Evening star., 1925-08-30

Il nrSt appearance OF tndl
strange talent of hiS-that
gift for seeing beneath the surface
of things; that ability to stand in the
background like a piece of furniture,
SO little regarded that men forgot he
was there, while he read their minds,
Worth some attention, this Tim
O'Hearn.
But the tale more properly concerns
itself with the affairs OF DIR. Ralph
Hounder - and the cigarette he
smoked and laid aside, ..
That he should have come into pos
session Of the pistol at all was a
inkling of this at the time. He was
in the north woods with a guide who
was also game warden: they
stopped one day at squatter's
shack in a clearing where once had
roared a lumber camp, and DIR.
founders guide went indoors to
question the squatter
DR.. Hounder. staying outside, was
surprised TO see the pistol drop from
an open window at his very feet He
picked IL up and saw a cheap wea pom,
.S8-caliber, with a barrel from which
the nickel had Clipped off and a han
die of which half had cracked away.
He smiled a little, imagining the
Tor wishing to get rid of the thing,
and dropped it into his pocket. Later
that day the whimsical thought oc-
CURED TO him that if he ever wished
10 commit murder, this would be a
useful possession, this nameless pic
tol from a nameless source Dr.
Hounder knew that murdererS had in
the past been traced by the weapon
they used. He kept the pistol: had
lrn s,Jr
lor, and there was no woman in his
house to discover it and throw it
singerly away The original car
tridges were still in the cylinder. He
fired the thing one day, and was in
terested in the discovery that the re-
port was not loud: was no more than
fiat, swapping crack. He kept the
pistol locked away in a steel box in
his office safe. His own personal and
private pharmacopoeia was also kept
In the box. The pistol was not the
doctors only secret
The mistake he made would never
have been made but for this other
secret of his. Some slight difficulty
in replenishing his supplies of the
drug he desired had left his nerves
In an uncertain jangling state.
Then DR.. David Mills called him in
consultation on Mrs. Farraday, and
they agreed upon dosage which
DR.. Mills having departed and the
nurse being delayed alsewhere-Dr.
Hounder administered His hand
shook little. in the measuring, and
Mrs. Farraday died before morning.
Her death had not been unexpected.
the poor lady had been i'll for weeks,
and she was old and ready to die.
nevertheless, 1t was a shocking thing
for DIR. Hounder. AS soon as he real
ized his mistake, he had, of course,
taken his precautions; her death
might have been expected in the
natural course of events without that
mistake of his. and there was no rea-
son to suspect him Of mistakes.
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DIR. HoUNDER, by the time the
body was buried and the danger
OF an examination was past. had de-
cfded that he was safe from discovery.
And then, three or four days after the
obsequics. James Farraday sent for
him.
f'arraday and his wife were old: they
had had no children, and they lived
very much alone in a great house sur
rounded by plea SAINT hedged grounds.
Where an old servant or two attended
them.
derstood that his death would profit
certain worthy institutions. There
was certainly no reason to suppose
that 1t would in any wise profit Dr.
Ralph Hounder. This was the
strength Of the physicians position.
as he saw it after his call in response
to Mr.. Farraday's summons.
That summons itself had startled
him; the reason fer Il was at first even
eJN- -aR-@f
raday had conceived the idea that his
wtfe's death need not have occurred.
Not yet at least, DR.. Hounder." he
explained. You understand that |
know she was very i'll; and she and
are both old. He amended him
self, smiling pitifully. Were both
DID," he said. and continued: But
saw no sign OF an approaching crisis
in her on the day of her death, and
her more serious attacks were usually
preceded by indications which I could
see. 1 may say that her death was
shock to me-"
The old mans feeble eyes filed with
tears. MY grief prevented clear
thought at first; had sought to think
more clearly. 1t seems to me possible
that DR.. Mills made a mistake in his
prescription.
DIR. Hounder heard this with an in
audible sigh of relief the tension of
his nerves and muscles relaxed. He
said diplomatically: "It is possible you
are right sir. ] am inclined to doubt
it. DR.. Mills is very careful. We
agreed on the course of treatment. he
and I, before he left the house that
day. I remained to talk with your
wife for a little. a few minutes, until
the nurse should return
II appreciate all you did, DR..
Hounder," Mr.. Farraday assured him.
II have no thought of blaming you"
DIR. Hounder bowed. That is very
generous of you, sir.
But somebody's to blame" said Mr..
Farraday, little heatedly. Some
body's to blame. Or maybe no one is.
That's what distresses me now, sir.
Not knowing whether any one is to
be blamed or no.
when our loved ones leave US"
DR.. Hounder suggested, I'VE are too
apt TO accuse ourselves, too apt to
think we have been remisS, or care
less, or have done less than we might.
We should not thus distress our
selves" DR.. Hounder's tones were re-
assuring.
The old man had the stubbornness
OF age. You are right, of course, "
he assented. II know that l am un-
reasonable" He smiled placatingly.
Yet l am unreasonable, and deter
minedly so. I wish to be sure, in
this matter, DR.. Hounder. I sent for
you to ask a simple thing. Would
you object to my seeking an order to
exhume and examine my wife's
body?"
DR.. Hounder found himself reply
ing. In the suave tones long habit had
taught him, that he would not object
in the least: at the same time sud
denly awakened panic in him was OBJ
jecting very violently indeed.
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