-P-Purfieet d-d-didn't come-to
he-door-herself," the last part of
the sentence being discharged as out
of catapult
Mr.. Watkins's rage wa boundless,
Il know that, fool! What did you
learnT'
"L-l-learnY
"What-did-they-tell you?" The
shout attracted Mrs. Watkins, who
doomed in the doorway more massive
than ever.
"N-n-nothing. I g-g-gave the"
Here, take this telegram! And then
wait at the station for a parcel by the
next London trainw
Another telegram cried Mrs. Wat.
kins. II insist
"Do leave me" almost shrieked the
frenzied druggist. Cant you see
I'll tell you everything later, indeed !
willr'
Mrs. Watkins stared, reflected, and
then, to the wonder of her husband,
who was beginning to tremble at his
own audacity, slowly turned and re.
treated.
An hour and half passed before
the all-fmportant parcel arrived from
London, and the boy, in handing 1t to
his employer, who was pacing the floor
of his shop like Gagged Hon, thought
it desirable to say.
Il haven't l-l-lost a-minute."
But Mr.. Watkins was already tear
ing the parcel open. With eager eyes
he began reading the directions, dis
tinguishable at once by their heavy
type. Select fieshy part of the body
-sterilize the syringe by caught
his eye The paper dropped from his
hand. The stuff had to be injected
under Miss Purfeet's skin, then? lie
was lost!
But yet in such an emergency could
not she, If she had not already col
lapsed. be instructed how to use the
antidote herself? He would take ii
to the house-a desperate case de-
manded desperate measures-and ask
leave to tell her the truth. She would
not refuse to see him; at the worst
she would let him speak to her through
the half-opened door of her ROOM Tn
less she had sent for the doctor-ard
his blood ran cold again at the thought
He mixed himself dose of sal-volatile
Then he put on his hat and rushed
out, telling the boy. whom he had
never left in charge of the shop before
that he would soon be back. Before
two minutes had elapsed the youth:
researches in the drawer labeled Sem
Hyosc.," which, as he knew, contained
digestive candy, were interrupted BIZ
the temperance of Mrs. Watkins.
Where's your master?" demanded
that lady, in no happy humor at reflect
ing that her husbands henchman hai
witnessed her recent discontinue.
'sI-th-th-thing he's gone to
Mrs. Watkins shook the boy in angry
incredulity.
Gone out-without telling me! How
dare you utter such foolishnessg'
Thoroughly alarmed. the deputy
druggist managed to disclose the I'D
formation-which was nothing morl
than conjecture on his part-that hi
chief had gone to the house OF Mis-
Pnrheet. He inwardly wonderet
whether it would have been better TO
him to have held his tongue.