Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-02-26


ed into my bEiu--a rcNSon-an eN-
pianatiou-wiid. Improbable absurd
hut still an explanation. Fascinated
rs 10y Il deadly serpent. stood staring
at the ahiuet. There. felt certain
lay the c.cw 10 the mystery,
Grady, SimmondS and Go,dhergcr ex-
amined the room infinitely. heard
Grady comment upon the fact that
there was no door except the one open
Ing into the anteroom. aud saw them
examine the window catches
Nobody could raise these windows
without alarming the house" Grady
said. and pointed to Il tiny wire run
ming along the woodwork There's Il
burglar alarm.
SimmoudS aSSCnted, and finally the
trio returned to the auteroom.
Wed like to look over the rest Of
the house." Grady said to Rogers. who
was sitting erect again. looking more
like himself. and the four men went
out into the hall togetht~- remain
ed behind with Hughes and FrcNliug
huiScn, They had lifted the body to
the couch and We're making Il careful
examination of it, Heavy ut heart
sat down near by and watched them.
That Philip Nantine should have
been killed by enthusiasm tor the hob
by which had given him 50 much
pleasure seemed the very irony Of fate,
vet such believe to he the case. Frey
linghuiSen's voice brought me ont Of
my reverie.
The two cases are precisely alike.
he was saying. The symptoms are
Identical. And I'm certain we Sh1}
find paralysis of the heart and >r,uo!
cord in this case, just us did IA the
other. Both men We're killed 10y the
same poiSon-some variant of hydvo-
cyanic acid, | fancy The odor indi-
Gates that, but it must be about ti'tG
times rs deadly as hydroryauic acid is
They wandered away into a discus
sion of possible variants 50 technical
ana besprinkled with ahStYuSe words
and formulas that | could not follow
them. The two detectives and the
coroner came back while the discus
sion was still in progress and listened
in silence to Freylinghuisen'S state
ment of the ease. GraAy's mahogany
face told absolutely nothing Of what
was passing in his brain, but Sim
monds was plainly bcwildered. so.
suspected. was Grady, but he was too
self composed to betray it.
The coroner drew the two physicians
aside and talked to them for Il few
ed to Grady.
"Freylinghuisen thinks there is no
necessity for poStmortcm." he said,
The symptoms are in every way iden-
teal with those of the other man who
was killed here this afternoon. There
can be no question that both of them
died from the same cause He is
ready to make his return to that eff
feet
VERY WE'LL" assented Grady. "The
body can be turned over to the rela-
tivcs. then"
There aren't any relatives, | said;
eat least, no near ones. Nantine was
the last of this branch Of the family.
| happen to know that our firm has
been named as his executors in his
will. so. if there is no objection, I'll
take charge of things"
Very well, Mr. Lester" said Grady
again. and then he looked ut me. DE
you know the provisions of the Will
he asked
81 do"
'In the light of those provisions. d."
Eou know Of any one who would have
an interest in NaLtine'S DEATH"
u think | may tell you the provi
sions." | said after moment. with
the exception of a few legacieS to his
servants, his whole fortune is left to
the Metropolitan Museum of Art"
"Iiaye You ever learned that he had
an eacmy?"
No" | answered instantly.
"Iie was never married. believer"
No
WAS he ever, TO your knowledge, in
volvcd with woman"
No | said again. Il was astOund-
ed when | heard Rogers story"
"Th9nk you. Mr. Lester" and Grady
turned to Simm0nds. II don't see that
there is anything more we can do
here" he added. ''Tnere'S one thing.
though. Mr.. Lester, will have to ask
you to do, That is to keep all the scry
ants here until after the inquest. If
you think there is any doubt Of your
ability to do that we can, of course.
put them under arrest
"Oh. that isn't necesS2 ry." | broke
in. Il will be responsible for their ap-
pearance at the inquest
"I'll have TO postpone it Il day" said
Goldberger. Il want Frcylinghuisen
to make some tests tomorrow. Be
sides. we've got to identify D'Aurclle.
and these gentlemen seem to have
their work cut out for them in finding
this woman
Grady looked at GOldberger in way
which indicated that he thought lie