SHORT STORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 54

SHORT STORY.

THE PLOT THAT FASLEB.

" You pec," I remarked,, in reply to a question from my friend, David Walford, " I had some rather peculiar and exciting ca^os Ihrough my hands when I Avas in medical practice. The most exciting of all, however, Ava? the poisoning of John Alien, the Henberry street stockbroker. I Avas then police svurgeon in Holborn. *" And yet," I added, with a smile, as I knocked the ashes from my cigar, " ifc had its compensation so far as I Aras concerned." "Lidded?" " Y"es. It had a bright and agreeable side. But let me tell you all about it."

" Certainly, I shall be delighted to hear the story."

Well, Walford, I proceeded, one forenoon, when [ was sitting in my .surgery reading in the Lancet ;ui account of the discovery by Professor Mill will of a new poison of &uch a leimrknble nature that there would be no lnn.it to its application ii the easy and simple inanrtacture of t ] c deadly compo -Tuou and il-> comparative immunity from discovery once became public property, a police-constable Irom Cow street came in hot lMsle to te"l me tl)? I John Allen, the wealthy stockbroker, h.'d just been found dyad :n: n his cht'ir m Ins o.Tico in He"ibeny siroci.

Alien, i :nay &\y. h.id been a Jriend of mine for smxv.c yciirs, ;iu 1 I had been his m r didtl iul"\ 'ser ever Fince [ had gone to Holboni ; ;uid 1 knew, us uv,-die£>l men irecjuently do know, as much, of hit t>rivato ai-

fairs and general health as are permitted to any man living. Ten days before I had jnade a minute examination of John Allen, and found that he Avas in good health and entirely free from disease. The news of his death, therefore, gave me a start.

When I reached Allen's office I found about half-a-dozen clerks- standing by the side of the prostrate body. Among them Avas Clement Eyre, nephew of the deceased and chief assistant in the office. Allen sat in his chair so natural and complacent-look-ing, I could hardly believe that he was dead. But Avhen I had applied a feAV simple tests I saw that life had been extinct for about half an hour.

"Is there any hope?" asked Clement, Eyre, in a tone that spoke of anxiety. I shook my head. " No. He is quite dead," I said. " Hoav awfully sudden," said Eyre. '■'Heart disease, I suppose?" " I don't think so. There Avas no organic disease about John Allen. His heart was quite sound.''

" Then what can have "' " That Avill have to be inquired into," I said, interrupting his fuither remarks. "There ■will have to be an inquest." With these Avords, as I had made a careful note of all the external circumstances of the strange case, I left the office in charge of Inspector DreAV, of Boav street.

On the folloAving afternoon the district coroner held an inquest on the death of John Allen. The first Avitness called Avas Clement Eyre. In ansAver to questions iby the «oroner he said :

" My uncle came to the office a few minutes after 10 o'clock yesterday morning. He rang his desk-bell 20 minutes later, and I answered it. When I entered the inner room my uncle made an effort to tell me something, but failed. With a sigh he appeared to swoon away. I thought he had taken a fit. These tAvo letters lay on the table bsforo him. The one he had received had been opened and read. The other, which he had just written, is closed. It is evidently a reply to his correspondent. The closed enA'dope is addressed to Miss Kate Allen, 19 Garth street, St. Mcllons, Glam."

'"A relative, J. presume?" remarked the coroner.

"I couldn't say,'' replied the witness, slowly. "I never heard of her befoie."

The coroner took the letter in his hand and read aloud : —

"Dear Sir, — This is the fourth time I haA*e Avritten to you, and so far I have had no reply. I assure you that I would not have troubled you had we not been destitute. You know that your brother married my mother Avhen she was worth a ! lot of money, and left her in beggary. She , is ill and sinking for Avant of money, and 1 ment and medicines Avhich her ailment de- ; mands. Surely you Avill- not let her die in ; this way when so small a part of your ! wealth Avould saye her. Whatever you 'tmay have believed at the time of the mar- , .riage, you will surely do a little to stave the , life <$ your late brother's widoAV. I enclose c you a stamped addressed envelope for reply ; and AV-hen. I tell that so trifling a matter as a postage stamp means a lot to me, you Avili surely not refuse to anSAver. — Truly yours, Kate Allen."

" And you kneAV nothing of the existence of the Avriter. of this letter? " said the coroner to Clement Eyie, wh.o was still in the Avitness bos. '" Nothing." " Was the deceased Avhat is generally called a c^ose-fisted man? '

" He was rather inclined that Avay. didn't part with much."

" Perhaps not. But do you think, from your intimate knowledge- of hinij that he would haA-e treated i>oor relatiA~es in the Avay this -letter indicates?"

" I couldn't say, I am sure," came ths cautious reply. "He Avas a peculiar man in some respects. Very unforgiving."

'' And you can say nothing as to the cause of his death? "

" Nothing. I have told you all I knoAV. Ho came to the office in his apparently usual good health and spirits, and in 20 minutes he expired in his chair, as I have said."

'" Have yoxi any idea of Avhat your uncle was going to say to you Avken death intervened? " " No. He Avas- no doubt going to give me some business instructions, but of what nature I have no idea." I Avas the next Avitness called. '" No ; he did not die of heart disease," I .said. '' Dr Fleming and I made a postmortem examination of the body, but failed to find airy thing to account for death. All the organs Avere health}', Avell-uour-ished, and in an. active state."

" Indeed ! " remarked the coroner, in surprise. "Then how do you account for death, doctor? Has there been foul play, do you think? "

"It is either murder or suicide," I replied. '" The former, I bciitve. IL is not a ca?e of natural death.'

You are sure of that? "

"I !,m. It is, in my opinion, a very peculiar case. Let me explain. A new poison -lias recently been discovered by Professor Millwill of a most simple and deadly nature The smallest pairicle will cau«e death within a few second* after it has been put to the lip*. ; and the only trace it leaves behind is a peculiarly sweet odour that can' be ratelt from the mouth of the victim. According to <hs account in the medical journal, it is at the «ame timu accompanied by a pleaaant and contented expression on the face of these who die from it? subtle and fatal adniinbtration '"

" Thai is singular,"' remerked the coroner. '■ What Is the name of this new poison ? "

" The discoA'orer has not given it a name as yet."

"I &cc. And you noticrd a snxeil a-, described proceeding iicm the lips of John Allen'.*"

" T did. Smell the cIospl! e:rvelope en your desk, and you will, if I am not grotii)' Tiiistakcn, inhale tlic ?^ne <doiu.' '•This letter addrc.-.d to Miss Hate AlbnV"

Tug coroner rai&ed the buck of the envcloao to his nose, and said. " You are

right, doctor. I can distinguish the sm«., quite distinctly. I will noAv open the letter. It may reveal something."

He slit the envelope open Avith his penknife, and, taking out the inclosure, read : '"Dear Miss Alleai, — Your letter, after several days' unaccountable delay, has jusfc reached me. But you must be* mistaken, my child. This is the first letter I have ever received from you. But you are to come and see me at once. I want to see you so much. I have been fruitlessly searching for you and your mother for years. I had not the slightest idea where you Avere. The last information I had of you was that you and your mother Avere somewhere in the Midland counties and comfortably provided for. lam childless and alone, and it Avill be the greatest pleasure of my life to provide for all your present and future Avants. And my money Avill be all yours some day. Come and see me as soon as ever you can. I shall wire to-day Avhen I go out to luncheon to my friend Edward Lloyd, of the bank'in NeAVport, to let you have Avhat money you require for your immediate necessities. — With kindest love, I remain, most sincerely yours, John Allen."

" This is extraordinary," said the coroner, when he had finished reading the letter. " Taken in conjunction with the girl's, letter to her uncle, the inference is clear."

" Yes/ I said, " but it is not clear Avho did the deed." "Why?" asked the coroner, a littl& sharply. "Because," said I, "the letter has been missing for some days. John Allen draAva attention to that."

'" True, doctor ; but don't you see, the girl, according to her OAvn confession, is so hard up that a postage is a consideration? She may have had to wait a day or tAvo after the letter Avas Avritten and dated befoj-e she got a stamp." " But the envelope," I remarked, " bears the post mark of the same date as that on Aviiich the letter Avas Avritten." "' You are right, doctor. How then are Ava to understand the matter? If "

The coroner's further remarks Avere mterrupted by the entrance of a young lady inro the inquest room.

She Avas tall and dark, and nine men. out oi every ten would haA-e at once pronounced her a beautiful and atti-active woman. She Avas neatly, though plainly and inexpensively, attired, and she bore herself in a quiet, modest manner.

"Please may I come in?" she said, addressing the coroner. " I am Kate Allen, John Allen's niece." '" Take a seat,' replied the coroner. "We thought you lived in Monmouth, and according to your letter Avhich has been read to-day you were almost too badly off to purchase a postage stamp, let alone pay you-r railway fare to London. Can you explain the matter? Don't answer unless, you like, for serious consequences may be involved. "

" I dbii'6 knoAV what you mean," she \ replied. '* I Avrote to my uncle about ar vreek ago. and tAro days past I had a reply from him advising me to come to London and find something to do. lie enclosed me an advertisement, Avhich he had evidently cut from the daily papers, and as it Ay something that I thought Avould suit me, I borrowed the money from the vicar to pay my expenses up here. This morning I read in the paper of the tragedy that had befallen my uncle, and that is Avhy T am here. I cannot see hoAv I could b& involved in serious consequences. Whais has caused my uncle's death? " r '■' The jury have not decided that yet, vuxss Allen. It is a matter for them, biit I may tell you that yen seem very indifferent to the death of your relative. You show very little grief."

" Grief ! Why should I grieve over the death of a relative who has shown his brother's A^idoAv and her only child so little kindness? My mother and I were so poor, and he was a rich man. Ec had plenty, and. Are Avere starving, and he did nothing to help us. Could you expect me to show much grief? " She spoke not bitterly, but with an emphasis and firmness • that carried conviction.

" There has been.' a mistake," sard the coroner. " Your uncle never received any of your letters bub the last written one, and" that onlyreached him yesterday mem-

"Bui how can that be?" said Miss ALlen, bewildered, " Avhen I received John Allen's written reply to my last letter two days ago? " '■ Well, I confess the thing puzzles me," said the coroner. '" It is very singular. John Drew." DetectiA'e Inspector DreAV at once stepped into the witness box. In answer to the coroner he said : " I have made some inquiries into the present case. 1 have jusc searched the lodgings of Clement Eyre. I found these three letters. They are from Miss Kate Allen to the deceased. And I a\so found thi&," and he produced an article by Professor Millwill on the nature, composition, and properties of the poison he had discoveied. "And likeAvise this."

" What is it, inspector? "' asked the coroner.

Some of the poison, 1 believe. Dr Bussell will perhaps he able to say." " Can you identify it, doctor? " asked the coroner, handing the package ovei to me. I looked at it. Then L smelt it. " Yes," I said : "it has the same appearance and odour as the chemical composition described by Professor Millwill." '■"You sweai that?" "I do." " But how do you suggest it has been administered, doctor?"

"That is quite clear/ I replied. "The gum on the envelope- has been saturated v. it!i it. The deceased Avould wet the gum Avilh his tongue before closing the envelope,. ar.d a painless and easy death would fallow in a few seconds."

That was all the evidence. The coroner at once proceeded to- sum up ths case, dwelling minutely on all the little details, especial!" on the <=cheme to throAV suspicion on Kate Allen.

'" The cA-idence,'' said che coroner, " ail uoiuts.to the guilt of one person, hut tli&d

must, of course, be decided by the jury. Why Miss Allen should have been brought to London in the nick of time will, perhaps, always remain a mystery ; but we are all glad to see her here to-day, and I Avish to express my deep regret that suspicion should for a while have been harboured in my mind against her. Consider your verdict, gentlemen." 1 In less than five minutes the foreman said:

"We find that John Allen died by poisoning, and our verdict is wilful murder against Clement Eyre.'

" And was he tried for- the crime? " asked David Walford.

" No," I said ; " the rascal cheated the gallows. On his way to the police cell he managed to swallow a little capsule of the poison with which he had killed his uncle, and which he took from his waistcoatpocket ; in half a minute he was dead. When I was called to see Eyre the face of the dead wore the same sweet, contented expression as the face of John Allen." " Strange," said Walford. " But I am at a loss to see 'what Eyre's motive was. He must have known that his imcle had made a will in favour of Kate Allen?"' ■ '' Of course he knew that. But don't you see that if the girl had been convicted of the crime of poisoning her uncle — and she had a close shave of being indicted for it — Clement Eyre would have inherited everything? "

" Ah ! I see. What a scoundrel he- must have" been."

"No doubt he was all that. It transpired shortly after the tragedy that he had been gambling heavily, and was seriously involved. It was a ca&e of sink or swim, and he sank, as most others do who attempt that game."

" Exactly ; but you told me that the case had its bright and agreeable side. I fail to see it." 1 " Oh, Walford, you are dull ! " I said, ■cheerily. "'Perhaps,' 1 he replied; "but you don't enlighten me much." "' Three months later Kate Allen became my wife. Now do you understand why I said that the case had a compensation for me? "

" Oh, certainly. You did very well out of it."