Evening star., 1926-10-03

and cool mountain air
brought to him the scent of pines.
He got into his paiamas and lay down
with a Paris paper. He found some
thing headed "A Mysterious Death.
Enigma OF a War Millionaire What
followed was a report of an English
inquest. Sir Douty, chevalier OF the
British empire, became rich as CroeSus
in the war. Then he bought the
Chateau de Douty, the home OF his
ancestors. Before ever he lived in it
he was found dead in the park.
Sir Douty had never been i'll, all his
friends say. No sign Of an attack
upon him. But he lay dead. What
then? The doctors talk of shock, Of a
paralysis of the nerves.
X x x
THE morning after Mr.. Fortune
= came back to London Supt. Bell
of Scotland Yard visited him.
Good morning. sir. You're looking
very well, Mr.. Fortune"
Bright and beautiful as ever, Bell.
But why this soft soap
Supt Bell smiled. There's a queer
case in Lancashire. They've called lis
in, and | don't see my way. The jury
made it natural death"
Mr.. Fortune sat up in his chair.
''Sir Douty of the Chateau de Douty?'
II don't know anything about a
chateau. sir. He wasn't a Frenchman
But you've got ths name all right. Sir
John Douty, n y. f.. that's the man.
And who was Sir Douty, chevalier
of the British empire"
What you might call a protiteer
He came of a very old Lancashire
family, they say. but he was work
House boy. When the war began he
was "A cotton broker in Liverpool.
Small business and rather shady. He
did we'll out Of the cotton shortage in
the Wa. They say his estate will
work out ut a couple of million. When
he'd got his pile and his title he took
it into his head to buy the old family
home"
Restoring the ancient gIories Of
the Doutys."
That's the idea. sir. SO he bought
Mimms Hall It's a queer place. an
hour out Of Manchester. stuck in the
middle of collieries. It's been empty
this long time. The Doutys Went
under 200 years ago. 1t passed
through a lot of hands. Nowadays
nobody wants to live in it. Last owner
was an old lady in theltenham She
couldn't let and couldn't sell till Sir
John snapped at il. They say he spent
thousand doing it up
Il suppose he was the heir OF the
old family"
Il suppose he thought he was. or
wanted people to think he was. Well.
sir, he never lived in it after all. The
builders made a long job and he was
always running over to see how they
were getting on, and one day he was
found dead in the park. No mess. no
sign of violence. just dead. The local
doctor did the post -mortem. He said
Sir John D0utY died from shock.
syncope paralysis of the nerves, kind
of stroke. The verdict was death from
natural causes"
Yes Where do we come in. Beli?"
Well sir. ask YOU Healthy man
of 60 goes walking and dies from
shock. is 1t likely
1t could happen" said Mr.. Fortune.
"Who was the doctor"
"Dr. EnoCh Ashton
Mr. Fortune reached for Il medical
directory. Yes. quite good qualitira-
tons Why don't YOU believe Dr.
Enoch Ashton"
Supt. Bell coughed Well sir. the
local police thought it was rather
queer. He was known in Lancashire,
YOU see was John Douty.
And they didn't love him."
NO. Not a nice man, sir There's
been lot of talk. The police heard
some OF it and began 10 look about.
And they sent il up To us.
And what's it worth. Bell@"
"Ah, that's what | want to know.
First thing | said To myself was, Who
gets his money Well it's his son.
John Douty, il. That hit EN- UP in
I4anca shire. They say the son is
chip of the old block. And the son
gets a million or two by the fathers
death. But the son was in London
the day Sir John died. So whatever
was done in the park. he didn't do it.
IF you believe the doctor, nothing
was done
Supt Bell leaned forward. "They're
none so sure of the doctor. sir. But
he's got a pretty daughter. and Old
Sir John was rather Il lad. l was
telling YOU, Sir John was often about
Mimms Hall Wei, he saw Rachel
Ashton and he went after her. The
doctor caught him one day and told
him off proper. They've got evidence
of that But it would take something
more than a row to stop the old man
when he was after a girl. They think
maybe the doctor caught him at It
again and did him in.
How" said MIR. Fortune.
That's what I'm asking YOU, sir.
How many ways can a man die OF
shock"
Fatal shock is generally caused by
Violence. But YOU say there wasn't
any violence" 49,.
DO YOU want the body dug up sir?''
Mr.. Fortune walked to the window.
no. ] wouldn't dig up the body.
Don't alarm DIR. Ashton just Yet:
Send me a fun report OF what he said
at the inquest.
THE Mimms Hall case is considered
l. bv Supt. Bell to be one OF Mr.
Fortunes best. That is not his
opinion. He complains that he never
knew what was going 10 happen
next. The next thing which did hap
pen was Or. Enoch Ashton.
DR.. Ashton turned up III Wimpole
street at 9 pm He was a large man.
like Punch in the face but with Whlte
whiskerS.
Very good of YOU 10 see me. Mr.:
Fortune. It's rather pressing.
don't know if you've heard OF Slr
John Douty'S death"
Yes. ! read the papers. Mr.. For
tune looked at the sharp. red face
That's what's brought me here.
want your advice.
one moment. It's just possible
may have to consider the DoutN case
officially Advise the police. YOU know.
Do YOU think You had better say any
Ming TO me-?
III it's in your hands I'm satisfied. :
said DR.. Ashton. Sir Lawson Hunter
told me to put myself IN your hands. -
Sir Lawson Hunter Wen. you
couldn't have "A better opinion. And
what did Sir Lawson Hunter think
OF Douty's death?"
He said il was a queer case.
That was rather my notion. Reg
gle murmured.
so it Is. But it's clear as daylight.
Mr.. Fortune. You read my evidence
at the inquest? There was no wound.
no brslise. no sign of violence. l
could find no disease. He was man
of 60 q nd he'd lived freely. some traces