precautions on my part, such as the sealing up of his papers, etc."
"That is true," came from the lips of both brother and son, over whom a visible change had passed at the word "suicide."
"But I cannot think—" the former began in an agitated voice.
"That my father would do such a deed," interposed the latter. "It does not seem probable, and yet he was a very wretched man, and grief will often drive the best of us to despair."
Uncle Joe gave his nephew a strange look, but said no more. The doctor went quietly on:
"I do not know what your father's troubles were, but that he committed suicide I greatly fear, unless it can be proved the acid was taken by mistake, a conclusion which does not seem probable, for from the smell of the decanter it is evident the acid was mixed with the wine, in which I now remember advising him to take the nightly powder I prescribed to him for quite a trivial disorder a few days ago. The only thing that puzzles me is, why, if he meditated death, he should have troubled himself to take this powder. And yet it is certain he did take
