The Washington herald., 1916-11-15

CONTINUED FROM YEsrERDAY,s PAPER.
DR.. Mohtrose had reopened his med
icine case a. It lay on the hall table,
and was arranging some Of the bot
ties strapped along its sides. He had
returned from o professional cali. ana
had not readjusted the contents of
the cases before leaving the sick room
he had been visiting.
do you remember" he asked,
when you were little girl, how
eager you; used to be to play with this
medicine satchel Of mine? couldn't
get. you to keep your hands or II.
You were forever asking which phials
held poison and
II remember" she laughed, "and
stiil feel sort OF morbid interest In
II. used to beg you to give me q
case like this for Christmas. 1t was
the only thing you ever refused me-"
'It is the only thing I ever could
have had the heart to refuse you," he
said fondly. MY most haunting fear
In Life has always been that some
harm might some time befall you.
You are all have that makes life
worth while, and any mischance to
you would break my heart and my
life with It. Always remember that,
my darling"
She drew her head down to her own
and kissed him. He put his arms low
tngiy about her, but first he carefully
laid aside one Of the tiny phials he
had taken from the case.
you handle that miserable little
bottle as II you were afraid It might
explode" she teased him. Whats In
Il that's 90 precious? A potion to
make patients pay their biilsf'
Worse than that" he returned. In
the same vein. "It would send them
whore there are no bills to pay. That
is one Of the deadliest poisons known
to the pharmacopoeia. It is hydro
cyanic acid. I had the phial fn here
because I was using the drug In an
experiment. A very few drops Of this
would mean almost instant death"
That's why you handle It 90 gin
geriy?" she asked. "Well, you
needn't. Don't you see It is empty?'
"Empty?" he echoed. looking closer
at It, why. 90 It Is! must remem-
Der to fln 1t. have a supply bottle
Of It In my laboratory"
He put the empty flask in his pock-
ct, that he might not forget to re-
plenish it
There comes Bob Clayton" said
Florence. looking out toward the
walk. "Good-by, daddy!"
She moved toward the door. DR..
Aontrose, following her, welcomed
young Clayton oourteously, and
watched the two drive away together
In the new car. Then, slowly, he
turned his steps to the library.
His paramount thought lust then
was concerned with the success of q
certain experiment, and for more than
IN hour he sat in his big leather
chair reading treatise by q highly
respected authority. Suddenly into
the midst OF his scientific deliberations
q disturbing thought made its insid-
ious way. Something, perhaps It was
mental telepathy, whispered to him
that all was not well with Florence.
He passed his hand across his eyes
a. II to shut out the intruding
thought, but It persisted. He rose to
his feet and strayed uneasily into the
hall and toward the veranda-
He came to halt at the front door.
his gaze roaming down the street.
Then. a smile Of pleasure wreathed
the grim corners Of his mouth. For an
automobile was approaching. In It he
saw his daughter and Bob CLAYTON.
They had evidently turned back. in
their ride. for something they had
forgottsn- For thsy were drawing up
at the curb in front Of the house.
A little newsboy, passing along the
sidewalk, figured on a chance to earn
q possible dime. Jumping forward,
he hung out one arm to open the tom
neau door for the girl. But his foot
slipped on the new washed pavement
and, losing his balance, he rolled
headlong under the car.
Clayton had not quite broueht the
auto to a halt, and the mud-guard
caught the youngster fun on the
shoulder. The impact sent him
dazed and half-dead with fright, al
rectly under the front wheels.
The wheels, coming to stop, barely
grazed him. Florence cried ont IN
horror. Both she and Clayton spranr
to the ground to look after the mo.
tionless little huddle Of humanity w.
Ing 80 quiet there under the car
fender.
DR.. Montrose, too. came out Of the
house on q run.
Clayton. pale from the shock of
having possibly killed the little fei-
low, gathered the limp body In his
arms and, directed by the doctor.
carried 1t into the house and laid II at
full length on the hall table. DR..
Montrose knalt beside the boy. run
ming skilled fingers over him IN search
Of the injury. Presently, a. the doc
tor worked over him. the patient
opened his eyes.
"Ain't dead YETI" he whispered IN
awe. Gee! thought sure I wasis
DR.. Montross laughed In sheer rs-
lief.
mo, my boy" he made chssrful
reply; you are long way from be-
ing dead, or even badly hurt There
d little bruise or two ana q scratch,
That's al the damage. The rest d
Just score."
Ten minutes later. after Florence
had fed the youngster all the candy
he could eat. Clayton took him home
in the car, and closed the incident by
making the sufferers mother accent
o 80 bill for O new suit Of clothes to
repair the damage done to her or
springs apparel by the muddy street.
When Clayton departed on his er-
rand Of mercy Florence went to her
- nLan0A -.