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Then she built a house near the mine, and taking her old nurse, Selina Sprotts, and Archibald McIntosh to live with her, sank a shaft in the place indicated by the latter. She also engaged miners, and gave McIntosh full control over the mine, while she herself kept the books, paid the accounts, and proved herself to be a first-class woman of business.

Ill news travels fast, and before noon the death of Selina Sprotts was known all over Melbourne. The ubiquitous reporter, of course, appeared on the scene, and the evening papers gave its own version of the affair, and a hint at foul play.

'I wish it would, observed M. Vandeloup, pleasantly, as he reentered the room, 'whew! this devil of a doctor what a dangerous fool, but I have got the better of him, and at all events, he said, lighting another cigarette, 'I have saved Vandeloup from suffering for the crime of Braulard. There was no doubt the Sprotts' poisoning case was the sensation of the day in Melbourne.

But with regard to the death of Mademoiselle Sprotts, she died as you have said; but I, though the maker of the poison, did not administer it. 'Who did, then? asked Gollipeck, who was quite prepared for this denial. Vandeloup smoothed his moustache, and looked at the doctor with a keen glance. 'Kitty Marchurst, he said, coolly.

That the deceased, Selina Jane Sprotts, died on the 21st day of November, from the effects of poison, namely, conia, feloniously administered by one Katherine Marchurst, and the jury, on their oaths, say that the said Katherine Marchurst feloniously, wilfully, and maliciously did murder the said deceased.

She told Madame she knew it was damp because her bones ached, and as she was mostly bones she certainly had a good opportunity of judging. Annoyed at being disturbed by Miss Sprotts, the dog resigned his comfortable place with a plaintive growl, but the cat, of a more irritable temperament, set up and made a sudden scratch at her hand, drawing blood therefrom.

The symptoms were described as apoplexy, similar to those of a woman who died in Paris called Adele Blondet, and whose case was reported in a book by Messrs Prevol and Lebrun. Becoming suspicious, I assisted at a chemical analysis of the body, and found that the woman Sprotts had been poisoned by an extract of hemlock, the same poison used in the case of Adele Blondet.

At all events she was not displeased, and looked after him with a smile in her dark eyes as he disappeared into the back kitchen to make himself decent for tea. Madame herself sat down in an arm-chair in the bow window, and watched Selina preparing the meal. Selina Jane Sprotts, who now acted as servant to Mrs Villiers, was rather an oddity in her way.

The rain was beating wildly against the windows and someone in the room below was playing the eternal waltz, 'One summer's night in Munich', while Vandeloup, leaning back in his chair, stared at Dr Gollipeck, who looked at him disbelievingly. 'It's not true, he said, harshly; 'what reason had she to poison the woman Sprotts?

'Well, observed Miss Sprotts, grimly, beginning to undress herself, 'for a nervous woman, you leave a great many windows and doors open. 'I'm not afraid as long as you are with me, said Madame, yawning; 'it's by myself I get nervous. Miss Sprotts sniffed, and observed that 'Prevention is better than cure, then went to bed, and both she and Madame were soon fast asleep.