The record-union., 1897-07-06

! Douglas RenWood.
| had to wait some time at the physi-
| clans house, as he had numerous con-
sultations in progress. After an hour
of terrible anticipation in the dull
waiting room l was at length ushered
into the doctors presence
DR. Holiness" L said, 4 have not
come to see you professionally, but
rather to ask you one question"
He seemed surprised, but simply
said "Go on.
Did you sign a certificate of death,
through Inflammation of the lungs, of
Sir Douglas Renwood, who now lies
dead at the place called Cot
tage?"
He jumped up from his chair in
amazement.
My dear SIR he cried, what on
earth are you talking about? l know
nothing whatever of Sir Charles Rem
wood, except that he is reputed to be
man of eccentric habits, as he re-
fuses to have any servants in his
house"
The suspicion which had been dark
enlng in my mind grew darker as he
spoke these words. In a moment |
had risen from the chair, and, walking
quickly to the doctors side 1 said
Doctor, there has been some foul
play in this business. Sir Douglas
Renwood lies dead, and 1 have just
seen a certificate bearing your name at
the foot"
The doctor looked astonished
Then it is a forgery" he cried Il
have never signed certificate of this
mans death. More than that, I did
not know even that he was ILL.,"
L thought for a moment and then
said:
Our way is clear. We must go at
once to the police station and get a
warrant for the arrest of the man who
produced that certificate as coming
from you. That man is Mark Rem
wood, Sir Douglas nephew, and-heir"
The doctor gave me a quick glance
His heir, eh?" he said. Come, per-
haps we are on the brink of a discov-
cry. 1t seems to me that there is more
in this business than meets the eye"
| thought SO, too.
An hour later DR.. Holmes, a couple
of plainclothes policemen and myself
entered the cottage. Bidding the two
the doctor and I went straight up
stairs in search of Mark Renwood.
He did not seem in the least astound-
ed at the appearance of the doctor.
Evidently he imagined that he was the
legal FRIEND on whom he fancied I
had gone to call, for he held out his
hand with a smile
Any friend of yours, Mr.. Geary," he
n RI Sc 11<
please"
Wondering whether he was merely
playing part or was sincere, l for
mally introduced the two men.
DR. Holmes-Mark Renwood."
A terrible change came over Rem
woods face, and he clung to the table
for support. He tried to speak. but
words failed him. The look on his
features told what I had already
guessed.
But there was no time for idle
thought or conjecture. [ touched the
bell and the two Constables appeared
in a moment
give this man in custody" I said
IN a loud voice, for uttering a forged
death certificate. Whether a further
charge, and more serious one. will be
added, remains to be seen,
RenWood uttered not word. With
white, scared look, he suffered him
self to be led from the house and
thence into a conveyance. Our wav
lay in the direction of the police sta
ton.
"A Coroners inquest was held on the
oody OF Sir Douglas Renwood. and the
verdict of the jury, following on the
doctors post-mortem examination. was
Willful murder against Mark Rem
wood"
He was accordingly committed for
trial at the next assizes.
The incident which served TO con-
Wet him was the forged certificate.
He could assign no reason for the for
gerry, and therefore the jury had no
option but to conclude that the man
who had administered to the deceased
the subtle poison which caused his
death was his nephew, the man who
stood in the dock.
Sentence was passed ACCORDINGLY. ard
on the night before his execution he
sent for the chaplain and made a full
confession.
Il killed my uncle by means of a
drug which the natives use in certain
parts of India for medical purposes.
ana winch leaves the features calm
and composed after death Ny uncle
was about to marry. and in the event
of his doing so and having issue knew
that my chance of a great estate were
gone. So | brought him down to Staines
and kept him under lock and kew in
the cottage.
Having killed him, l knew that no
physician would certify the death with
out some sort of inquiry. and I there
fore forged certificate of the death
myself. | sent for the solicitor Cearv.
in order that he might see for himself
that all was fair and square: otherwise.
l appreciated the fact that there might
be some awkwardness about the trans
ferring to me of the property. How
Geary discovered that the instrument
was net genuine passes my understand
ing. 1t is that discovery that has
put the rope around my neck
How did | discover the forgery? BY
the fact that / knew DR. Holmes hand
writing and detected the difference?
Not bit of it. The doctors hand
writing was as unknown to me as the
first Pharaoh. No. It was sinnly
on account of the fact that the death
certificate bore the cause of death. 'in-
fiamation" being spelled with one M
In the letter from Mark Renwood
with which this history begins the word
occurred with the letter omitted. and
it struck me as being very curious that
two men should make mistake over
the same word. So curious was this
annarent coincidence that p1IrS1Ipd
the inquiries which ended as l have
described. If Mark Renwood had been
a better speller he would, in all prob