One of My Sons

r quickly the three nearest the deceased man's heart strove to cover up their first instinctive acceptance of a fact so suggestive of hidden troubles, I could

uch close relations with this family, and felt the close

was saying in a highly strained tone, wh

abit of seeing it here. Does not its presence in this room argue that father felt the need of it. Prussic acid can

now whether he took it in the chloral, in the glass of wine he drank, or by means of some other agency not yet discovered. I regret to speak so unequivocally, b

accepted the situation, but that he had been informed of the part I had been called upon to play in this matter. This was apparent from t

being worthy of remark was that this melancholy seemed a settled one and quite apart from the present grief and disturbance. Yet he h

e had sons in the house," he courteously remarked; "but having felt this necessity and having succeeded in obtain

ut instinct withheld me, or rather my lawyer-like habits which happily acted as a restraint upon my nat

coroner?" he now went on. "He has telep

it was by his invitation I n

ile before he entered the room in which I sat, during which tedious interim I had to possess my soul in patience. But at last I heard his step on the threshold, and looking up, I

m and have more than once seen Mr. Robinson. Had you any acq

pie was known to me

which led you to be a wit

do not believe in Pr

d me quite

what p

be decided in a moment, so I made up my mind to be guided by developments, and confined my narration to a recapitulation of my former plain account of Mr. Gillespie's l

me he remained erect, but shrank back and ran out of th

speak

hat I

say an

iculate word

t ask for

N

one of

N

he alarm to

child and called t

ed his chin, still lo

of paper lying about on the study-tab

tar

eated. "What k

pie has evidently taken must have been bought in liquid form. The bottle which held it should be lying about and

e at this gentleman's request. It was not such a one as is used by druggi

see any s

girl?" he now queri

knowledge it and produce the envelope. But if she had forgotten the fact or had been too frightened to notice it,

sorry to hear him as

marked. "If you will give me your address and hold yourself in

had no further excuse for lingering, was moving t

quick glance in my direction, as if questioning the proprie

itation. Hastening to meet the

or only the paper in whic

and I saw what looked like a

und this?" queried the coroner. "I thou

of low tones, but I had no difficulty

don't you think so? Mr. Gillespie would never have thrust it there. Some other pers

te. But I gave no sign of having seen anything extraordinary. I felt too keenly

e paused for a moment on the threshold. "Let us not distu

ment we he

e seen Miss Meredith? I cannot fin

Hope?" called out another

the utterance of this sweet monosyllable, but at that time-well, I think I was too interested in the alarm which this cry instantly raised, to note my personal sensations.

inquired impetuously of the coroner

t. Who is Mi

d butler who

s a great favourite with Mr. Gillespie, and lived here

ring among themselves and looking very much frightened. Then we saw George descend shaki

ild. "Claire! Claire!" And he began running through t

ad remai

fact connected with

Gillespie's room on the third floor, I remember hearing someone rush through the hall. I sup

ee!" the doc

rage which made him oblivious of our approach. He was tearing into morsels a piece of paper which had the same appearance as the

ed me she would wait. She would

ip, slid by. I hastened after him, an

eached the top of the stairs we found the whole place dark save for a little glimmer

truck a match. Two closed doors met our eyes. One of these upon being opened disclosed a well-furnished room

he match went out upon this

rather than our eyes must d

d-was it the breathing of a person concealed near us?-cau

but the match went out bef

e rooms we had left, and catching up a candle I had previously noted ther

l of the strangest in

its impress that she looked like some affrighted creature balked in flight by some dreadful, some unprecedented sight which held her spell-bound. That she was beautiful, in that touching, feminine wa

HER WALL, WITH WIDE-EXTEND

I asked. "M

ust be careful," he whispered. "S

hows no fear

was approaching the n

still clung, as if fastened, to the wall against which she had drawn

little one resting at her feet, and

ere?" she asked. "I

he smiled. "Your white dress lo

to the wall. Claire, who was thus dislodged fr

h fright or some other deep emotion that I wondered they could for

fact as I would, I could see that her teeth were chattering with something more than c

rged the doctor, taking up C

e child, threw his arm about her and drew her away, she yielded pliantly enough, though

p, perhaps he had simply thought of searching the attic himse

Then in reproachful tones: "Hope, why should you give us such a scare? Had

first moment of encounter with t