The Argosy — page 218: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Abel Crew. 203 but me; except the little ones. My husband don’t concern himself with the places and things.” Circumstantial evidence could not well go farther. Mrs. Reed was dismissed, and the coroner told Abel Crew to come near the table. He did as he was bid, and stood there upright and manly, a gentle look on his face. “You have heard the evidence, Abel Carew,” said the coroner. “The pills have been analysed and found to contain a certain portion of arsenic—a great deal more than enough to kill a child. What have you to say to it?” “Only this, sir: only what I said before. That the pills analysed were not my pills. The pills I gave to Mrs. Reed contained neither arsenic nor any other poison.” “It is showing great obstinacy on your part to repeat that,” returned the coroner impatiently. ‘‘ Mrs. Reed swears that the pills were the same pills; and she evidently speaks the truth.” “I am sure she thinks she speaks it,” replied Abel, gently. ‘‘ Never- theless, sir, I assure you she is mistaken. In some way the pills must have been changed while in her possession ; box and all.” “Why, man, in what manner, do you suppose, they could have been changed ?” | ) “T don’t know, sir. All I do know is, that the pills and the box: produced here last week were not, either of them, the pills and the box she had from me. Never a box went out from me, sir, but it had my private mark on it—the mark I spoke of. Jones the constable searched my place while I was detained in the Lock-up, and took away all the pill-boxes out of it. Let him testify whether he found one without the mark.” At this juncture a whole cargo of pill-boxes were shot out of a bag on the table by old Jones, some empty, some filled with pills. The coroner and jury set.on to examine them, and found the mark on all, lids and boxes. 3 ‘‘ And if you’d be so good as cause the pills to be analysed, sir, they would be found perfectly free from poison,” resumed Abel. ‘“ They are made from herbs that possess healing properties, not irritant ; a poisonous herb, whether poisonous initself, or one from which poison may be extracted, I never plucked. Believe me, sir, for I am telling the truth; the truth before Heaven.” _ The coroner said nothing for a minute or two: I think the words impressed him. He began lifting the lid again from one or two of the boxes. j ‘What are these pills for? All for the same disorder ?” “They were made up for different disorders, sir.” “And pray how do you distinguish them ?” “I cannot distinguish them now. They have been mixed. Even ir CO im Gone DOO S