Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-09
THE DEADLY LETTERS
BY ROBERT CROMIE.

Copyright, 1895, by Bachelor johnson Bacheller)
CHAPTER 1.
Surg. Col John Hedford, late of the In
dian medical service lived in the large
provincial city of Salchester. During a
long residence in India he had given much
time and study to the action of poisons on
organic life. His knowledge of the sub
ject became SO exhaustive that had he lived
in the time of the Borgias the lucrative APP
pontment of court poisoner would have
been his. AS it was, however. his spe-
cialty enabled him to supplement his in
come by acting as an expert when called
on. His book toXicology, which he
modestly entitled Some Remarks on the
Nature and Effect OF Indian Poisons,' had
been favorably reviewed by the Lancet and
the British Medical Journal and bade fair
to become a text book in the schools.
One morning he watching the death
throes of mouse to which he had admin
istered a new ptomaine, when a letter,
marked Immediate" was delivered by a
commissionaire. 1t read as follows:
THE ROYAL STANDARD LIFE ASSUR--
ANCE co.
'4 Castle Lane, Salchester, 18th July, 1S-.
Dear Sir: Can you favor US with call
at this office at II o'clock today? We wish
to consult you on a matter of great i'm
portance Kindly reply per messenger.
yours very truly, ''' f-
CHARLES B. MORTON,
Resident Secretary.
Surg. Col. ]. Hedford. Queens Elms,
Salchester."
The specialist read the note carefully
through twice before sending an affirm
alive reply. BY this time the mouse was
business he had on hand just then He'd
ford suspended his experiments for the day.
His silver-mounted cane and immaculate
Lincoln-and-Bennett were handed to him
"a
Hedford left the house. He sauntered leis-
urely to the county club. After skimUing
over a few Of that mornings London
dailies he went to the offices of the Royal
Standard. where he arrived with military
punctuality on the stroke of noon
bedford was received by the secretary,
Mr.. Morton. and introduced to Mr.. Mont
agu Scott tie London manager, who had
been in Salchester for the past two days.
After paying a well-merited compliment to
the specialist on his reputation a
toxicologist, Mr.; Scott got, to business at
once, and said abruptly:
II am going to put a@case into your hands
which cost this and two other companies,
the 'Tresham' and the Mutual one hundred
which may cost us half a million unless the
riddle can be read"
The specialist was reticent
Before handing you these documents"
Mr.. Scott went on, indicating tightly
strapped bundle of papers the table, Il
must ask your earnest assurance that you
will maintain absolute secrecy on the sub
ject until you yourself, or some other man,
has solved the mystery"
The assurance given, Mr.. Scott stated
briefly that for the past two years pur-
chaSeS of. life policies had been made by or
for Sir William Huntington, NJ. p, a Sal
chester magnate of high reputation who
lived principally in London; that most of the
persons assured had died since the date of
the transfer of the policies; that in only one
case had there been an inquest, for the suffi-
Gent reason that the assured had all died
from well-known diseases, and had been at
tended by physicians who were beyond sus-
picion, and that the three companies had
paid claims amounting in all to one hundred
and fifty thousand pounds either to Sir
William huntington or to persons who We're
suspected of being in collision with him.
This coincidence of early death from "natu-
raj causes occurring to nearly all the
fortunate transferrers of the policies was,
at present inexplicable. Mr.. Scott had 10
special hypothesis, but, on behalf of the
three Life offices. he intrusted Surgeon
Col. Hedford with the case, informing him
that If necessary he could call in the services
of an experienced detective from Scotland
Yard. This bedford declined to do, preferr-
ing to work for time single-handed in the
matter Mr. Scott intimated that a sum of
five hundred pounds would be placed to the
credit of Col. Hedford's account in the Great
Northern Banking Company, and that he
was to spare neither pains nor money in the
endeavor to clear up the mystery.
AS the specialist left the Royal Stand
ard office he buttoned his coat with deter
mination and strobe hastily homeward. He
the task before him, and fully realized the
difficulties in his path. On the other hand,
the fact that the five hundred pounds would
convert the small debit balance of his bank
ing account into a handsome credit one was
matter for satisfaction. Anglo-Indian