Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-23

her with her arms, while the nurse, startled, re-
leased her hold and stepped backward.
"Motherl" Elsie cried again in tones whose
love and pity struck TO my heart; and rising
again, with her arms still round her mothers
waist as II to protect her against the world she
faced us all.
The poor woman shaken with sobs clung 10 the
young arms that held her and buried her face in
the soft muslin of her daughters dress.
"Ah you don't believe it, she sobbed. You
don't believe It'll But oh my dear never meant
you to know; and now what shall | do!-what
shall ] do"
Mr.. Dunn took another wavering step towards
Elsie. His features were fearfully distorted and
his huge chest heaved convulsively
Elsie" he began hoarsey; Elsie and stop
ped for in her eyes he saw had dawned the
knowledge of the truth. Yet the strength of the
man was such that he would not yield and pass
ing his hand across his lips with force that
was almost blow, he was about TO speak again,
when light touch fell on his shoulder, and he
turned as if struck by lightning. A man had en-
tered the room silently, and, passing by US I'M
perceived, with incredibly easy and swift mo
tions had reached his side
''Mr. Dunn; one moment" he said.
In moment all our eyes were fixed on him;
and we watched in breathless silence. He was
heaviy-framed, communicating man of about
forty, in clothes evidently too good for him, but
his swift mysterious arrival, and something in
his air Of quiet but unlimited power made him
in an instant the centre of our thoughts.
Excuse me, ladies and gents" he said, looking
round us, ct amt my fault. l must have
word with Mr.. Dunn here"
saw what was coming, and tried to get to
Elsie but even as l moved Mr.. Dunn recovered
from the paralysis that had seized him on the
mans first touch But his face was now white
instead of, purple and he looked like a man al
ready dead.
s'What does this meang' he sad thickly. 'Tt
can't have come so soon.
The man nodded slowly. 'Tt has" he said.
at wouldn't have been for week OF two, but
something else was brought against you and un-
der those circumstances things were hurried on
bit. Here's my warrant Shall read it!"
'eWait moment l want to speak to my
ward" said Mr.. Dunn, in such natural tone
that we all started and stared at him, and he
walked to Elsies side AS he almost reached
her be made swift turn to the nurse, and be-
fore she had time TO resist he seized the poison
glass from her hand and raised 1t to his lips.
| We were all too slow to dash it from his hand
ere he had drunk it, but slowest of all, to my
SURPRISE was the of the swift easy move
ments who stumbled and fell heavily to- his
| knee. and only rose as Mr.. Dunn with shud-
dering cry dropped the empty glass to the
ground.
Joseph and I sprang to the unfortunate man.
but convulsvely he wrestsd himself from our
hands, and fell at Elsie's feet, Forgive me;
forgive me- he gasped. "Ah, my Cod ana !
| N'N'N'
man." and he fell writhing the floor.
eyes, e is dead" whispered Joseph hiding
the lvid face and widely dilated eyes from Ell
sie's sight, 'eEet is cyanide of potassium ter
rible dose Yes. seel e ees dead, poor man.,
| When hours had passed, and we could think
once more: when Elsie and her mother were
closeted together with tight-closed doors, and
Joseph and | had done all that could be done
for the lfeless body of the great financier we
! heard the truth.
The blow that had fallen on the poor wretch
who Law dead at our feet had been long expect
ed bv him, but Elsie's death might have averted
| it.
Whatever of fraud there had been in his hunt
ed twistings and turnings of late could have
heen hushed up by means of Elsie's money, and
this money he might have had if his schemes had
not failed.
And he might not have died Neither Joseph
nor myself could have reached him so quick were
his actions in time to prevent him drinking the
| fatal dose; but as to that quiet, swift man who
stood at his side, l have always had my doubts;
cts funny thing l stumbled just then sir,
h. said to me afterwards, "Pve never known it
n happen before. But perhaps it is as well 1t
would have been pity to see man like that IN
the dock"