The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1916-02-10

| u oPSaNuNS "OTlOs real names OF 81
. persons and places are some- &
= times disguised. In all other re- &
& sPeets the amazing, often thrill =
6 ing, always gripping facts are &
4 recorded Just as they happened. &
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! For some moments Hazard sat quiet
and thoughtful, then once more fixing
his regard on the physician he asked:
IF Mrs. Forsythe was afflicted with
heart disease, how did she obtain so
much life inIurance"
The doctors eyes lighted with a
strange CLEAN.
| "Ah," he breathed, now you al ;
touching upon crucial point. The
newspapers declare that I have been
in attendance on her ever since the
family took up their residence in
South Edgelake. That is not true. She
required no medical attendance She
was in perfect health up to something
like two weeks previous to her death.
| Il have, though, been frequent call
CT at her home, because have known
Mrs. Forsythe since she was miss
OF twelve. Until her father died he and
were the closest of friends, and in
this connection, believe l can &C.
count for the policy in my favor.
"Mrs. Forsythe's maiden name was
Fernbrook-Ethel Fernbrook. The
ternbrooks were an upper-class Eng
fish family, but poor. In 1872 George
Fernbrook, youngest son of the family,
married and went to South Africa. He
prospered there, and there Ethel-the
only child of their union-was born.
In 1885 Mrs. Fernbrook died and
| George returned to England with
Ethel, settling in London. It was there
| that he and were thrown together,
and friendship grew up between us
so close that we trusted each other
absolutely.
Il needn't go much into detail.
was young sawbones with just enough
practice to scrape along on, but I had
something over six thousand pounds,
which represented my patrimony
| George was interested in various en-
| terpr1ses, but needed more capital. I
had no inclination to abandon my pro-
| tesslon, but was not averse to increas-
ing my Inheritance, so I turned this
over to him. For time things pros
pered-prospered amazingly, for he
was naturalborn money maker
had no reason to regret our partner
| ship until sudden and wholly unex-
| pected business and financial depres-
| sion caught him, and barely enough
was saved from the wreck for him to
return to South Africa and try to de-
velop his interests there.
ITO make long story short, George
would send me various amounts from
| time to time to apply upon what he
| stoutly maintained was his indebted
ness to me. Finally he had repaid
nearly half of the six thousand
pounds. Then he died.
Nov I was in total ignorance of
the sixteen thousand-dollar policy; but
it Is accounted for now. In her poor
way Ethel tried to repay me the bal
ance Of the six thousand pounds
ably charge put upon her by her
father.
1T was in Africa that Ethel met
Captain Forsythe-a gay, dashing
blade, I suppose, who captivated her
girlish fancy. I know very little about
him. She was very beautiful wom-
an, but their married life was not alto
gether happy. l don't know just
where the trouble lay, but I suspect
| that Captain Forsytho believed that
Ethel would bring him a considerable
| fortune and that the disappointment
embittered him and estransed item.
Il might as we'll say candidly, since
1t seems to bear upon the case, that
Forsythe has always been extremely
reticent respecting his past. He is a
| well-bred Englishman and unquestion-
ably was at some time an English
army officer. That he has seen much of
Africa the trophies that adorn the
whole house testify. There are skins
and mounted heads and elephant tusks,
to say nothing of a. large collection Of
native weapons spears, Zulu assegais,
war clubs, bows and arrows and the
like. The captain is an interesting
talker and can be most charming
entertainer. He'll talk about his COL
lection Of weapons, his hunting expert
ences, and so on; but any question
touching upon his private life or the
army will make him shut up like a
clam.
Naturally never questioned Ethel,
and she never volunteered any infor-
nation concerning her husbands his
tory; but there was something that
saddened her and that clouded his
life.
| Nov here's a factor that consider
of considerable Importance. As said
before. Mrs. Forsythe's health was ex-
cellent until about two weeks ago. at
which time she complained to me of
symptoms that caused me to give her a
thorough examination. was consid-
! erahly surprised when discovered un-