Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-01-16

| he has been opposed to his mothers ac
ton from the very beginning He could
not with any delicacy tell me of her pro-
ceedings. He himself insisted on Bax
quitting his mothers house"
CHAPTER XIX.
The examination resulted In this:
Whether accidentally or otherwise.
enough of a noxious substance had found
it's way into Flexmore's body to have de-
| cidedly accelerated his death. The news
spread like a plague within twenty-four
hours every one had it, man, woman and
child without distinction of rank or sta
ton. Every one went about open-mouth-
ed to find someone to give the news to. A
dozen persons said to me:
Have you heard the result of the ex-
animation? DR.. Audrey did hasten Flex-
more's end"
Then why is he at large?" l asked.
why has no warrant for his arrest been
issued"
They could only shrug their shoulders
but l could explain the matter to them
Flexmore had not been affected by the
poison at all. The arsenic was found in
his mouth, it had not touched the dges-
tive apparatus, and for this reason: 1t
had been administered after the life had
left his body. This was the report made
by the authorized doctors who made the
examination.
Upon this report no one could be &C
cused of any crime legally, nor at the
present juncture could a charge be insti-
tuted. That the poison had not been
given in the form of a potion, such as
Miss Dalrymple had been charged by Dr.
Awdrey to administer, was clear from the
fact that it was found in the form of a
powder, and must have been dropped in
my old friends mouth when his jaw drop
ped after death. Still, it had clearly been
given with a view to prevent any posi-
bility of a return TO life and it was equal
ly evident to the majority of people that
Audrey, who knew the contents of the
will to be signed, alone was presumably
DESTROYS of preventing a return to life,
for only very small minority knew that
Lynn Yeames also had strong reason for
making death sure at that time.
Now, though there was no evidence to
commit Audrey circumstances were suffi-
GENTLY suspicious to enable the Yeames
party to contest the will. But had still
stronger reasons than that for getting at
the truth of the matter. and fixing the
guilt on the guilty. Even the paupers
would refuse to take medicine from the
hand of man with such reputation
l went to work at once, and determined
to take no rest until l had secured the
safety of poor Audrey and Nurse Ger
trude My clerk was a sharp, dependa-
BILE young fellow.
Now, Mr.. JONES'" said I. 81 am going
| to put you on your mettle.'
Glad of it, Mr.. Keene," he replied,
eagerly. rs it this poisoning case. SIR"
Yes, it is. Bax. Yeames' agent, says
they can produce the man who threw me
out of the gig, and prove that he was
engaged to do it by DR.. Audrey. You
must find their witness. In all probable
| ity that trick was unprecedented. 1t
was suggested to him by circumstances
! by chance meeting with the fellow who
stretched that rope. Who might that be?
1t was just such day as a poacher would
! like for wiring hares. Yeames had been
doing good deal of shooting. A poacher
can be more useful than a keeper to a
gentleman on the lookout for game A
man of that kind was the very one to suit
his purpose. And man who would do a
| job of that kind could be easily bribed
to swear he was employed by DR.. Aw-
/ drey. That man must be found
Jones was hardly out of the house be-
fore Miss Dalrymple came in.
What are you going to do for DR..
Awdrey?" was the first question she
asked.
Il am going to prove his innocence" l
said.
Tell me how" she said, in a tone of
entreaty, laying her hand on my arm.
Let me help. Tell me what L may do
what difficulty there is to overcome, and
trust my intelligence"
There's one thing you can attempt.
at any rate l said; the rascal employ
ed by Yeames, Bax. signifed that they
had witness in reserve to prove Grim
inal charge against Awdrey. That means
| they have got hold of some one to swear
| to his administering the powder. Now
that some one must be of this place. If
you can find out who it is, and let me
know, | may persuade that witness to
stand on the side OF truth Now, must
go off and see Audrey"
Tell him that-that sympathize with
him, Mr.. Keene,' she said tenderly.
You may be sure of that" said 1,
pressing her hand.
We parted at the door, she going one
way. 1 the other.
"Awdrey,' said I, when 1 met him.
Miss Dalrymple sympathizes with you"
Il am certain she does" he replied.
Yes: and you may be certain of some
thing else. 1t we get this affair settled
rightly. you may be the happiest man in
the world or it will be your own fault"
What" said he, eagerly, do you think
her feeling is deeper than sympathy"
I am sure of it, that's more" l ex-
claimed.
Notwithstanding the doubt that haSgs
over me-the feeling against me?"
| There's no doubt in that generous
SOUL" l said; and as for the feeling
against you, it's just the thing to endear
you to her. Here let's get to work. Now,
you have to tax your memory to the ut
most. Your happiness depends as much
upon clear recollection as anything l
must have an account of every minute of
the day Flexmore died"
Then carefully we went over the events
of that day to the minutest particular,
from the hour of his rising until he went
again to bed. 1t was long JOB, necessi-
| tatirg much discussion and verifcation,
bur we stuck at it till it was done, then
we ate and drank any made as merry as
we could. 1t was no effort to Audrey;
| had never seen him'in such high spirits.
1t was as if ten years of hard work and
disappointment had been taken off his
shoulders. Only now and then his face
assumed its old gravity, as the thought
perhaps occurred to him, that if he failed
to prove his innocence het must slip back
again into the Slough of pesp0nd.