them.

On it was written one word, but it was a word which invariably carries
alarm with it.

That word was: _Poison_.

Sweetwater did not return to New York that night.

XIX

"IT 'S NOT WHAT YOU WILL FIND"

I am not mad;--I would to heaven I were!
For then, 't is like I should forget myself:
O, if I could, what grief should I forget!--
Preach some philosophy to make me mad,
For being not mad, but sensible of grief,
My reasonable part produces reason
How I may be delivered of these woes.

_King John_.

"I regret to disturb you, Arthur; but my business is of great importance,
and should be made known to you at once. This I say as a friend. I might
have waited for the report to have reached you from hearsay, or through
the evening papers; but I preferred to be the one to tell you. You can
understand why."

Sullen and unmollified, the young man thus addressed eyed,
apprehensively, his father's old friend, placed so unfortunately in his
regard, and morosely exclaimed:

"Out with it! I'm a poor hand at guessing. What has happened now?"

"A discovery. A somewhat serious one I fear; at least, it will force the
police to new action. Your sister may not have died entirely from
strangulation; other causes may have been at work!"

"Now, what do you mean by that?" Arthur Cumberland was under his own
roof and in presence of one who should have inspired his respect; but
he made no effort to hide the fury which these words called up. "I
should like to know what deviltry is in your minds now. Am I never to
have peace?"

"Peace and tragedy do not often run together," came in the mild tones of
his would-be friend. "A great crime has taken place. All the members of
this family are involved--to say nothing of the man who lies, now, under
the odium of suspicion, in our common county jail. Peace can only come
with the complete clearing up of this crime, and the punishment of the
guilty. But the clearing up must antedate the punishment. Mr. Ranelagh's
assertion that he found Miss Cumberland dead when he approached her, may
not be, as so many now believe, the reckless denial of a criminal,
disturbed in his act. It may have had a basis in fact."

"I don't believe it. Nothing will make me believe it," stormed the other,
jumping up, and wildly pacing the drawing-room floor. "It is all a scheme
for saving the most popular man in society. Society! That for society!"
he shouted out, snapping his fingers. "He is president