Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-01-23


laid the case before him. and asked if he
would consent to preside at an informal
inquiry should the Yeames side accept our
proposal of going thoroughly into the
truth OF what may be called the Flex-
more poisoning case. He gave his prom
Use TO attend without hesitation, and ap-
proved highly OF the course | had taken
for making the inquiry public, promising
that reparation should be made to Aw-
drey on the part of his friends and him
self should it be found that the charge
against him was unjust.
The next day Bax called upon me to
say that Lynn and his mother agreed to
attend the inquiry. and l fixed it for the
following afternoon at three o'clock for,
as luck would have it, had received just
half an hour before a telegram from my
clerk, saying that he had found two men
who acknowledged to stretching the rope
and had agreed to tell the whole truth
concerning the affair. The dispatch came
from London. and reckoned upon these
witnesses arriving by the morning train
which reaches Coneyford at 10 80.
In the evening l went to my friends.
and | also called upon Mrs. Bates, bind
ing them all to be in my Office at the
hour fixed; then / went home and spent
the best part OF the night in drawing up
the questions to be put, for | determined
that Sir Roland Firkin should be the
chief actor in the inquiry, not only be-
cause it would please the old gentleman,
but because the question would wear less
of an ex-parte aspect coming from him.
The next morning l had my Office table
pushed up in corner, and a long dining
table brought in covered with green baize !;
all my ink pots were brought into requi-
sition and a sheet of paper laid before
each chair, and the regulation water bot
tie and tumbler placed at the head of the
table for the president to dip into if the
proceedings grew dry.
One thing vexed me. Ny clerk did not
arrive with the witnesses by the 10 80
train; however, a telegram came to say
they would travel by the next down train,
which reaches Coneyford at 5 rs. At 2
p. m. | had lunched and dressed, and was
looking at my watch anxiously.
CHAPTER XXI.
DR.. Audrey and Miss Dalrymple were
the first TO arrive; they came together
Awdrey with bright and cheerful smile
on his face. and perfectly calm Miss Dali
rymple showing signs of nervousness, but
staunch and true for all that.
Next came Sir Roland Firkin we ha6
private chat in my dining room, and l
put the list of questions in his hand,
instructing him as tenderly as I could
how to conduct the inquiry. He was
nightly pleased with his own Importance.
Then Bax and Mrs. Yeames arrived
Mr.. Bax pulled and gasped. bowling to one
and then the other with solemnity; Mrs.
Yeames passed to her seat, after a low
obeisance to Sir Roland, without recog-
nizing DR.. Awdrey and Miss Dalrymple,
except by drawing down her lips and con-
tracing her nostrils as she might in pass
ing an unsavory dust heap.
As the clock struck three Mrs. Bates.
who had been waiting outside, gave a sim
gle bang at the door and was introduced;
her courtesy to Sir Roland and her rigid
ity in sitting down. together with her air
of conscious virtue, gave her a strong re-
semblance to Mrs. Yeames-for the rea-
son, perhaps, that their airs sprang in
both cases from a narrowness and vul-
garity Of mind.
Lynn Yeames came in two minutes
later, painting with the haste he had made,
generous smile of his. He looked round
the room, saw DR.. Audrey standing beside
Miss Dalrymple, and strobe rfp to him,
head erect, shoulders back and his hand
out, as if to say before US all-"I do not
share this common ill opinion of my old
friend
DR.. Audrey stood perfectly still, and
looked straight in Lynn's face without
moving a muscle, letting him stand there
with his extended hand untaken. With
sigh and a shrug ynn dropped his hand
and turned away.
Mr.. Bax approached the table, put his
knuckles on it, and, after bowling to Sir
Roland Firkin, said impressively:
Il was given to understand this was
to be an amicable inquiry. The hostile
attitude of DR.. Audrey towards my
friend, Mr.. Lynn Yeames-"
You overlook the fact, Mr.. Bax,"
said l, knuckling the table on the other
side, that the onus of administering ar
senic to Mr.. Flexmore falls upon one of
three people--Dr. Audrey, Mr.. Yeames,
and Miss Dalrymple. You cannot expect
DIR. Audrey, by taking the hand of Mr..
Yeames, to imply his belief in the guilt of
Miss Dalrymple."
"A very nice distinction, Mr.. Keene,"
said Sir Roland, which / think you, Mr..
Yeames, must have overlooked. Now we
will proceed to business" Mr.. Bax, Mrs.
rho 1oft -ho nd
side of the table; Miss Dalrymple, DR..
Audrey and l faced them on the right.
Mrs. Bates sat at little distance from
the table; shorthand clerk l had en-
gagged for this occasion, sat at the desk
in the corner.
Sir Roland began with a nice little
speech, of course, which included we'll
chosen verse from Shakespeare, and con-
cluded with an earnest wish that everyone
might be found perfectly innocent of the
shocking charge which had hen brought
forward. He then poured out glass of
water, took sip, settled his glasses firm
ly on his nose, and, taking up my sheet
of questions, said:
Miss Gertrude Dalrymple, you renem-
Der the day of Mr.. George Flexmore's
death?"
Perfectly WE'LL she replied.
What hour was it when you first saw
him that day."
about eight o'clock in the morning"
WAS be alone at the time?"
No; DR.. Awdrey was sitting beside
him. He had been watching at the bed
side all night
How long did you stay in the room ?"
Only a few Enthusiastically the time
to learn that he was better. 1 saw that
had interrupted a conversation, and that
Mr.. Flexmore wished to be alone with
DR.. Awdrey."
How long did that conversation con-
tinue after your departure"
About half an hour. DR.. Awdrey
then called me back. and gave me in
structions with regard to the treatment
of Mr. Fiexmore and the medicine to be
given"
Was the medicine in the form of a
liquid or a POWDER"
"A liquid. 1t was a sedative draught, I
believe"
what happened after DIR. Awdrey's
departure?"
Nothing until Mr.. Keene arrived. Mr..