The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-19
DEATH SAVED HIM
6v OLIVIA MEREDITH.

downright. 1915, by W. G. Chapman0
"Tired," yawned Boyd Leslie. pre-
scription clerk for Davis & Co. I'm
dead for the want of sleep. Inc Gnu
of a long day. Oh. my!"
There was a tinge of relief In MS
first words, for respite, relief seemed
in view. He had put out most OF the
lights, he had just locked the stree.
door, when the knob was turned ana
a small boy breathless and perspirins'
shouted Justify:
81 must get in, doctor says ! must
hurry" and he waved fragment oi
paper which Boyd recognized as pre-
scription He let the boy In. MIG
night WEAKNESS made him sway tne
lights were poor, he almost noddeo
putting up the prescription IL was
For Mr.. Lewis" q heart tonic, Boyd
noted that He was SO done out, that as
he gave the waiting boy the bottle
he left the last phial he had used IN
filling the prescription upon the case
counter. Then, without even undress'
ing. he flung himself on the lounge
Just behind the case and was plunged
in sudden slumber Immediately.
Long hours, irregular meals, lack OF
air and exercise were fast undermin-
ing a splendid constitution. There
was no nine-hour rule at the Davis
establishment.
"U-um! just about half slept out.
yawned Boyd at daylight. rousing up
ut the call Of an alarm clock. unre-
freshed for another day Of hard work.
well, II can stand II out I'll soon
have enough to start course at the
medical college"
Boyd cooked his sparse breakfast on
q spirit stove. He tidied up ana
ventilated the store and set at put
ting the disordered prescription desk
in order. As he picked up phial ly-
ing upon 1t he raised 1t slowly. A
shudder passed over his frame He
turned deadly white. He uttered a
great gasp. His horror-stricken eyes
were glued to the label on the bottle.
"The last I used last night in max
ing up that prescription" he spoke
breathlessly, "and-poison!"
How had he come to make the fatal
error? His dazed, tired eyes had read
"ascetina" for arsenic" He had I'M
Willingly substituted for harmless
Alternative enough of the deadliest
poison known to materia medica to Kill
q dozen men.
Sick at heart Boyd Leslie dropped
the fatal phial and sank to a chair.
overcome The deed was done, with
out any doubt! Oh, was there the
merest vestige of hope that the pre-
scription had not been used? Shak-
ing from head to foot with anxiety
and dread the young drug clerk hur-
ried on hat and coat and rushed from
the store.
He knew where the Lewis home was
located. His heart beat like trip
hammer as he turned into the street
upon which it fronted. 1t seemed to
halt with a shock as he saw on the
bell handle of the house-a streamer
of crepe!
How he lived through that day,
Boyd Leslie could not realize. He
heard that the physician attending
Mr.. Lewis had given certificate Of
death from natural causes First an
impulse came to his mind to confess
his mistake publicly. Then dread Of
consequences made OF him a coward.
The episode passed by He was safe,
in the general acceptation of that
word. But his mind was in torment.
AS to restitution-ah, there he could
act! He had robbed the Lewis family
| of protector. He would take his
place.
His motives were never suspected
by Verona or her mother
As the weeks passed on. however,
the interest he took in the children,
| his kindness In loaning Mrs Lewis
small amount that enabled her to
renew mortgage on the homestead,
began to endear him to the lonely,
lovable young girl
As to Boyd, an angel with flaming
sword seemed to stand between him
and the beautiful girl who had won his
souls devotion.
Il dare stay here no longer" he told
himself one day. 81 will find some
way to give my little savings to Mrs
Lewis and forget Verona.
His heart smote him the evening he
announced to the family the demands
Of a fictitious position in another
state.
He saw no other way out of his diff
ficulty. however. They helped him pack
his effects, and during the process
Verona brought small chest of odds
and ends, to find for Boyd a blood
thermometer he had loaned her moth
er when she had touch of fever.
1t contained some papers of the
dead father, some phials OF medicine
a sealed bottle. AS his eyes fell upon
this Boyd Leslie grasped it with a
sudden eagerness that fairly startled
Verona.
"This-this is prescription you had
hlled the night before your father
died?" he uttered hoarsely.
Yes. Poor dear father!'' replied
Verona, sadly. He died before broth
er got back from the drug store witt
it."
Innocent-he never took it," cried
Boyd Leslie. and then he fell to his
knees-and prayed, the tears of relic,
and Joy pouring down his happy face
Il need not go now" he told Verona
little later, IF you do not wish il