The Washington times., 1911-03-13

IOiiie anu III MS Office. Dlgnlned anC
impressive, Mr.. Gray was ushered in
and he took a quick survey of the ply.
Sician before speaking. Dr. Richford
was a big man, gTay-bearded, with
sharp blue eyes that could twinkle OIL
frOwn with equal facility, and q mouth
which hinted that Richford's part gen.
orally was that OF the listener, rather
than the talker.
There was nothing to be gained by
approaching this citizen on tiptoe, and
Gray came squarely to the point with:
Doctor, my name is Gray. / amer
what you would term private detec-
tive, retained by Mr.. Wilkes Deston to
investigate the. deaths of his brother
and his cousin
Il see" Richford nodded.
And l come to you TO find out in just
what manner Mr.. John Deston himself
died some months ago."
I'm word, I want to know whether
his death was wholly due to natural
ca Ric6ford eESSi glanced at him keenIy.
Did Wilkes Deston send you to ask
that?"
Il am working on my own initiative
without specific orders from Mr.. Des-
ton" Gray said stiffly.
The doctor considered him for few
seconds.
"Mr. Deston died of natural causes, d"
How am to be perfectly certain of
that, doctor?" the detective asked,
suavely.
= tell you so"
II wrote his death certificate. Mr..
Gray" the physician said, sharply. rs
there any other Information you wish %
Yes. There is suspicion that poi
son-yes, sir, poison-had something TO
do with Mr.. DestOn's taking off. How
can you assure me that such was pos
itiVelv not The Case7"
BY the examination which I made OF
the body, sir, the doctor said, shortly.
And now"
There was, of course, no autopsy"
The physician started
Il have nothing further to say, Mr.
Gray"
Mr.. Gray, who was finishing drawing
off his gloves, smiled blandly and be-
gan to draw them on again.
II am sorry to hear you say that,
doctor. Since the doubt must remain
and the matter be sifted to the very
end now, there will have to be an ex-
animation and good deal of notoriety,
What! Do you propose to exhume
that bOdy?"
Certainly"
"Oh-Bosh"' The doctor turned away
for a moment; his head bowed in
his desk. Then. with a jerk, he was
facing the detective once more.
See here, sir, You place me in the
very unpleasant position of being forced
to break a promise to man now dead,
the same idea, the suspicion
and myself at the time of Mr.. Deston'S
Heath. IL will say that a convincing
examination was made which showed
absolutely the absence Of poison"'
AN autopsy, after all?"
Yes, nv Or. Alden and myself" the
DOCTOR said iTTit aElN. "It Nor
mans suggestion, and no one knew of
i but Norman. He was the only level
headed one of those three! Wilkes
ives off somewhere on black cloud. a
all went around prined with hysteria
and ready TO explode at any second
Neither of them was consulted. -" You
nav rest quite assured. Mr.. Gray. I
hardly expected DeEtons death to come
As abruptly as it did: but such an end
leart. He was taken from us probably
without a seconds real warning. You
lave the whole story"
And thank YOU for it, DOCTOR"
fray said sincerely. 'You-you have
;et my mind at rest on several counts"
Eut II Gray's mind had been set at
est in MANY respects, it had been most
distinctly disturbed in others.
Inc detective took the short walk
'ack to the inn in a fit of abstraction
Is deep as any Burton had ever eX
nIbited. Destor'S death had been nor
nal. Gerald-primed with hysteria!
mat statement, coming from RiChford, !
would account for more tlan a mere |
imagined face at a window. And the !
'ther witness of that face.
An entirely new idea was coming into |
trays mind, and 1t bad not quite taken !
hlDe when he sat down hurriedly be- !
de Burton and said:
Burton. l want to talk to your
'"VVell?''
IL have decided TO abandon that plot |
lotion altogether, for the present, at |
my rate. We can't account for AmatO, |
8urton, this Forbes was a muscular
man,
Il know it,
And whatever struggle took place
'efOre his death, he must have put I'D
stiff fight"' Gray hurried on excitedIy,
Those finger marks on his throat show
q that there had been some pretty
vely doings."
Yes
We'll, I've been blaming them on
'orman Deston-and it has occurred to
ne within the last two minutes that |.
We been blaming the wrong man."
"Eh?"
According to Barker's description and
is pictures, Norman was small, slight
lan and not at all muscular one
lie wore uNe ana nal1 SnOe-BarK- |
r told me yesterday" Burton mused
Gray hitched closer and brought down !
Is voice with a mighty effort.
Then consider the size and the
-?ength his hands must have had!
hats just what I'm getting at. He
Duldn't have made those wide. marked
ruises on Forbes throat! Does that
rke you, too?"
Yes! =
1T was a man with hig hands. big
uscles and big motive" Gray cried.
And who on the whole place up there,
as strong as bull and has hands
lat could tear down iron columns?"
Hey? Why-God bless my soul!'
urton gasped.
Who" Gray persisted.
lff
wilkes Deston," he said.
Continuation of This Story VIII BE