Rock Island Argus., 1905-12-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
MY DISCOVERY.

"SCA WIN my newly uauc ITAeuU-
frank Curtis, at his country seat, which
he proposed TO open for the holidays.
: His wife was to have a guest, Clara La
Nergne, whom Frank had never seen,
but whom his wife pronounced very jol-
~. There was to be only the four of us in
the party, l being invited for Miss La
Nergnes benefit. l had no other plans
for the holidays; therefore l accepted
| the invitation.
Kate Curtis 1 had known since short
time before her wedding She was a
| society devotee and had belonged TO
| the smart set Her friend. Miss La
Nergne, was tall woman with very
black hair, which she wore about six
| inches long and tied child fashion with
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-
Ell We're SO young that neither would
have looked out of place in pinafores.
L had not been long in the house be-
Tore L began TO study the intimacy be-
tween Miss La Nergne 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
L caught them caresSing each other,
anu ON seeing that they were observed
they seemed rather disconnected. In
stead or spending their mornings up-
stairs in feminine occupations they
rode horseback or drove in a cutter. I
never noticed them together in the up-
per parts of the house They invaria-
bly, spent their time when in each 9th
ers company in the rooms below
One evening at dinner | iocosely |
twitted Mrs. Curtis for inviting me to |
tne mousse without providing a young |
lady TO entertain me, declaring that |
MISS La Nergne was so wrapped |
up in her hostess that she had no |
time to give 10 me. After that the |
young lady seemed more DISPOSED |
TO accept my attentions. though it
appeared to me she did SO feeling
that it was incumbent upon her. | took
advantage of her altered manner to-
ward me and endea vored TO ingratiate
myself with her. She was handsome
ana generally attractive except her
voice which was harsh | found that
my attentions We're SO unwelcome that
L deslSted and left her to enjoy her
friendship with Mrs. Curtis. Neverthe-
less L continued To study the friend |
ship. l have heard of such cases of
feminine devotion. but had never be-
fore encountered one 1t was therefore
The more | observed the
Two together the more l became con
1inced that they had an important
secret between them
One morning on rising being un-
ible to work the electric bell. l slip
BED 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
ONE liquid into a half grapefruit at
lis plate. Suspicious | had had for
ONE time became certainty. Miss
"a Nergne was no woman at all. but q |
nan and Mrs. Curtis lover. and was
rying to poison her husband.
L passed on without her (or HIM hav-
lg seen me and back to my room. As
oon as | had finished dressing / re-
lrned to the dining room, and ex- -
hanged the grapefruit on my plate
18th that on Franks At breakfast !
1T my fruit untouched, but kept G.
harp eye on the lovers. Mrs. Curtis L
-atched her husband uneasily when he
te his grapefruit. if to notice :
neither he tasted anything unusual. c
T course he did not.
We always had fruit for breakfast, o
nd. since grapefruit was favorite U
18th us ali, we had il every morning
eforc breakfast the next day I went
to the dining room ana changed
ranks fruit for mine This time / -
at a little of il 10 my lips and tasted =
slight flavor which was not that OF ~
e fruit. / was puzzled to know what
do. l wondered if Frank had not =
It on 10 the plot, for he ate his break -
st i'll silence. and there was a strange 8
ok in his eye Again his wife watch =
him while he ate his fruit and this s
me seemed trifie disappointed that y
found nothing unusual in it, She 6
so noticed that / left my fruit un- =
sted. When we had finished break 6
st she and her lover left the room to =
ther, and when I passed the library 8
few minutes later they were in ear x
st conversation. 6
During the day Frank was gloomy x
d nervous. His wife watched hin, .
TN frightened glances. and Miss La X
rgne seemed TO be in dread As for 8
Tself. nothing could be more trying. TX
e secret / carried was quite enough, Q
thout being under the same roof x
th the actors in the coming tragedy. %
ter lunch / put on my overcoat and X
ives and went for a long walk. re- 10
we'd to determine upon some plan of x
ion before my return 8
When l re-enterel. the house was fn x
,ommotion. / was told by a servant 9
It Mr.. Curtis was out of his head x
the doctor was with him. Mrs. q
'ts came down presently and. taking x