Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-10-09
v

AS Dwight looked about the labora-
tory and in the bedroom for Doctor
Holland he was bit disappointed to
find the young man out. H.
Lately his jealous hatred had grown
to such an abnormal extent that he
dreaded losing sight of either OF the
guilty pair for one moment, lest they
had fled the agony they were endur-
ing. And today he proposed finally
showing his hand, on this first ami
versary of his marriage.
He had not quite decided what hui
initiation he would heap upon Holland,
Selma's was already arranged, a hui
initiation that lacked nothing Of re-
finement and dignified, courteous
cruelty. He smiled as he tapped his
coat pocket where jewelers. little
box lodged which was to be his pres
ent to her.
AS he started to leave the room, the
title, Toxicology, seemed fairly to
leap from the cover of the opened
book lying amid the table litter and
strike him between the eyes. He
picked it up curiously, turning 1t
over in his hands, reading fragments
here and there at the place where 1t
had been opened. Then he examined
the little vial with the red skull and
cross-bones on it's label that had
rested beside the book.
A grayish shadow turned his
healthy color to a dull leaden CON-
promise of hue, as he slowly replaced
the little bottle. For moment he
stood there undecided, then, with a
shrug of his shoulders, turned and
closed the door softly behind him.
while he lives-I shall be true to
him." That was what Selma had said
that night in the garden when he had
seen her abjure the love she admit
tedly desired. while he lives"
Dwight resumed his library chair,
bordering this new phase of the sit
uation in his household. Yes, were he
in Hollands place he would probably
see to it that his rival did not live
long. What had allied the doctor that
he had postponed the act this length
of time?
Impatiently he looked at his watch.
The time had dragged terribly, the
hour before the guests arrived for the
banquet, the hour Immediately before
which he intended unnerving his wife
so the feast would be torment to her.
Slowly he rose, pausing moment
to compose his expression into the
- ~ hn
as a mask for a long time now. He
moved up the stairs, light as boy,
tapping softly at his wife's door and
Diminishing the maid with nod. She
submitted. to his caresses YEARLY, the
fresh beauty Of her a trifie dropping.
He had intended speaking few
commonplaces first, but as his eyes
took in the dropping corners to her
mouth. the haggard lines about the
eyes and realized what had put them
there. he could not trust mis- self-con-
troll. She opened the box YEARLY, try
ing to simulate delight at the pres
ent which she knew she could not feel.
Once she looked up and caught his
eyes upon her eager, cruel, gloating.
Her fingers trembled as, instead OF
a bit of jewelry, she found crumpled
note, opening it slowly. She did not
tremble, did not cry out as again she
lifted her eyes to Dwight's, after read
ing the letter from Charles Iced, tell
ing her that her fortune had been
wiped away. Her dulled brain re-
fused to work, her aching heart re-
fused to regard the question of where
he obtained possession of that note as
of any importance.
He motioned her to pick up the card
that remained in the box and she
turned 1t over and over in her hand:
"a reminder from your husband
that you lied to him and that you have
only served the first year Of long
sentence" She read 1t aloud the Sec
ond time. Then her lips parroted the
words slowly, as would child learn
ing his lesson. And gradually the
threat dawned upon her and she
looked hurriedly about her as though
seeking some means of escape.
That note from Leed-He knew
that she had married him for his
money. But what else did he know,
this man of superlative cruelty? Did
he know of Holland?