Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-12-05

and Selling carafe from side table,
poured out some of it's contents into
the palms of his hands and bathed
Guilford Berton's forehead.
After a few minutes, which seemed
years to Cyril, Berton opened his eyes
and heayed long sigh; then a CLEAN
of returning intelligence came into his
face and, making an effort to sit up, he
said, staring at his visitor:
The bottle?- Put it awayi"
What bottle?" Cyril asked anxiously.
4 don't see any. What has hap
pened? Are you ill.,"
IL beg your pardon" said Berton
with an effort. I'm very sorry. The
fact is" HIS eyes wandered from
Cyril's face TO the table, as If seeking
something, and look Of relief seemed
to come into his face in its absence.
The fact is, well, suppose have
had fit"
"A fiji" said Cyril. Are you sub
ject to them, them"
We'll, I've had one or two before
replied Guilford Berton, avoiding his
questioning and anxious gaze.
"But-but," said Cyril more gravely
still, "if that's so, is it wise to live in
such an out-of-the-way place and 50
much alone? I've tried to call your
servant, the woman who opened tha
door to me-but all to no purpose. and
hot hnd
to come in it is likely you might have
lain here until"
Il died? There was no fear of that
1t isn't fatal"
He dropped back as he spoke, and a
SILVER ran through him. Cyril, tax
ing it as a sign of a relapse, looked
round the room for some restorative.
Behind the chair was cupboard door,
and, in the hope that he might find
some brandy, ne opened it. AS he did
so the pungent odor he had detected
before came out to meet him strongly
and he saw that the cupboard con-
tanned number of bottles such as aIe.
used for chemicals. One-a small
phial of blue glass, with medicine
measure beside it-stood at the ex-
IRENE edge of the shelf as if it had
been hastily placed there.
More and more puzzled, Cyril pushed
the bottles about in search of brandy
but could find none, and was still
searching when he heard Guilford Ber'
toms voice exclaim:
What are you doing there? Come
away"
Il was looking for some brandy"
Cyril said. Il think little would
pull you round"
There is no brandy" said Guilford
Berton CURLY. IF you'll be good
enough to wait moment" He
stopped, and rising slowly stood hold
ing on by the chair for second or
two; then he staggered to the cup
board and, taking a bottle from thu
shelf, poured some of the contents into
the medicine measure and drank IT.
Almost instantly his weakness
seemed to disappear, and, after lock-
ing the door, he turned and confronted
Cyril with the same expression of re-
straint and reserve which had been
SO marked in the morning.
I'm afraid I've alarmed you," he
said with a smile.
You certainly have, my good sir
| hope you are better?"
"Oh, yes, I'm all right now. Pray
sit down.
1T is very unfortunate that l should
have-fainted just at the moment OF
your arrival; it was poor kind Of well
come, but I'm very glad to see you
Mr.. Burne."
Don't trouble to talk for little
WHILE" Cyril said. 81 don't think You
are quite right yet, and you'd better
rest"
"Oh, l am quite recovered, thanks"
said Guilford Berton. These attacks
don't last long and leave me as sud
denly as they Gomez
You appear to have got quite col
lection of chemi Gals in your cupboard,
remarked Cyril, not curiously, but for
the sake of saying something. Il sup
pose you keep them as restoratives? ?"
Some of them, yes" Guilford Ber-
ton said. 81 always had a taste for
doctoring, and keep a few simple
remedies by me. We have no doctor
nearer than Parkham, and find the
kind of things l keep useful among
the poor people here. Toothaches and
that sort of thing are their most Sc
rious ailments, and they have got in
the habit of coming to me-"
Il see; it's very kind of you," said
Your room smells quite like chem
lists shop
You noticed it? Let US go into an
other ROOM" and he rose. II very
seldom sit here myself"
He led the way across the small,
hall into another room, which was not
quite so .oomy, and much more COM
fortably furnished. There were some
books and few pictures and Cyri Twas
rather glad to miss the peculiar odor
which pervaded the other room.
His host turned up the lamp and got
some spirits and glasses from side
board
Il have only ona servant, the old
woman. whom you saw. so you must
excuse the absence Of ceremony Mr..
Rurna he said