eresting that I should like, with your permission, to make
an experiment which can result in no harm if it does not succeed."

"We put the matter entirely in your hands, sir," said Uncle John. "Act
as you think best."

"I thank you," replied Dr. Hoyt, bowing. Then he turned to the girls.
"Which of you young ladies has won the friendship of Lucy Rogers?" he
asked.

Louise answered that she and Eliza Parsons had become good friends.

"Will you assist me?" asked the physician.

"Willingly, sir."

"I wish to send the girl into a deep sleep, to render her unconscious
without her suspecting my intention, or realizing the fact. Can you
suggest a way to do this?"

Louise tried to think.

"What means will you employ, sir?" she asked.

"There are many ways to accomplish this. I prefer to administer a
powerful sleeping potion. Have you any confectionery or bon-bons at
hand?"

"Yes, indeed. I have just received a fresh box of bon-bons from New
York. But I'm not sure I can induce Eliza to eat candy."

"Then let us prepare the potion in various ways. But you must be
careful, Miss Merrick, not to make a mistake and take the dose
yourself."

Louise laughed.

"I'll be careful, sir," she promised.

The two then retired to perfect their plan, and in an hour every
arrangement was complete.

Louise went to her room, donned a wrapper, and bandaged her head. Then
she summoned Martha and asked the housekeeper to send Eliza Parsons to
sit with her in the darkened room, as she was suffering from a headache.

The maid came at once, to all appearances, as happy and careless as
ever. After expressing her sympathy she asked what she could do.

"Just sit down and keep me company, dear," replied Louise. "I'm not very
bad, but I'm restless and can't sleep, and I want you to talk to me and
amuse me."

Eliza laughed.

"That is easy, as far as talking is concerned," she said. "But to amuse
you, Miss Louise, may be more difficult."

But the girls found a topic of conversation in the election, in which
Eliza was much interested, and they chatted together for an hour or so
before Louise made any move to consummate her plot.

"I hope my foolish reports to Mr. Hopkins did no harm to Mr. Forbes,"
Eliza was saying. "I really had little to tell him of your conversation
or movements."

"You did no harm at all, for Mr. Forbes was elected," replied Louise.
Then she said, carelessly:

"Martha has sent me this pitcher of lemonade, and I