Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-20
effects. and when she complained

/ u,
had probed into my sisters death and
her cons. and discovered tho severed
picture-cables an the sawn stairs.
THIS morning he took from Peters
tho broth intended for Cissie and
spilled 1T: and when later the doctor
put nc out Of her room and took my
place. ! knew they were aware OF
her real condition: and IL l did not
want to fall as had In Genes case
must work quickly.
| saved out enough arsenic for n
death dose; and mixing the rest in n
paste L spread 1T near rat-hole in
the wiinscoting OF fathers room
where It's presence could readily be
accounted for IL II were found. The
powder | had saved put in n fresh
| portion of broth intending to give It
to Cissie at the first opportunity. but
was TOO careful to hring II up TO he.
| myself; j arranged for Peters to do
mat. so that in ting end he would at
least be equally under suspicion with
the cook; for why should any one
think thai l. the devoted aunt. could
desire the death OF my lovely niece?
| The opportunity came Just now,
and as soon AZ the doctor left me
alone with her rang for Peters to
| bring UP the broth" Suddenly the
woniaa's figure stiTened. and she
pointed shaking Anger at Odell.
| But for you. Cissic would now have
gone the way ! paved for her: but
Peters knocked upon the door and
! told me that you had taken the broth
from him once more and said that
you wanted 1t for Ranmc. and in
| structed him TO bring up more for
Cissic. For Rannie. You would have
killed him for whom / had planned
| IL all,
Il saved him. though Cissie and
the others stiil live. Rannie. Rannfc.
did 1t all for you: and though they
may roh you of portion OF the
wealth which should be yours. YOU
will stiil be richer than all: and
have made you so."
Don't speak to me. you devlIw
i-oathing beyond tho power of words
filled his Sinking voice. III you were
not mad could Kill you as you sit
there! Murdcreys! You have done
ME greater injury than when was
a child,"
1T was for you! They hated you.
ali az them. They laughed ut Your
inhr'nity; but would have given
you the power TO triumph over them.
every onc!" Her tones rose once
again to shrek. "Rannic. I love
you, love-
The shrick. ended suddenly in
rafting gurgie: and she clntchcd at
her breast as the distortion OF mania
left her face and a look OF wonder
shot with pain took it's place a
glow az OF returning sanity surruscd
the staring eyes for a nee,ing mo-
inent. then they dulied. and her head
dropped forward on her breast.
| Odell was by her side In an instant;
but DR.. Adams was before him: and
the detective reiterated q step az the
physician felt the woman's limp wrist
and pressed his head against her
| heart.
She Is dead" he announced. That
final paroxysm was too much for her
| already overstraincd heart, and Il
failed II was n mcrcilul end"
II was the germ OF insanity born
In her. the heritage from her father"
DR.. ADAMS turned TO Blake and Shaw.
Help me lift her to the bod
still. cannot understand. SER
| geant how you first discovered the
| truth"
Richard Thorne was the speaker as
he. Gene, Eannic. Samuel Tlthercdse
and the detective were seated In his
| room on the following day.
| '"rhe point which puzzles me liz
| why L did not discover II at once"
odeii replied frankly. The rnding
OF the saw and file in so obvious a
place as the cheSt where the other
| tools were kept ought to have led ME
| 20 suspect the person who had as
obviously suggested that your step
son sit beneath that loosencd por-
trait no matter how unlikely such u
supposition would seem.
/ Miss Meade had had access 10 tho
incubator in which Rannie kept his
bacteria and 10 the medical books
! OF which he had a store. and she had
been the only one TO listen to his
talk on the subject: she had been with
her sister when Mrs. Lornc pricked
her finger with the infected needle,
and she was the only member OF the
! family who was constantly at her
| bedside, with unlimited opportunity
TO reinfect her until she died. She
| as well as another might have slip
ped up to her oldest nephew's room
and, catching him off guard. slashed
his throat with the razor. The thing
| which kept me more than anything
else from suspecting was the sup
| posed fact that Il struggle must have
taken place. and only powerful per-
son could have overcome Mr.. Chal-
| mers' strength; for l had been told
that he was trained athlete In
spite OF the temporary nervous con-
dit:on which had pulled him down.
only phenomcnally strong per-
son. too. could have pried that pic
ture from tho wall and fled away the
supporting wires. TO say nothing or
! welding a saw heavy enough 10 cut
the long. sweeping strokes which I
noticed in the top stop Of the stairs
81 recall now" Titheredge remark
| cd. that you asked mo when we ex-
| amined the stairs together IL OBJ
served anything else, and when re-
piled in the negative you said moth
ing more. What did you mean?"
i