Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-06-11

ing, and the sight Of the two things filled
me with an awful suspicion.
And | determined to act on that sus-
picion and to act at once. Asking Rem
wood to excuse me for half an hour, as l
wanted to call on a legal friend who lived
in town, hurried away.
l was going to call on DIR. Holmes,
whose name was at the foot of the certia-
cate recording the death of Sir Douglas
Renwood.
had to wait some time at the physician S
house. as he had numerous consultations
in progress. After an hour of terrible an
ticipation in the dull waiting room was
at length ushered into the DOCTORS pres
ence.
DIR. Holiness, said, Il have not come
to see you professionally, but rather to ask
you question. Did you sign certificate
of the death, through inflammation of the
lungs, Of Sir Douglas Renwood, who now
lies dead at the place called - Cottage?"
He jumped from his chair in his amaze
ment.
"My dear SIR" he cried, "what on earth
are you talking about2 l know nothing
whatever of Sir Douglas Renwood except
trio habits, as he refused to have any sery
ants in his house"
The suspicion which had been darkening
in my mind grew darker as he spoke these
words. In moment had risen from the
chair, and, walking quickly to the doctor's
side, said
doctor, there, has been some foul play
in this business. Sir Douglas Renwood
lies dead, and have just seen certificate
of his decease bearing your name at the
foot"
The doctor locked astounded
"Then it is a forgery" he cried. ri
have never signed a certificate of this
mans death. More than that, 1 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 warrant for
the arrest Of the man who produced that
certificate as coming from you That man
is Mark Renwood, Sir Douglas nephew
and-heir."
The doctor gave me quick glance.
ellis heir, eh?" he said "Come, per-
haps we are ON the brink of u discovery 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
plain clothes policemen and myself entered
the cottage. Bidding the two men to be
close at hand in case of need, the doctor
and went straight up stairs in search Of
Mr.. Mark Renwood.
He did not seem in the least astounded
at the appearance of the doctor. Evidently
he imagined that he was the illegal
FRIEND on whom he fancied / had gone to
CALL for he held out his hand with a smile.
Amy friend of yours, Mr.. Geary," he
said, lis welcome here. Introduce me,
please"
Wondering whether he was merely play
ing part or was sincere formally intro
duced the two men.
Cdr. Holmes-Mr. Mark Renwood. -
A terrible change came over Renwood S
face, and he chung to the table for support.
He tried to speak, but words failed him.
The look on his features told what | had
already guessed.
But there was no time for idle thought
or conjecture. touched the bell, and the
two constables appeared in moment
81 give this man in custody" l said in
loud voice, "for uttering forged death
certificate. Whether further charge and
/, more serious one will be added remains
to be seen.
Renwood uttered not word. With q
white, scared look he suffered himself to
be led from the house, and thence into a
conveyance. Our way lay in the direction
of the police station.
cOropnr'c jnuuact woo hold ~, tho
body of Sir Douglas Renwood, and the
verdict Of the jury, following on the doc
tors postmortem examination, was "will
full murder against Mark Renwood'
He was accordingly committed for trial
at the next assizes
The incident which served to convict
him was the forged certificate He could
assign no reason for the forgery and there
fore 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, and on
the night before his execution he sent for
the chaplain and made full confession.
1t ran thus:
81 killed my uncle by means of drug
which the natives use in certain parts of
India for medical purposes, and which
leaves the features calm and composed aft
er death. My uncle was about to marry,
and in the event of his doing so, and hav-
ing issue, knew that my chance of a great
estate was gone. So l brought him down
to Staines and kept him under lock and
key in the cottage.
Having killed him, knew that no
physician would certify the death without
some sort of inquiry, and l therefore forged
a certificate of the death myself. l sent for
the solicitor, Geary, in order that he might
see for himself that all was fair and square;
otherwise appreciated the fact that there
might be some awkwardness about the
transferring to me of the property How
Geary discovered that the instrument was
not genuine passes my understanding. 1t
is that discovery which has put the rope
around my neck
How did discover the forgery? By the
fact that | knew DR.. Holmes handwrit.
ing and detected the difference? Not bit
of it. The doctors handwriting was as
unknown to me as the first pharaoh. No.
1t was simply on account of the fact that
the death certificate bore the cause of
death, inflammation of the lungs" the
word Inflammation being spelled with
one I'm"
In the letter from Mark Renwood with
which this history begins the word occur.
red 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 apparent coin.
cidence that pursued the inquiries which
ended as have described. If Mr.. Mark
Renwood had been a better speller, he