Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-12
THIRD INSTALLMENT.

entirely disappear when we get at the
facts"
"Humph. Do you think he placed the man
On the bed? Perhaps ought not to ask it,
as you're his physician, but Mr.. Philbrck
and l were talking
Mere speculative gossip. DR.. Williams"
interrupted Mr. Ihiibclck. with a suave
smile. We were discus sing the possibilities
of a mystery without knowing the first
thing about the circ,En,tlacss.
We'll, but you said" began Hawkins
when Philbrick again interrupted:
Like others l jumped at the conclusion
that the body found at the mill was that
of the man vino had dropped dead at Fair
View. l then INDUCED in a little idle specu
lation, as a stranger will under such cir.
cumstances. Believe me. didn't meal to
be taken seriously"
I'm sure no harm has been done" said
DR.. Williams. Your speculation was nat
ed, l have no disposition to conceal any
thing on the ground of being the family
physician. l have not that honor. L was
here by accident soon after the event oc-
Cured whatever it was for l met the half
crazed servant myself between here and the
village"
you speak as If you had some doubt as
to what the event was sugga sted Haw'
kins contentedly. It's certain the man
del. isn't it?''
"st arkweather? No. decidedly not.
'Ther I'll repeat my first question Do
you think the professor put the body OF
Starkweather en- the bed?
II see no reason for doubling the pro-
fessor's worl."
Wei. by thunder, do" exclaimed Haw-
kins That is. l don't want to appear
SUSPICIOUS of anything wrong, but l think
there's heap that's got to be explained,
CO."
Undoubtedly, If all the curiosity In the
country has got to be satisfied responded
Or. Williams, sharply. But you've nc
business to get suspicion aSolng in tins
community without something to base II
"Who's setting it going, doctor?' de
manded the landlord. Drilling
"You will be doing it if you indulge IN
| Lose talk.
| "Anybody'd think, to hear you,' he SAD
"that YOU was old enough to be senator
| Dr Williams was spared the necessity OF
| ignoring this quarrelsome remark oS NJ
| Fhilbr;ck who, with significant smile ano
| side glance toward the landlord, SAID:
| II am inclined to agree with YOU doctor: as
| to the probability that the mysterious Tea
! lures of this affair will presently disappear
! 7 should like to ask you, as medical man
| whether there is any inherent improbapli1ty
or impossibiity in the explanation suggest
| ed by Prof Drummond?'
| you've doubled up your question a DIT
replied the DOCTOR smiling gratefully in re-
| turn for Philbricks saving him from an I'M
digntied discussion with the landlord.
| THAT was because l am a layman sup
! pCSe," returned Phllbrlck. Let us say iii
| possibility first
mo. There is nothing impossible about
IT."
Improbable. then?"
| Il don't like the word. Unusual it IS. very
for Prof Drummond is a man of unusual in
| tclligence. and 1t seems rather odd that he
! should have been mistaken in the. symptoms
| which he thought indicated death. You see
his explanation suggests that Starkweathel
| was cataleptic. or something of that kind
though l ought not to diagnosticate a cast
! without more intimate knowledge of 1t. If
| however, Starkwea Their We're cataeptic
| Prof. Drummond should have noted tn,
| beating of the heart. which he says hat
| ceased. l can't tell, you see. The professor
was naturally agitated, end. altogether,
| think it fair to suppose that he erred il