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:

"And THIS is the spring you had discovered?"

The girl nodded.

"And you and the cattle have daily used it?"

She nodded again wonderingly. Then she caught his hand appealingly.

"You won't send me away?"

He smiled oddly as he glanced from the waters of the hill to the
brimming eyes. "No."

"No-r," tremulously, "go away--yourself?"

The doctor looked this time only into her eyes. There was a tremendous
idea in his own, which seemed in some way to have solved that dreadful
problem.

"No! We will stay here TOGETHER."

*****

Six months later there was a paragraph in the San Francisco press: "The
wonderful Arsenical Spring in the Santa Cruz Mountain, known as 'Liberty
Spring,' discovered by Doctor Ruysdael, has proved such a remarkable
success that we understand the temporary huts for pa