South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1896-07-30
A MEDICAL MYSTERY.

1 had reached my office one morning
In November, year or two ago. when.
TO my surprise, 1 found n young fellow
waiting for NE outside the door
MIR. Somers." he began, impetuous-
~. can you give me your services for
the day.
rs the matter very pressing?- l re,
piled Tell me. what IL Is about
My name is Kincald," he said quick
~. You did some family business for
us Few years ago. L want you to
come with me at once. We can just
catch train from Waterloo TO Basing-
stoke NJ 9:10. Ii runs down in nm hour.
I'll explain ii all i'm the train. Three
guineas for the day, and expenses.
Make your own terms IL successful.
VIII that doY'
Very WELL" l said ''go and get q
cab--lll join you directly"
unlocked my safe. picked up n port
manteau which | kept ready for emer-
gencies, scrubbed note 10 my clerk.
and in less than ten minutes was by his
side in hanson, on the way TO the
station. We secured n carriage 10 our
selves, and as soon as the train had
fnirly started he unfolded his tale.
MY uncle, Clavell Kincald. died very
suddenly last night, under curious cir
cumstances. and | suspect foul play"
he began.
Tell me exactly what happened"
eve had a kind OF family dinner
party TO make fresh arrangement
about the property in which my uncle
tad life interest"
Nobody present but reiations?"
mo.
"What is the property worth?"
about 10000 or $4,000 n year"
eco on"
AS things stand now, my cousin
Harry takes everything under the en-
tail. The object Of the meeting was TO
buy out his interest. sosthat IL could be
more evenly divided among the family.
Everybody directly interested was
present"
"You couldn't buy up your consIn's
interest without his consent" l inter
rupted.
Certainly not" answered the young
yellow. Bat Harry is 4 black sheep.
IN fact. he's thoroughly bad lot. He
bar been knocking about South Amer
len. and don't know where else, for
some years. and his record is about ms
black ore as a nan can have"
VERY well" ! said. Now tell me
about your unclcs death"
"N3 lad f.nisI,ed dinner and sat
cbutiiiS and smoking. Uncle Clavell
was talking to my father; suddenly he
said: Dear me. I feel so sleepy. /
really think / then he stopped sud
denly. His head fell forward and
somebody rushed for brandy thinking
lie was i'll. AS a matter Of fact, he
was dead. 1t all happened in a min
ute"
And You suspect your cousin OF hay
ing Killed HING
yes
ION what grounds
The young fellow looked blank.
IL hardly know" he answered, Eek
cept that Harry's bad enough TO do
anything, and my uncle was in perfect
~ good health"
"Was Mr.. Clavcll KincaId drinking
anything at the time?"
mo, he was just smoking cigar and
chatting"
"Was your cousin near him?"
NO. he was talking to me several
yards away"
How do you think. then, he Killed
your uncleT
Il don't know. That's why I've
come for you"
You must excuse me. Mr. KincaId.
but I'm afraid this is a wild goose
chase. 1t was To your cousins interest
that your uncle should die. Your cous.
IN is an outsider Your uncle dies
suddenly, and you jump TO the conclu-
sion he has been murdered, but IL
doesn't follow 10y any means"
cor course not, but / believe he was, y
he persisted
Has doctor seen Mr. Kincaldl
What does he say?'
"'rhc doctor won't say anything def.
nltely until hc has made proper cx
animation. lie thinks u is total par.
alysis OF the brain. and no can't ac-
count FOR II in any way"
what Kind n man was your
unclcf7
Every healthy and very temperate.
have mover known him cat too much
or drink too much In my life. Never
bad n days illness"
Wen It's very strange case" ]
said. and "a very sad one Bit frank.
~, ] believe your uncle died from nat.
ural causes You are prcjudiccd 90 The
matter; am not"
We reached Basingstoke AZ Few
minutes past 10. and then separated
Young Edward kincald was 10 go
straight home aud explain To- his father
what ne had done. and get him to help
when I arrived I was received by
father and son. aud taken privately
10 the drinking room. where the death
occurred.
you must quite understand. Mr.
Somers," said the older man, that