Tombstone epitaph., 1916-02-06

At the Sutherland Detective agency one morning. when Felix Hazard was summoned into his chiefs office, he was not a little startled on perceiy- ing that his superior was closeted with the very man of whom he had been thinking as he walked along the hall from one room to the other.
 1t was not so singular that this par ticplar man should have been occupy ing his thoughts as that he should have been present at the moment He was one of the city's foremost physi- cians, and had never been in the Suth- erland offices before But at the very instant that Hazards chief called him on the office telephone he and his fel- low operative. Miss Helen Bertel, were discussing a case which affected the physician. the newspaper accounts or which presented some uncommon. not to say sensational. features. Ii was these uncommon features that had attracted his and Miss Bertel's protes- sional interest-as. indeed, a great many newspaper stories did. so that they were frequently together in one or the others private room
 Hazards surprise. however. was but mcmentary; he reflected at once that II must be this same case that had brought the well-known physician to the Sutherlands. Such. as a matter Of fact. proved to be the case.
 Doctor Hendrix" said the chief, gr l. ~-Is I was speaking; just tell him all the facts. then we will decide how best to act-
 Doctor Hendrix, a dignifed man. well along fin the sixties. wore a NOT riei. harassed look: but the manner with which he shook hands with Haz- ard was cordial. and his unmistak kable force of character at once prepos- sessed the detective in his favor.
 But before the doctor had time to begin his recital the chief added: By the way we might as well have Miss Bertel in. and let her hear the story, too: we may need her help"
 So Helen PerteI was sent for. and Doctor Hendrix addressed Hazard.
 Have you read the published ac- counts of Mrs. Francis Forsythe's oeath?" he asked.
 The detective nodded. adding: Just to save time and needless repetitions, will tell you briefly just how much Miss Bertel and know about it. Be sides. I want to check up the allega' tions the newspapers have made.
 "Oa the morning of May 16-three days ago--at about s:3o, Captain For sythe sent an urgent call for you to cone immediately to his residence in South Edgelake. declaring that he be iieyed his wife to be in a dying cordi' ten. You were delayed. and it was nearly eleven before you arrived al fhe house. only to learn that Mrs. For sythe had been dead two hours. Or in other words. she died 90 minutes after her husband phoned
 Yesterday it developed that Mrs. Fcrsythe's life was heavily insured that is. for a married woman. There are three policies: One for $500. a second fer sl.100 and a third for sl6.. 900, making a total of sl7,10o- The first two are payable to her estate; which, presume. as there are no children, means her husband.
 The third. and largest. however. is in your favor-sl6.00o
 These particulars. I believe, cover everything that has been given :o the public through the columns of the press"
 When the speaker had finished, Doc tor Hendrix nodded.
 That about covers the case as the public knows it," said he. "and the facts are true as far as they go- You see, I trust. how they reflect not alone upon my reputation as a physician but actually stigmatize me with the perpetration Of crime l don't know all the truth myself: that's where want your help. because I believe my name can be cleared only by unearth' ing every detail bearing oa the case.
 Put I do know more than the pub lie has as yet found out. For exam p,e the poison that caused her death was strophanthus.'
 Hazard eyes narrowed as he re earded the speaker
 "Strophanthus, he soberfy repeas' ed. Nobody but a physician would be likely to have access to drug so deadly"
 That Is true. Besides. 1t is one un- familiar to the laity. So dangerous and uncertain is its action that 1t can h. prescribed only with the greatest caution, and when the diagnosis indu' hitably indicates that it is required If sometimes is used instead of digitai i. in certain affections of the heart when rt would not be safe or advisa b,e to prescribe the latter drug ad ,ntuis.ered strophanthus to Mrs. For rytbe only the night before her death
 Hazard gave him a queer look
 Administered It. you say? he Ssusht at the word. You mean that you did not trust to a written prescrip tionz'
 ~Precisely- The dose had to be de 4srmiued by a careful examination al .be time it was taken Mir. Hazard, will stake my reputation as physician that the strophanthus gave Mrs For sytse did not cause her death" Docto Hendrix so,emniy and earnestl. everred.