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Page 72
Perhaps she saw trouble and perplexity in the face where she had
expected admiration and pleasure, for a slight chill went over her
as he quickly praised the appearance of the stock and spoke of her
own improvement. But when they were alone, he turned to her
abruptly.
"You said you had no wish to go to San Jose?"
"No." Yet she was conscious that her greatest objection had been
removed, and she colored faintly.
"Listen to me," he said dryly. "You deserve a better position than
this,--a better home and surroundings than you have here. You are
older, too,--a woman almost,--and you must look ahead."
A look of mingled fright, reproach, and appeal came into her
eloquent face. "Yer wantin' to send me away?" she stammered.
"No," he said frankly. "It is you who are GROWING away. This is
no longer the place for you."
"But I want to stay. I don't wanter go. I am--I WAS happy here."
"But I'm thinking of giving up this place. It takes up too much of
my time. You must be provided"--
"YOU are going away?" she said passionately.
"Yes."
"Take me with you. I'll go anywhere!--to San Jose---wherever you
go. Don't turn me off as dad did, for I'll foller you as I never
followed dad. I'll go with you--or I'll die!"
There was neither fear nor shame in her words; it was the outspoken
instinct of the animal he had been rearing; be was convinced and
appalled by it.
"I am returning to San Jose at once," he said gravely. "You shall
go with me--FOR THE PRESENT! Get yourself ready!"
He took her to San Jose, and temporarily to the house of a patient,--
a widow lady,--while he tried, alone, to grapple with the problem
that now confronted him. But that problem became more complicated
at the end of the third day, by Liberty Jones falling suddenly and
alarmingly ill. The symptoms were so grave that the doctor, in his
anxiety, called in a brother physician in consultation. When the
examination was over, the two men withdrew and stared at each other.
"Of course there is no doubt that the symptoms all point to slow
arsenical poisoning," said the consulting doctor.
"Yes," said Ruysdael quickly, "yet it is utterly inexplicable, both
as to motive and opportunity."
"Humph!" said the other grimly, "young ladies take arsenic in
minute doses to improve the complexion and promote tissue,
forgetting that the effects are cumulative when they stop suddenly.
Your young friend has 'sworn off' too quickly."
"But it is impossible," said Doctor Ruysdael impatiently. "She is
a mere child--a country girl--ignorant of such habits."
"Humph! the peasants in the Tyrol try it on themselves after
noticing the effect on the coats of cattle."
Doctor Ruysdael started. A recollection of the sleek draught horse
flashed upon him. He rose and hastily re-entered the patient's
room. In a few moments he returned. "Do you think I could remove
her at once to the mountains?" he said gravely.
"Yes, with care and a return to graduated doses of the same poison;
you know it's the only remedy just now," answered the other.
By noon the next day the doctor and his patient had returned to the
cabin, but Ruysdael himself carried the helpless Liberty Jones to
the spring and deposited her gently beside it. "You may drink
now," he said gravely.
The girl did so eagerly, apparently imbibing new strength from the
sparkling water. The doctor meanwhile coolly filled a phial from
the same source, and made a hasty test of the contents by the aid
of some other phials from his case. The result seemed to satisfy
him. Then he said gravely:
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