The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-12-13

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not know Of the affair, and why Meth
err Of these women may be harmed.
They are sacred to me. For one bears
my name; and the other, the other
l have loved all my life!"
With violent gesture, he con-
tinued:
you must find out who it is. 1t is
your dying friends last WISH
Armand" said, II do not know on
what you found your suspicious; but,
admitting all you say, how can I. in
my official capacity. allow murder
ess-nO matter in what relation she
stands to you-to escape the punish
ment she deserves? I should betray
the trust placed in me-"
He sprang from the sofa.
If you harm either of these wom-
en-, Goron," he shrieked, you do
worse, you betray my trust in you!"
l battled long; but as my friends
life was at stake, reluctantly yield
ed, and promised to help solve the
mystery without injuring the women.
Thank you" he whispered, Il shall
now die happy"
NO" interrupted him, you will
not die. Heaven knows what is lurk-
ing behind all this, and what startling
discovery l may make. But you will
have to place yourself unreservedly in
my hands, and obey my instructions
without questioning my motives"
II will"
Then tell me more about your sus-
pic1ons>"
"You call them 'suspicions?' Look
here, Goron, two months ago I was
strong man. And now! About six
weeks ago, my health suddenly began
to fail. I experienced burning pains
in the digestive organs, and a disa-
greeable taste in my mouth after
meals. I consulted my medical man,
who told me it was a form of indiges-
ton, and prescribed treatment
which followed. But my condition
grew slowly worse, and for the last
have been sustaining N.Y.
self on three eggs a day and little
milk
x consulted DR.. L. and Professor
C., renowned specialists. They
took big fee, and informed me that
my medical mans diagnosis was right.
Until that moment the idea of poison
ing had never entered my mind until
by a singular coincidence, l happened
to read the report of a poisoning case
in Milan, where man had been sys-
tematically administering arsenic to
his victims. I was struck by the sim
llarity of the symptoms described with
what l myself experienced, except
that one of the victims had dark spots
on his body.
"Goron, the next night when I un-
dressed I discovered dark spots on
my thighs! 1t flashed upon me that I,
too, was being poisoned, and, under
an assumed name, went to the Hotel
Dieu hospital. where told the con-
sulting physician that feared I had
swallowed a dose Of ar
senic He did not seem to believe my
story, but as I accused no one, he
made the necessary examination, and
after few days Informed me that l
had really taken poison. and pre-
scribed the proper remedy
And them" asked.
And them knew that only Jeanne
or Marceline could have been guilty
of this horrible crime. Jeanne and L.
as you know, are not happy; and l am
only too glad to spend few hours
with Marceline. Sometimes lunch
with her, at others invite myself to
dinner-she is always glad to see me.
And. during the last week. I have ia
ken all my meals at home or at my
COUSINS"
And these pains. and the nasty
taste, did you notice them after you
lunched or dined at your house, or at
Marceline's?'
Il knew you would ask me that.
And 1t is there that the mystery
comes in, for those very same symp-
toms show themselves when I return
from my cousins and when I stay at
home"
so that you are inclined to suspect
the two women?'
81 don't know 1t is too terrible"
lis Jeanne on good terms with Mar
celine:"
"No."
Does your wife expect you back to-
night"
Yes"
Then send her a telegram that you
are detained in town. Tonight you
stay with ME, and tomorrow I will
take you somewhere where you will
be safe. But I have few more ques-
tions to ask What do your wife and
Marceline say about your altered ap-
pearance?"
They seem very concerned about
me- and are anxious to do all they
can"
"F'rankly-whom do you suspect"
sometimes I think 1t is Marceline
sometimes think it is my wife. 1t is
horrible"
Yes. it is horrible Has there ever
been any real trouble between you and
either of them?'
Never"
us your life insured"
Yes"
I'm anyone's name?"
Yes, in Marceline's.
He colored slightly. and then said
You see, old chap, Marceline Il
not rich. and, strictly between our
selves, she is a bit of a gambler. Sh'
bets on horses, and, occasionally, dab
bles in stocks. She has already cos
p,o a rothor hip amount So ono day