The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-12-25
MY DISCOVERY
orlglnaI


morning | found an invitation to spen,
a week With my newly made friend
Frank Curtis, at his country seat. whicl
he proposed to open for the holidays
His wife was 10 have guest, Clara Ii
Vergne, whom Frank had never seen
but whom his wife pronounced very jol
". There was to be only the four of us Il
the party, | being invited for Miss LII
Vergne's benefit. | had no other plans
for the holidays; therefore | accepted
the invitation.
Kate Curtis had known since Il short
time before her wedding. She was q
society deYotee and had belonged Il
the smart set Her friend, Miss La
Vergne, was a tall woman with very
black hair, which she wore about six
Inches long and tied child fashion with
a ribbon at the back of her neck. This,
she explained, was on account of its
having been shaved some time before
during case of fever. Both the wom-
en- We're so young that neither would
have looked out Of place In pinafores.
had not been long in the house be-
fore l began to study the intimacy be-
tween Miss La Vergne and Mrs. Curtis.
| When together they did not act as
| young women friends usually do. They
did not go about with their arms
around each others waist nor sit hold
ing each others hand. Once on coming
suddenly into a room where they were
| caught them caresslng each other.
and on seeing that they were observed
they seemed rather Disconnected. In.
stead OF spending their mornings up
stairs in feminine occupations they
rode horseback or drove in a cutter. |
never noticed them together in the up
per parts of the house They invara-
bly, spent their time when In each 9th
ers company In the rooms below.
One evening at dinner / loosely
twitted Mrs. Curtis FOR inviting me to
the house without providing young
lady to entertain me, declaring that
Miss La Vergne was so wrapped
up in her hostess that she had no
time TO give TO me. After that the
young lady seemed more disposed
TO accept my attentions, though II
appeared TO me she did so feeling
that 1t was incumbent upon her. took
advantage of her altered manner TO.
ward me and endeay0red 10 lngratate |
myself with her. She was handsome |
and generally attractive except her |
voice. which was harsh | found that |
my attentions were so unwelcome that |
| desistcd and left her TO enjoy her |
friendship with Mrs Curtis. Neverthe.
less ! continued 10 study the friend
ship. have beard Of such cases of
feminine devotion. but had never be-
fore encountered one. 1t was therefore
interesting, The more | observed the
two together the more became con
WINGED that they had an important
secret between them.
One morning on rising being un-
able to work the electric bell. | slip
ped on my dressing jacket and went
downstairs 10 get something | needed.
Passing the dining room door | saw
Miss La Nergne standing over the
breakfast table. She was beside
Franks seat pouring a few drops OF
some liquid into a half grapefruit at
his plate. Suspicious | had had for
some time became a certainty. Miss
La Nergne was no woman at all, but
man and Mrs. Curtis lover. and was
trying to poison her husband
/ passed on without her (or HIM hav-
ing seen me and back 10 my room. A
soon as | had finished dressing re
turned TO the dining room. and ex-
changed the grapefruit on my plate
with that on Franks. At breakfast
left my fruit untouched. but kept q
sharp eye on the lovers Mrs. Curtis
watched her husband uneasily when he
ate his grapefruit. as II to notice
whether be tasted anything unusual
Of course he did not
We always had fruit for breakfast.
and. since grapefruit was a favorite
with US all. we had II every morning
Before breakfast the next day | went
nto the dining room and changed
Franks fruit for mine This time /
put a little Of it TO my lips and tasted I
! slight favor which was not that Of
be fruit. was puzzled to know what
o do. wondered II Frank had not (
got on to the plot. for he ate his break
asst In silence. and there was a strange {
ook In his eye. Again bis wife watch !
d him while he ate his fruit and this I
imc seemed a trife disappointed that Z
l. found nothing unusual In H. She !
.lso noticed that I left my fruit IN
asted. When we had finished break q
asst she and her lover left the room to
'ethes, and when I passed the library .
few minutes later they were in ear Q
est conversation.
During the day Frank was gloomy I
nj nervous. His wife watched him !
Nth frightened glsnces. and Miss La q
'ergne seemed % be ia dread As for q
1yself. nothing could be more trying. 9
he secret ] carried was quite ensugh D
7ithOut being under the same roof q
nth the actors In the coming tragedy. Q
4