Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-26

was dead, so he had Withdrawn as
soon as the policeman arrived,
Did you ever have Elser as a pa
TENT" asked the inspector.
The doctor reflected.
Only once-about two years ago.
gave him something for insomnia. lie
called here al the Office and [ wrote
him 2 prescription. He was 10 return
in a few days for further treatment.
but n. did not do so. Another time"
The doctor hesitated.
There vas another time l had al"
most forgotten, year or two before
that He met me IN the street one
LAY and asked what my Office hours
were on Saturday. He explained that
he was the guardian OF boy who was
in a boarding-5cnco! The child had
some eight threat trouble and he
wished me 10 MAKE an examination
On the following Saturday he brought
the boy here, bright little chap about
ten"
do you know the boys name? What
school did he attond?" The inspector
ired this question raridly, but it was
quickly apparent th' the doctor hac
nothing mere to tell, so we lett.
"ITh&t wonderful man you are!" !
exclaimed as the Doctors door closed
behind Us. How did you learn that
Doctor Bcrner had been called in after
Elscr killed himself"
There is nothing wonderful abou'
my knowledge" answered Davis WITH
I laugh. what is the first thing that
people do when anything happens:
They run for the nearest doctor. Doc
tor Berncr is the nearest doctor. Could
anything be simplcr?'
The simplicity Of his logic amazed
me. 1t was like a conjurer's trick aft
er it has been explained, or like one OF
those puzzle pictures with hidden
faces. You work hours trying to find
them, and after YOU have found them
YOU wonder how you ever happened
not to see them:
We now arrived at Mrs. Trask's
boarding house-one Of those dingy
ex-residences that proclaimed its ret
repression by a white slip OF paper on
the door frame. l had supposed that
here, too, my friend would Introduce
: himself as Inspector Davis" on ac-
count of the prestige it would give
him in searching the rooms. but to the
slattern maid who came to the door
wiping her hands he merely said:
. "TelI your mistress 4 couple OF gen
tlemen are inQuiring about room and
. board
. Mrs. Trasll was the old-school board.
ing-house mistress fast disappearing
before the inroads of the family apart
ment hotel. Better days" was writ
ten all over her, though somewhat OBJ
scured by years in clearinghouse
grease. Eying US sharply through her
spectacles, she inquired how much we
were willing to pay. meanwhile debat-
ing with herself whether it was neces'
sary to ask for references.
Davis mot more than twelve dol
lars g. week each apparently con-
vinced her that references were un-
necessary. for she a. once led the way
to what she described as the second
floor front, the room in which Elser
had killed himself only the day before.
Probably she had no intention OF tell
ing US this, but garrulity overcame
her caution. She had been eXpatiat-
ing on the advantages OF the room
Heaven knows it needed an eloquent
advocate.-when suddenly she low
cred her voice to a mysterious whis-
per.
"One gentleman has occupied this
room for fourteen years-eVer since
I've had the house, and fine old gen
tleman he was, too. l wouldn't haVe
the room vacant but what happened
to hip Yesterday. she let her-roice