The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-03-17
Chapter 35
NEW MYSTERY


"IIE was He consulted me when
II he was last in England a
month ago. You know Mr.. Carstairs.
Lady Fralces?"
81 think 1 may say l do" replied
frankie.
"a most attractive personality"
said Mr. Spragge. He brought quite
breath of the-er-wide open
spaces into my office"
HE came to consult you about
Mr.. Savage's will, didn't he?" said
frankie.
All" said Mr.. Spragge. $50 it
was you who advised him to come
to me: I'm sorry / couldn't do more
for tim."
"Just what did you advise him to
do?" asked frankie. "Or would it
be unprofessional to tell me?"
"N)t in this case" said Mr..
Spragge. smiling. My opinion was
that there was nothing to be done
nothing, that is. unless Mr.. Savage's
relatives were prepared to spend a
lot of money on fighting the case
which . gather they were not pre-
pared. or indeed in position. TO dc"
THE whole thing was very curl
Gus. said frankie thoughtfully.
Such cases are less uncommon
than you might think" said Mr.
Spragge.
Ceases of suieide?" inquired
frankie.
M. 10. meant cases of undue
influence. Mr. Savage was clearly as
wax in this woman's hands"
Il wish you'd tell me the whole
story properly" said frankie bold
ly. Il never seemed 20 get the thing
clearly"
"Mr. Savage happened tc be trav.
cling back from the United States
to England in November of last year.
He was. as you know. an extremely
wealthy man with no near relatives.
On this voyage he made the ac-
quaintance of a certain Mrs. Temple.
ton. Nothing much is known about
Mrs. TempletOn except that she was
very good-looking woman and had
a husband somewhere conveniently
in the background"
1.-The Caymans." thought frankie.
These ocean trips are danger
ous," went on Mr. Spragge. smiling
and shaking his head. Mr. Savage
accepted the Iady's invitation to
come Gown and stay at her little
cottage at Chipping Somerton.
There is no doubt that he came
more and more under this Mrs. Tenn.
pletOn's influence.
Then came the tragedy. Mr.. Saw.
age had for some time feared that
lie might be suffering from cancer.
He was staying with the Templetons
at TIE time. They persuaded him to
go up to London and consult a spe-
cialist.
THAT specialist swore at the in
quest that Mr.. Savage was not suf.
iering from cancer and that he had
told him So but that Mr.. Savage was
so obsessed by his own belief that
he could not accept the truth when
he was told it, Now. strictly without
prejudice. Lady Frances. and know.
ing the medical profession. think
things may have gone a little differ
emily. If MI. Savage's symptoms
puzzled the doctor he may have
spoken seriously. pulled long face.
talked of certain expensive treat.
ments. and while reassurine him as
TO cancer yet have conveyed The i'm
preston that something was seri.
ously wrong.
A NYWAY. Mr.. Savage came back
1 \ to Chipping Somerton in a
state of great mental distress. He
saw ahead o. him a painful and lin.
gering death. He sent for solicitor
"a very reputable member of an
eminently respectable firm. and the
latter drew up will there and then
which Mr.. Savage signed and which
he then delivered over to the solicit
tor for safe keeping
"Onsthat same evening Mr.. Saw
age took a large overdose of choral.
by his will Mr. Savage left the
sum of seven hundred thousand
pounds free OF legacy duty to Mrs
TempletoE. and the remainder to
certain specified charities
Mr.. Spragge leaned back in his
chair He was now enjoying himself.
"Mr. Carstairs' contention was
that such a will was completely un.
characteristic of Mr.. Savage. Mr..
Savage had no liking for organized
charities and had always held very
strong opinions as TO money passing
by blood relationship However. Mr..
,Carstairs had no documentary proof