The Coolidge examiner., 1936-03-06
CHAPTER VIIl-Continued

"Now, Doctor Crane" Stone be-
gan, lets get quick action here.
You agree this is a murder?"
mo, sir, l do not. 1t is clear
case of suicide"
You decline to consider other
possibilities"
"Ain't no other possibilities. Can't
be murder-nO way for the criminal
to get in or out. Can't be natural
death, subject too well and strong.
Gotta be poison, even if we haven't
found the cOntainer-yet." =
Logical enough, doctor, but you'll
admit there had to be a container
and since we find none we can't go
on with the suicide theory"
"Oh, l guess we can. Let's leave
the cOntainer for the time bein'."
Very well, that point will keep.
Now, as medical man, what poison
will allow it's victim to swallow it,
and then have time enough to un-
dress and go to bed calmly, and pull
up the covers and die quietly, and
no fuss about it?"
From the corner of his eye Stone
could see the doctor begin to look
embarrassed.
There's lots of poisOns," he said,
'that don't act right straight off
the minute you take 'em."
True" Stone agreed, "but those
poisons, when they do act, draw the
victim up into spasms and with
ing contOrtiOns."
you're up on poisons, l see," and
the doctor scowled.
Not so much as you are, not as
much as I'd like to be; that's why
/ want your knowledge and skill
How far does your experience
carry you? Do you know much
about the rarer poisons?"
mot so very much, Mr.. Stone,'
and Doctor Crane made his admis
sion frankly, if a bit unwillingly.
IF Bob was killed by one oi
those littleknown drugs that al
ways crop up in the story books,
Malcolm put in, "then it's no sui
eide. Where could he get a thing
of that sort? That argues for mur
der, eh, Mr.. Stone?"
And the motive?" Stone looked
thoughtful. "AS to clues?" He
looked about Bob's room. Nothing
has been touched. What do We
read? Only that Coles came up t.
his room last night, somewhat has
tily undressed and tumbled into bee
and fell asleep at once. He never
woke, not even when the murderer
came to his bedside with the dead
ly draught-if that was the way il
was done"
How else could it have beer
done?' asked Malcolm.
1T might have been administered
by a hypodermic needle. In thai
case a tiny puncture should show
THAT will be discovered at the
autopsy" said Crane, rather pom
pously. Il will attend to that"
Poor old Bob" said Malcolm
"he was so happy to be working
with you, Mr.. Stone"
HE had the instincts of a detec
tive" Stone paused, then said, 81
wonder why he was so terribly tired
and sleepy that he tumbled into
bed?"
How do you know he did dc
that?"
by the way he left things. His
clothes are properly folded, but
not meticulously so. 1 know his
ways, you see. He did not take a
tub bath; the bath soap still has il
paper jacket on. At home l heard
Bob splashlng in his tub every
night"
"Just lack of time, 1 think" Nal.
colin answered. I'VE had to hurry
to change for dinner last night"
Il know, but that doesn't ex.
plain his haste to go to bed, later
and to omit his BATH"
NO." said Malcolm, ut is queer
Just then Field entered with the
police. A big, burly detective
looked anything but pleased to see
Fleming Stone. The medical exam
iner followed.
How are you, Doctor Merritt ,
said Field. Let me introduce Elem
ing Stone"
Doctor Merritt, the medical ex
am1ner from the city, was a mar
OF few words. He flung the bed
clothes off the dead man and made
a few preliminary tests.
'Died about two or three o'clocl
this morning" he declared. "Can'
tell nearer until we have an an
tOpsy. Better get to the morgu,
right away and hold the post-mor
TEN soon as possible"
wait a minute" said Stone
"what killed him, doctor?"
"YOu people been here all da,
and haven't found that out? WHY
somebody had it in for him ant
came up here and killed him. Thel