The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-02-03

At the Sutherland Detective agency
one morning, when Felix Hazard was
summoned into his chiefs office, ne
was not a little startled on percelv-
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.
It was not so singular that this par
ticular 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 phys1-
clans, and had never been in the Sutn-
erland offices before But at the very
instant that Hazards chief called MIN
on the office telephone he and his fell
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. 1t was
these uncommon features that had
attracted his and Miss Berters profess
siOnal interest-as, indeed, great
many newspaper stories did, so that
they were frequently together in one
or tho others private room.
Hazards surprise, however, was but
documentary; he reflected at once that
It must be this same case that had
brought the well-known physician to
the Sutherlands. Such, as matter
OF fact, proved to be the case.
Doctor Hendrix" said the chief,
'ssilis is Mr.. Felix Hazard, of whom
(. was speaking; just tell him all the
tacts, then we will decide how best to
act"
Doctor Hendrix, dignified man.
we'll along in the sixties, wore wor-
ried, harassed look; but the manner
with which he shook hands with Haz-
ard was cordial, and his unmistakable
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 Bertel was sent for, and
Doctor Hendrix addressed Hazard.
"Have you read the published &C.
counts Of Mrs. Francis Forsythe's
death?" 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, want to check up the allega-
lions the newspapers have made.
ION the morning of May 16-three
days ago-at about $3.50, Captain For
sythe sent an urgent call for you to
come Immediately to his residence IN
South Edgelake, declaring that he be-
,Meved his wife to be in dying cond1-
ton. You we're delayed, and 1t was
nearly eleven before you arrived at
the house, only to learn that Mrs. For
sythe had been dead two hours. Or,
In other words, she died 30 minutes
after her husband phoned.
yesterday it developed that Mrs.
Forsythe's life was heavily insured
that is. for a married woman. There
are three policies: One for $500,
second for $1,100 and third for $l6,-
900, making a total Of $17,7OO. The
first two are payable to her estate;
which, I presume, as there are no
children, means her husband.
"The third, and largest, however, IS
In your favor-$16,0OO.
"These particulars, believe, cover
everything that has been given to 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 60. You
see, I trust, how they reflect not alone
upon my reputation as a physician
but actually stigmatize me with the
perpetration of crime. don't know
all the truth myself; that's where l
want your help, because I believe my
name can be cleared only by uneartn-
ing every detail bearing on the case.
"But I do know more than the pub
lie has as yet found out. For exam
ple, the poison that caused her death
was strophanthus."
Hazards eyes narrowed as he re-
garded the speaker.
"strophanthus," he soberly repeat
ed. Nobody but a physician would
be likely to have access to drug so
deadly"
"That is true. Besides, it is one un-
familiar to the laity. So dangerous
and uncertain is it's action that 1t can
be prescribed only with the greatest
caution, and when the diagnosis indu-
bitably indicates that it is required.
It sometimes is used instead Of digital-
ia in certain affections Of the heart,
when it would not be safe or advisa-
BILE to prescribe the latter drug. l ad-
ministered strophanthus to Mrs. For
sythe only the night before her
death
Hazard gave him queer look.
Administered it, you say?" he
caught at the word. "You mean that
you did not trust to written prescrip-
tion?'