Year: 1872

! M ISIS MelfOSe Wollt stab her to
the heart sooner than own her as a mis-
tress. My mistress is lady-noble,
royal, and of gentle birth. 1t is an
honor to serve my mistress"


And she is i'll? How long sincc?'


" Ever since she married him-curse
him. she muttercd, in a fierce tone ;
but must not get excited. must
tell my story, or rather hers Two years
ago, through the desire of her diving
father, Alice lIerndon became James
Spenccr's wife. Before that she was a
nealthv blooming girl immediately
after this marriage she began to fail.
Do YOU see anything strange in that ~


Not necessarily"


- Let me cnlighten you further Dir.
| Spencer was at one time engaged to
Miss Lucille Melrose. but he broke the
engagement and married my mistress
instead. Miss Merose was as poor rs
Jobs turkey; Miss Herndon was an
| heiress, and DIR. Spencer was deeply in
debt and hard pressed 10y his creditors.
Do you see anything singular in that ?"
Perhaps. Go on"


When my mistress married Spencer
she was only seventeen. and she had
been taught to obey her father in every
thing. She was a gentle, atiectionate
| child, and it would have been easy for
Spencer to have won her love. But he
did not care for that 1t was her money
he wanted. 1t paid his debts and bought
him fast horses it set his table with
nice, costly dishes, and put it in his
power to keep Miss Melrose robed like
a queen. And all this time my mistress
had been slowly but surely sinking.
And look you, DR.. Lockwood, | believe
she is not dying of disease, but Of
here she lowered her voice to a whisper
as she spoke the word" poison


"lmpossible This is a grave charge"
"Oi poison given her by her husband,
who, at her death, would have sole con
troll of her property and be Tree to
marry Miss Melrose. There is no time
to explain to you in detail the thou
sane and one circumstances which have
led me to the belief, for we are almost
at the door 1t is never the case that
Miss Melrose and Spencer are out at
the same time, or should have called
another physician before; but to night
they are called away by the death of
Miss Melrose's sister, and will not be
back till tomorrow. With the consent
OF my mistress, ! come for you, and oh !!
DR.. lockwood, | pray you, save my dear
mistress. ] nursed her when her mother
died and left her helpless infant; all
through her innocent youth she was
like an own child to me; and now to
see her fading hour by hour before my
eyes! Good heavens if knew beyond
a doubt that he was guilty, his life
should pay the forfeit"


was already beginning to feel deep
interest in Mrs. Spencer, although had
never seen her, and like her old nurse,
| was inclined to feel great animosity
for DR.. Spencer.


Mrs. Spencer received me in her bed
chamber. 1t was on the second floor,
and was furnished with exquisite elc-
gancc. Everythingin in the room bespoke
the taste and delicacy of the occupant.
The warm air was fragrant with faint
odor OF heliotrope; and glancing around
| saw the purple blossoms and green
leaves in an alabaster case on the
ledge of the south window.


She was q woman who, when once
seen, could never be forgotten. | have
met in my life many beautiful women,
but never one so lovely.


She was tall and sill ght, with q purely
oval face, liquid brown eyes, and dash
of hectic in her cheeks, which is never
seen in perfect health.


She received me, as know she did
everybody, gracefully, and though there
was slight embarrassment in her man
ner when | spoke of her illness, she an
swered my professional inquiries with
out hesitation.


AS for myself, laid aside all false
delicacy, and questioned her plainly as
to her symptoms. Mrs. Hurd her nurse,
remained in the room, and added many
little important items of information.


When she spoke of her husband it
was with sort of hopless sadness which
distressed me greatly.


Not breath of suspicion against him
in her answers to my questions, and |
felt sure that at present she knew moth
ing of what Mrs. Hurd had such serious
apprehensions. | was glad it was so,
for, with her finely strung organization,
it might have produced serious results.
| made my examination of the patient
as closely as | could, and drew my own
conclusions. could have sworn that
Mrs. Spencer daily swallowed arsenic in
small quantities, and the deadly drug
was telling fearfully on Il constitution
never very robust.


She said, answering my questions,
that she had no physician except her
husband. He had thought himself
better acquainted with her case, and
therefore better qualified to treat it.
He never left medicine with her to take;
he always brought it fresh from his office,
and administered it promptly.
There was little enough | could do in
such case. Anxious to do everything,
| the very circumstances of the affair LETT
me nearly powerless.


A charge of such nature, of course,
! could not make against DR.. Spencer
without the amplest proof. If limited
suspicion every one would at once set
1T down to my profession prejudice;
and if ] could not substantiate my state
ment the doctor could make me pay
dearly for such a SANDER uttered against
him.


The only dependence seemed to be
in Mrs. Hurd. To her | unbosomed
myself freely. | told her without re-
serve that | believed Dr. Spencer was
| killing his wife by slow poison, and be-,
sought her to be constantly on the watch
to save the victim, and to discover some
proof by which we could fasten the
guilt upon him.