Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 5 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. | 24 we will start for the settlement, and when there, is not as good as it might be, Uncle Jerry; and | ‘Your wish shall be gratified, doctor,” and perhaps we may learn something further of this attack upon the stage.” ‘‘T presume,” said Grace, ‘that Uncle Jerry Grimes will not consider me as good as my pro- ‘Whom did you say?” interrupted Myrtle; ** Uncle Jerry Grimes? ** Yes; do you know him, Miss Gray?’ ‘Yes, ma’am, I am well acquainted with him: I stayed two days and nights at his house with his niece, Miss Irene Lamar, who lately came there from Tennessee.”’ Grace Manville’s face turned an ashen pallor; her wondrous eyes flashed with a strange light, and turning, she laid her hand upon Myrtle’s arm, and said in an excited tone: ‘Do you mean to say, Miss Gray, that Irene Lamar, of Tennessee, has arrived at the resi- dence of Jerry Grimes?” ‘* Yes,ma’am. As I said before, I stayed there awhile with her, and would have remained longer had I not taken a dislike to her. But Unele Jerry thinks the world and all of her, for she’s very pretty and smart; but I believe she’s a bad woman.” **Oh, Miss Gray!” exclaimed Grace, her face assuming a serious, troubled look, “if Irene Lamar, of Tennessee, is at Glendale with her uncle, Jerry Grimes, then I ama vile impostor!” CHAPTER XXII. STRANGE DOINGS AT GLENDALE. MATTERS at Glendale had assumed a rather serious aspect. Uncle Jerry had been sufferin greatly for several days from the effects o violent pains in the head, and an almost total nsion of the vital action of the heart and entire system. His nephew and niece Mave Conrille and Irene Lamar, evinced grea uneasiness, and finally concluded to send for Doctor Wright. The doctor came post-haste, and found the old entleman suffering with acute pains in the ead from the effects of which there was a ten- dency to deliriousness. Doctor Wright was a well-read physician, as the saying goes, and having examined the patient’s pulse and tongue, uestioned him regarding his illness and so orth, he proceeded to make a careful diagnosis of the case; and the result finally arrived at was anything but pleasant. The doctor betrayed his surprise in his looks, and having expressed the wish for a private conversation with the old man, Mave and Irene withdrew from the sick chamber. ‘“Unele Jerry,” Dr. Wright then said, in a low tone, ‘‘ your case presents very singular and startling conditions, ndeed—some things, in though with a proper understanding, and a plication of remedies, danger may be averted,” replied the doctor. ‘T have placed myself under your care, doc- tor,” Uncle J "i"! remarked, suggestively. ‘Very well, Uncle Jerry; then I am going to enter right in upon the merits of the case,” and then for fully an hour he questioned the old man as to his diet, his habits of living, and, in fact, everything that would have bearing upon his health. This examination concluded, he ad- ministered a powder to quiet his patient’s nerves and allay the pain that was darting like needles through his brain. As it was nearly night, the doctor had con- cluded to remain till morning in order to watch the course which the old man’s disease took un- der treatment. He He in the sick-room ew, darkness set in. Uncle Jerry was en easier, and all was quiet, when Irene entered the room with a light made in an old-fashioned lamp, the bow] of which was rted upon the head of a brass satyr. She placed the light upon the stand by the bedside, and having inquired after her uncle’s health, and received, from the doc- tor, the assurance that he was resting easier, she went out into the sitting-room, Doctor Wright watched + Fae patient’s bed- side until he—the patient—fell asleep. Then he bent over him and listened to his breathing. When he again resumed his seat he shook his head dubiously, and, at the same time, mani- fested doubt and perplexity. Uncle Jerry slept for an hour or two, then awoke with a violent start, complaining of a d eatin terrible pain in the head, and a f g of suffo- cation in the chest and ‘‘ Tt seems to me the venti tion of this room yet, it is not any too warm. Do you always sleep with a light burning by your bedside?’ ** Always.” ** What kind of oil do you burn?” “Simply lard; it’s the best we can get.” ** And what kind of wick.” ** The common cotton candle-wicking.” ‘* Well, there’s something in the atmosphere of this room that I do not exactly like. I must confess my ignorance of the cause of it, unless itis the light. I would suggest, Uncle Jerry, that you dispense with a burning light and see what effect it will have. I will now give you a mild nervine, and then remove the light.” He administered the medicine, and taking the light went out into the room where Mave and Grace were seated. ‘*T have concluded,” he said, ‘‘to remove the light from the sick chamber for fear the exhala- tion of the smoke and volatile gases might be the cause of aggravating his case.” Irene arose, and taking the light blew it out for the sitting-room was lighted by a candle and the fire on the hearth. The doctor sat down and conversed freely upon different topics with Irene and her cousin. About midnight the maiden retired, while the physician and Mave remained up to attend to the wants of the sick man, and to give medicine. Uncle Jerry, however, rested quietly; and as he did not wake, the doctor concluded that sleep was nature’s own medicine, and so he would not waken the invalid to administer his own pre- scriptions. The night wore slowly away, and when Uncle Jerry awoke in the morning he expressed great relief from his rest, and a belief that Doctor Wright’s medicine was the cause of it. After breakfast the doctor took his leave, having left a supply of medicine, with directions for giving the same, promising to return the next morning, unless they should send for him sooner. ‘*Of all you do,” he said to Irene, “don’t let the lamp burn in the sick-room. I believe that habit alone, which many people practice, is the real cause of more affected lungs and severe headaches than any other, and it should be stopped. One can get used to nips, = ncle Jerry was up most of the day. He talked, laughed, and joked with the young folks in a spirit that indicated a speedy ait of When night n set in the old gentleman retired early with the promise of a night’s rest. Of course, the lamp was not brought into his room, although Uncle Jerry misssd it very much; and wondering if it had, really, been the cause of his illness, he finally fell asleep, At The old man was rendered almost frantic by this discovery. He sprung out of bed and started toward the ng t; but he stopped sud- denly and started back as though some horrible form had risen up, Phcenix-like, out of the dull- glowing flame. ‘*My God! do they want to kill me?” he cried clutching his brow in tragical madness; “has it come to this so soon?” With a groan he reeled toward the bed and fell upon it. He lay there for hours, totally un- conscious, and when he at length rallied from the horrible spell that seemed to enchain his very reason, he started up and gazed wildly, deliriously about the room. It was just growing day, although there was a lingering darkness in his room. He glanced toward the stand. Thelamp had been removed! The doctor came that morning as he had romised. Uncle Jerry took him aside and told how he had passed the night, and how he was then feeling. ‘* Did you do as I requested about the light?” asked the doctor. “TI did; but in the night some of the family brought it into my room and left it burning there. Before morning, however, it was re- moved.” ‘“‘'That’s rather queer conduct,” declared the doctor, bluntly. ‘It is, most assuredly, doctor; it looks as though my new relatives wished to get rid of me The doctor gazed hard at the patient, and drummed a os upon the table with his fingers. He whistled softly to himself. Mr. Grimes,” he finally said, ‘‘ I would like to see that lamp.” the old man went out and brought in the lamp. Dr, Wright examined it closely. “*T can see nothing wrong about it, nor am I een to make an analysis; but, Uncle Jerry, ’‘m going to make an experiment. I want a glass of clear water to begin with.” Old Wallack was summoned and the water ordered. When it was brought in, the doctor placed the glass upon the bedroom stand and lit the lamp and placed it by the water. Then the physician and his patient went out into the sit- Fahne and closed the door behind them. Seating themselves, they spent several hours discussing the events of the day, and the mys- terious disappearance of Myrtle Gray. Mave Conrille had gone over to Fort Dodge, and Irene was busy in the kitchen. Toward noon, the doctor returned to the bed- room to examine into the result of his experi- ment. A cry burst from his lips the moment his eyes fell upon the water in the glass, It was covered with a white, filmy powder. **Ah! it is as I expected!” exclaimed the doc tor; “‘do you see that thin powder on the sur- face of that water, Uncle Jerry?” ‘I do, doctor; tell me what causes it,” replied the old man, betraying one anxiety, “Unele Jerry,” said the physician, gravely “ either the wick in that lamp, or the lard that feeds it, is strongly im regnated with arsenic, This becomes volatilized by combustion, poisons the atmosphere of the room, and causes this de- posit upon the surface of the water.” “My God, doctor! then I was right—they, my own sister’s children, are trying to kill me by slow poison!” exclaimed the old man, wringing his hands in distress. ‘There is something wrong, Uncle Jerry;” declared Dr. Wright, “and yet, I would advise you to act calmly in the premises. Repeat to your young friends my desire that no light be permitted to burn in your room; and if they disregard your wishes then I would take some steps to thwart their designs, if, in fact, they are parties to an intended crime. It is my opinion Mr. Newbold is exerting a bad influence over your srg hel and, perhaps, your niece, also. I was told this morning by Myrtle Gray’s mother that the maiden had, by some means or other—she did not say what—while a visitor here, become witness to a plot which I think is being worked up through the instrumentality of this lamp. Mrs. Gray had said nething about it through fear, until yesterday. She thinks her daughter has been a victim to the same plotters; for it appears that one of them found out that Myrtle knew all about their plot. Your niece, am sorry to say, and Isaiah Newbold, not only my duty as a physician to tell you, but as a Christian.” ‘“Oh, my God!” groaned the old man; ‘‘is this the reward I am to receive for making those children my companions, my heirs? Have I taken serpents to my bosom instead of friends? Oh! that I had heeded Myrtle Gray’s warning! oe I a ee vt so blind he my love for hose who see estroy me! Doctor, this i terrible blow.” tito il eee ear up, Uncle Jerry; do not give way. There may be some misunderstanding. in God for the best,” said the doctor, kindly, cheeringly. CHAPTER XXIII. THE VALLEY OF HOBBAMOCKO, TRE precaution taken by Vagabond Joe and Neu Bill in guarding their camp in the for- est upon the banks of the Lizard was not in vain. “As Joe had expected, the Indians had followed him up to camp, when a sharp en- gagement ensued; though, without any decided result—more than to warn the savages that the whites were ready for them. After the first attack the red-skins withdrew and nothing more was seen of them till next, morning, when several scouts were discover here and there, among the trees. The mercury had, by this time, fallen ten de- below zero, making the air stinging cold, he snow seemed knitted together in a solid body—so hard that a man could walk anywhere upon it without breaking through. Taken alto- ether, however, it was favorable to our isiends, or the crusted snow would enable them to make a rapid retreat, even if it did give the ’ cS EGomicboo (ECO) fact, which have never come under my hands | first his slumber was quiet and sweet, but as the | are the chief actors in this conspiracy. It was ) it before; although similar cases are well known | night advanced he began to toss and moan. A | a knowledge of these facts, Uncle Jerry, that | to the profession.” burning fever parched his lips, and a eee , | led to my experiment with the glass of water. | "Ts tt anything of a dangerous character, | throbbing pain tortured his brain. Half deli- | I disliked, very much, to introduce such a deli- Pat doctor!” the old man asked. ‘Speak right out; | rious, he rose in his bed to-find his room flooded | cate subject. I knew you thought a great deal ai let the truth be known.” with light. On the stand, by his bedside, was | of your nephew and niece, and that the news ima “Tt certainly is dangerous, Mr. Grimes; | burning the forbidden lamp. would be a severe shock; but then, I felt it was