Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-12-27
The Flask That Held A Drop

/ came across the little box have just
mentioned. 1t is made Of single
amethyst and contains-or so | was
assured when / bought it q tiny
flask of old but very deadly poison.
, Conceiving that the sight Of it would
please the ladies, l carried it down in
to the library and, in an evil hour,
called three OF four Of those about me
to inspect it.
81 was holding it out on the palm
of my hand, when somebody. inquired
to what use so small and vet so rich
q receptacle could .e put, Expecting
no greater result than lifted eyebrows
or flushed cheeks, answered by press
ing little spring in the flligree-work
surrounding the gem. Instantly, the
tiniest of lids flew back, revealing a
crystal flask Of such minute Propor-
tions that the usual establishment fol-
lowed it's disclosure, ..q.. .1.4
"'You seel' cried, ''it was made to
hold that And l caused to shine in
their eyes the single drsp of yellow
LIQUID it still held. 'Poisonn impress
sively announced. This trinket may
have adorned the bosom of 4 Borg1a
flashed from the arm of some great
Venetian lady as she fiOurishod her
fan between her embittered heart and
the object Of her wrathor jealousy
AT the utterance Of the word pol
son., quickly suppressed cry escaped
the lips of some one behind me, which
contained uSh an astonishing, II in
voluntary, note of self-betrayal that
my mind grew numb with horror, apd
stood staring at the fear toy which
had called up such revelation Of
what? That is what i I'm here TO
ask, first of myself, then of you. For
the two women pressing behind me
"Who?% I shortly demanded:
"Gilbertine Murray and Dorothy
Camerden;" his prospective bride
and the woman | loved, and whom he
knew | loved.
Describe the sound" l said.
II can not" he replied. 81 can on
" give you my impression of it. You,
like myself, fought in more than one
skirmish in the Cuban War. Did you
ever hear the cry made by a wounded ,
man when the cup of cool water for
which ne has long agonized is brought
suddenly before bis eyes? Such q
sound did hesr from one of the two
girls who leaned over my shoulder.
Can YOU name the woman, can you
name the grief capable OF making eth
err of these seemingly happy girls hail
the sight of such doubtful panace2
with an unconscious ebullition of Joy?
You would clear my weddlng-eve OF
gread dread if YOU could, for if this
expression of concealed misery came
from Glibertine-"
"Do you mean," | cried in vehem- |
ent protest, chat YOU really are IN
doubt as to which of these two women
uttered the cry which so startled you"
Il can not: as God lives, l can not,
Indeed, if the matter had stopped
there, should have thought myself the
victim of some monstrous delusion; |
but when half-hour later found this !
box missing from the cabinet where
had hastily thrust it at the premp- |
tory summons of our hostess, knew
that / had not misunderstood the ma
ture of the cry | had heard that It
was indeed one of secret longing. and !
that the hand had if a death occurs
in this house tonight"
Sinclair. you are madl" | exclaim-
cd. "Death here! where all are so
happy! Remember your brides in
genuous face! Remember the candid
expression of Dorothy's eye. You ex-
aggerate."
"You are losing time" was his SIM
pie comment. Every minute we ALL