Evening star., 1927-09-25

eyes. Sam brought down micro
scope. Only a chance" Mr. Fortune
sighed. Only a chance.
The chief constable showed surprise
when he came into DR.. Birtwistle' S
garden and found Mr.. Fortune there.
"Here YOU are. I've been looking for
YOU at the hospital, Fortune"
"Your error" said Mr.. Fortune.
Haven't you found out how he was
killed."
"Oh. that, Yes. There's no doubt
about that Mr.. Wissenden was killed
by hyoscyamine.
What's that?"
can alkaIoid Of the atropine group,
Sometimes used in small doses as 81
heart stimulant. He had a very large
dose. Funny thing. You can kill with
an eighth of a grain of hyoscyamine
He had lot. It's an out-of-the-way V
poison. Whoever thought of hyoscya-
mine must have known something.
That's very odd, ma ior."
What's it matter?'
"Well, | could have sworn he was
killed by a poison of the atropine
group if he'd taken only a fraction Of
what he did take. | couldn't ha
sworn to hyoscyamine unless a big
dose had been used"
Somebody meant to make sure of
killing him, that's all.
Somebody meant to make sure
Reggie said and stopped.
How was the stuff given him."
1T was in that glass of barley
water"
"Ha! That's Miss Dean. What a
friend Of a woman
Il cant believe it," DIR. Birtwistle
said family.
The chief constable laughed. Hell
believe it all right. won't he. For
tune?'
II wonder" said Mr. Fortune. "You
haven't got your case yet. ma ior.
How did a big dose of hyoscyamine
get to Wissendens house? 1t isn't
stuff YOU buy at the grocers.'
You mean she d have to sign the
book at a chemist's?"
Yes. Even then | shouldn't expect
the chemist to sell it without pre-
scripti0n."
its stuff doctors do prescribe, is
it?"
"Some doctors might For a chap
with Il queer heart. Wissenden's heart
wasn't queer. Very interesting case"
IN go through our chemists with
a smalltooth comb. Anything else
Fortune?"
Yes. Have YOU heard from Wis
senden's SOLICITOR"
He's coming down. He's wired to
make an appointment with me tomor-
row. 2:30."
Il shall be there" said Mr. For.
tune.
Right. l dare say I'll have some.
thing to tell YOU about Miss Deans
chemist" He marched off
Fortune. said a small. miserable
voice, do you believe that girl killed
the man."
II don't believe anything" said Mr..
Fortune. Il don't believe ANYBODY"
You saw her, didn't you?"
Yes. She didn't tell the truth.
Not the whole truth. And she's deadly
afraid"
DR.. Birtwistle spoke again, eagerly:
Fortune. something has occurred to
me--a point YOU haven't taken---'
Mr.. Fortune sat up. Il wonder
what that is?" he said with asperity.
well, you know. if there was such
large dose of hyoscyamine in that
barley water-'
There was"
But isn't it strange Wissenden
didn't notice the taste?"
y X
MIR. FORTUNE smiled-a slow. be.
nign smile, with which DIR. Brit.
wistle was unacquainted. 1t fright.
ened him.
lawyers point. Sort of thing to go
down with a jury. Only about 30 an
swers. Ever drink when you were
thirsty? You swallow without MOTTO
ing the taste-till afterward Barley
water would disguise the taste. We
don't know whether Wissenden no.
ticed tastes much. Lots of old fellows
don't. And he may have noticed
something. He didn't finish the barley
water. There are some explanations.
Believe which you like"
"But what do you believe, For
tune?"
oh. me? l don't believe anything,
told YOU"
Mr.. Fortune rose and went into the
house.
Some time afterward DR.. BirtwistIe
went up to his room and found him
standing beside a large microscope.
Have look at that, DOCTOR" he
said. Dr. Birtwistle bent and looked.
What do you make of it,"
Surely it's blood"
oh. yes, t's blood. all right. Whose
blood?'
DIR. BirtWistle stared.
But how could one tell. Fortune?"
he cried.
Nothing strikes you about it?'
NO, | saw nothing unusual It's
very highly magnified, of course. This
is a beautiful instrument"
Reggie took out the slide and put in
another.
Now what about that?"
DR.. Birtwistle took more time over
it.
Really, it looks to me much the
same"
Yes. ! thought you'd say that
Eiood from the same body, eh?"
How can one tell?" DIR. Birtwistle
protested. I'm the first slide the cor.
puscles appeared a little larger, but
the difference seems slight"
1T is," said Mr.. Fortune. "You
pass them both as human blood?"
Il shouldn't have thought of doubt.
Eirb4 ~