The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1910-05-26
he would leave the cursed country

and chucked the service forever.
Several days afterward Nell had re-
recovered sufficiently to be brought out
into the cool. matted sitting room.
Her illness had taken the form OF q
strange inertia. Hour after hour she
would lie with dark lashes fringed
a against her white cheeks, her bosom
scarcely stirring with each feeble
breath.
The little English doctor was plainly
puzzled. He fetched a clever French
physician, and together the two men
consulted over the case The French
man went away without Offering an
opinion, but the next day he came
back and ordered Jeremy to take his
wife away.
.It is poison-so insidious-so subtitle
Ito linger here is to die. Take her
away"
"Where can take her?' demanded
Jeremy, wild with fear and anxiety.
"Anywhere-down to Hongkong II
you like. It will be change"
So Jeremy gave up the bungalow
and discharged all the servants, even.
the faithful old nurse, whom Nell
had learned to love. After them he
tossed the medicine bottles and pills
and powders If secret enemy Turk
ed in his household, one whose object
was to destroy his beautiful bride. the
general clearing out would include
him.
The sea voyage and the arrival at
the picturesque island, with its de-
lightful points of interest and its
charming English population, did Nell
Hoffman a world Of good. Gradually
the apathy left her and her bright
spirits returned. The French doctor
made special trip down the coast
to see her and pronounced her on the
road to recovery,
"Be careful Of her." he urged Jer-
envy. "She is not strong. cannot de-
termine what drug or how it has been
administered, but surely some slow
poison has been given to your wife.
Watch, and take care II you have an
enemy"
That very evening they attended a
dinner party, Nell lovely in pale green
with the mandarin's fan swinging
from her wrist. An hour after her
arrival Jeremy accompanied her home
again, sitting beside her in the car
riage, holding her unconscious form
in his arms.
This time her illness was Of longer
duration, and in his distress Jeremy
vowed he would return to America
Immediately upon her recovery. But
the recovery was slow, even under the
skillful ministrations Of the French
doctor.
81 told you to take care-to watchw
he Kissed impatiently at Hoffman.
II did, DR.. Davesne," groaned Jer-
envy, flinging himself into chair and
dropping his head into his hands.
"God knows l have protected her. II
she RECEIVERS sufficiently l will take
her home"
There Ralph Edwin found him.
sheldon cabled me to come out
said you were in trouble and that I
might help you out on the business"
said the former as he shook hands
with Hoffman.
'The business can go hangy' said
Jeremy passionately. "All care about
is to take my wife away from this
cursed country. Forgive my temper,
Edwin, but you can understand"
Edwin nodded gravely. IT can un-
derstand. waited too long and lost
my wife. What is the matter With
Mrs. Hoffman? l thought her look
ing unusually well when you sailed"
Jeremy explained, and Edwin lis
tened with his face in shadow. As
he finished, Jeremy picked up the
mandarin's fan from the table where
he had flung it the night Of their re-
turn from the dinner party.
''She was looking quite well and
tanning herself with this thing, when
all at once she just crumpled into d
heap" he said.
'Let me see it," said Edwin in a
strange voice. He examined the fan
with keen intensity, lifting it once to
his nose and then hastily withdrawing
it.
Where did she get it?" he asked
sharply.
"A gift from Lung Web. You
know, I'm on friendly terms with the
old scoundrel, although
Enough! So was I! Lung Web
was lavish in his gifts to us. He gave
my wife fan like this one, and oh,
my God, If had only known In
t1me! Elwin's voice rang harshly as
he leaped to his feet. "It is impregnat-
ed with some cursed poison, Jeremy.
Ask DR.. Davesne! Let him examine
the fan. II he recognizes the poison
ne can supply the antidote and cure
your wife. AS for Lung Weh''-
But why-why should he attack
Nell? Why not newly stammer-
ed Jeremy excitedly.
"Liung Web does not fight in the
open, old man. He killed nv wife
and IT sent mo hnv,on r. xl~..-L