Chapter 34

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_ CHAPTER XXXIV During the week that followed, the words that Dorothy had heard in her dream constantly recurred to her. At first she fought against the feeling that seemed to be forced upon her. She cried out to herself that Jessie must live; but with that thought always came the one that, if Jessie recovered, it would mean the downfall of all her own future happiness. At last her growing love for Jack Garner conquered her. She yielded to it. It was like the intoxication of rare wine, of sweet, subtle perfume, until at last, in secret, she confessed to herself that she loved him. She thought of nothing but that she loved Jack with all the strength and fervor of her despairing soul, and the only barrier between them was--Jessie. To make matters all the worse, the sick girl made a confidante of her, and would talk to her for long hours at a time over her approaching marriage--that is, if she should recover. Every word she said was like the sharp thrust of a sword to Dorothy; but day by day Dorothy could not help but notice the terrible change that was taking place in Jessie Staples. Every afternoon her couch was drawn to the bay-window. She liked to be propped up where she could look out into the sunlit garden, with its green foliage and bright-hued flowers; for it was in the garden that Jack could be seen, pacing up and down under the trees, smoking his afternoon cigar. She would always call for Jack when she saw him, and when he came into the room she would hold out her arms to him with a strange, low cry. He would always kneel down by her side, talk to her, try to cheer her. Sleep would never come to her unless he sat by her side, holding her hands in his. It was with great relief that Mr. Garner heard at length that Doctor Crandall was so much better that he would visit Jessie the next afternoon. When he came Doctor Kendal took him at once to the sick-room, and there they held a long and secret consultation. "I am obliged to say, sir, that I shall have to abandon the case," said Kendal. "I am completely dumbfounded with it. I have most carefully followed out your every suggestion, and yet the patient fails rapidly before my eyes day after day." Doctor Crandall looked thoughtful. When he left Jessie's couch he found Mr. Garner awaiting him in the library. "What do you think of her, sir?" he asked, quickly. "There is not much the matter," he replied; "a good tonic, rest, and a little cheerful society will soon set the young lady right again." "It is the first time that you have seen her, doctor," said Jack, rather dubiously. "You never saw her in health, sir. You do not know how alarmingly she has changed for the worse. She had a brilliant color, but it has all gone." "It will soon return," said the doctor, encouragingly; and with a few further words he left Jack, more mystified than ever. For forty odd years he had enjoyed a large practice, but in all that time he had never had a case exactly like this. He made up his mind then and there that there was something about this case which was beyond him--there was something about it that he could not fathom, that was shrouded in mystery. He wired without delay, an urgent message to an eminent physician with whom he was on excellent terms. It was almost midnight when Doctor Schimpf arrived at the Garner mansion. His friend, Doctor Crandall, was awaiting him, and together they made their way at once to the sick-room. "This is an urgent case, I suppose," said Doctor Schimpf. "I am afraid so," was the reply. "You will be able to judge when you see the patient." Doctor Schimpf's stern face grew sterner still as he made his examination of poor Jessie. Then the doctors quitted the room and commenced their consultation. Nadine Holt looked after them with a strange smile on her face, her black eyes glittering. "Well," said Doctor Crandall, "I wonder if we both have the same opinion in regard to this case." "It can admit of but one," returned Doctor Schimpf, with a shake of his head. "And that is?" "It is a case of slow poisoning," was the answer. Doctor Crandall grasped his friend's hand. "That was my view exactly," he said, huskily. "There is but one way to proceed," returned Doctor Schimpf: "we must set a watch upon the inmates of the sick-room, and discover who is the perpetrator of this awful crime; and in the meantime make minute inquiries if there is any one under this roof who would be likely to be benefited by this poor girl's death. I propose that we proceed without an hour's delay." "Agreed!" returned the other, promptly. "And I would suggest, as well, that a woman be secured, if possible, to undertake this task of ferreting out who is responsible for this awful crime that will soon terminate fatally if not nipped in the bud." The next morning a young colored girl duly presented herself at the Garner mansion. "I have brought you an assistant," said Doctor Crandall, leading her into the presence of Dorothy and Nadine Holt, and bowing to each in turn. "She is to obey your orders implicitly, and wait upon you. The medicines we have left are of an extremely pungent odor, and likely to overcome a person unused to them. She can attend to mixing the preparations for you, if you both consider her competent to do so, which you can tell after a short trial;" adding, besides: "One drop of this stains the hands, and it can not be got off for months. I thought this might be sufficient reason for placing this young girl at your disposal." "You are very thoughtful, sir," said Nadine Holt, sweetly; but Dorothy spoke never a word. Both doctors turned and looked keenly at her; then the conversation drifted quickly into another channel; but both had made up their minds that this boded no good for the slender, dark-looking woman with the blue glasses who hovered continually about the sick girl's couch. As the doctors were leaving, under guise of giving a few words of instruction to Myra, the mulatto girl, they whispered hurriedly in her ear. "I understand," she answered, with a nod of her head. "Nothing shall escape my eye." The next day Doctor Crandall made minute inquiries regarding every member of the household, and every addition that had been made to it for the past few months; and he learned, casually, that the only person under that roof with whose history the Garners were not thoroughly acquainted was--Mrs. Brown. Furthermore, he discovered that she had secured the place without proper recommendations. This he considered a serious affair. He was quite willing to give her the benefit of a doubt; still, it was too grave a matter of which he had charge. Every moment of time wasted in discovering the perpetrator of the awful crime was dangerous to Miss Staples, his beautiful patient, exposed to such deadly peril. All unmindful of the espionage placed upon her, Dorothy went about her duties in the same faithful manner. In the morning she read to and amused old Mrs. Garner. In the afternoon she attended to all the duties of the household; for in the midst of their difficulties their housekeeper had left them. In the evening she relieved Nadine Holt from her arduous duties in the sick-room. The only gleam of brightness that fell athwart her path was meeting Jack Garner at the table three times a day. Her life merged into one great longing to be near him. She tried to picture how it would be when Jessie recovered and he should marry her. Of course, they would still dwell beneath that roof. Could the same home that held them hold her? She could not endure seeing them so happy in each other's love. Whenever Jack entered the sick-room, Dorothy always made some pretense to leave it. The sight of him bringing a flower to Jessie would be enough to almost break her heart with poignant grief. She could not help but notice how handsome he was growing day by day. Oh, what would she not have given for just one of the kindly words he used to speak to her, a tender look, a caress! _

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