The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-25
v.

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.
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 fed 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 hu-
initiation he would heap upon Holland,
Selma's was already arranged, hui
initiation that lacked nothing of re-
finement and dignified, courteous
cruelty. He smiled as he tapped his
coat pocket where a jewelers. httle
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 1t 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 its label that had
rested beside the book.
A grayish shadow turned his
healthy color to a dull leaden COM
promise Of hue, as he slowly replaced
the little bottle. For a 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,
pondering 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 a moment
to compose his expression into the
one of tender solicitude he had used
as a mask for a long time now. He
moved up the stairs, light as a boy
tapping softly at his wife's door and
dismissing the maid with nod. She
submitted to his caresses wearily, the
fresh beauty Of her trife 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 his self-con
troll. She opened the box wearily, 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 oi
a bit of jewelry, she found a crumpled
note, opening it slowly. She did moi
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 beer
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 lone
sentence" She read it 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 hurriedIy about her as though
seeking some means of escape. .
That note from Leed-He knew
that she had married him for hii
money. But what else did he know
this man of superlative cruelty? Die
he know of Holland?