AN OLD MAN'S DARLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 75, 24 April 1909, Page 4

AN OLD MAN'S DARLING.

SEXTOX BLAKE. M.D., OUTWITS A AVIDOW. I. : For thirty years, as many Londoners will remember, John Parker kept u hatshop in Euston Road. At tlu age of sixty-five, being then a widower with au only daughter, he retired from business and settled down, with, his daughter and a maid-of-all-work, in a sinall house in Portman Terrace.

Two years after his retirement liis daughter married a man named Hunt, and 'Went to live at Streatham. After her departure the old man advertised for a housekeeper, ant' ultimately engaged, out of a. score of applicants, a dashing young widow of twenty-eight, named RoWtson. Portman Terrace was divided in its 'opinions of Mrs. Robertson. The men, on the whoh, thought her a "jolly good sort"; the women, on the other lhand, said spiteful things about her golden hair, her pearly-white teeth, and her wcll-d-Veloped iigure. They said oilier unkind things, which need not be repeated here, and presently thev confided to their husbands that the "artful minx" was "setting her cap" at "her old fool of a master." Bv this, of course, they meant to imply "that the dashing young widow was trying to capture the old man's heart, and the three or four thousand pounds .■which he had saved. The men, with tvpieal masculine superiority, scoffed at the suggestion, and advised their wives to exercise a little more Christian charity. But the -wives soon liail their revenue, for a few -Sundays later the banns" of marriage were published tor the third time, and the date of the wedding liad been 'fixed, tvhen Mrs. Hunt, ■late one evening, received an anonymous postcard asking her if she was awaie that her fatlia- was about to many his youthful, golden-haired housekeeper. Xow, Mrs. Hunt, it will be readily understood, had no desire to see her father's three or four thousand pounds pass into the possession of a straugci. as thev probably would if he married Mrs. Robertson. AifcorUin-fy, withm an 'hour of the receipt of the postcard, a ve-rv indignant and very determined Mrs. Hunt arrived at Portman Terrace, iutent on "putting an end to this tomfoolery!" Amelia, the maid-ol'-all-work, opened the door for her, and informed her, in answer to her first question, that Mrs. 'Robc-rtson had gone away that afternoon in older to spend the week before the wedding -with sOme friends in the North.

''Wedding!*' Miorted Mrs. Hunt. 'There's going to be no wedding!''

liivn «she sailed into the little sittingroom to interview her fatih'r.

What parsed at the interview may be gathered from the .statement which Amelia —who "was listening oulsi<l> the door most of the time—afterward* made to the police. She said she heard Mrs. Hunt describe her father as a "blind old fool." and .Mrs. Kohertson as "an artful eat. v She heard Mrs. Hunt implore her father to break oil' the marriage and come back with her to Streatham. Most important of all. rdu* distinctly heard Mrs. Hunt declare. "I'd rath;T aw you in your grave tlnu married to a hussy like that!*'

According to Amelia, the old man proved as determined and self-willed as hU daughter. Again and again ■-he neard him .-ay he mea-H to marry Mr.-. Rob rtson. and all the talking in the world wouldn't alter his decision. And at last, said Amelia, he terminated the •interview by wi-hing Mrs. Hunt goodnight and going to bed.

Mrs. Hunt was furiuu*. At the .same time, she had 110 intention of giving in after one round, so to speak. After wiring to her husband that *he -would | not return until the following div. ?,he '>pent the night at Portman T -nuoc. I'rose betimes next morning, and assisted Amelia to prepare the old man's break'fast—the said breakfast eonsinliug of a plate of oatmeal porridge, two rounds •of buttered toast, and a pot of lea. • It is a fact of some importance tint. lVrker complained that the porridge did not the same as usual, end left nearly half of it. Hu also bft a poj'tion of the toast and most of I lie tea. He had 110 appetite, lie said, ami presently he complained of a burning para at th:' pit of his Momaeh. Very quickly thw pain grew worse; he became very siek; a splitting headache supervened, followed by cramp in the Jimlrt and smarting of the ?yes. At ten o'clock Mr*. Hunt sent Amelia for lb. Burgin, who lived a few doors "away, and who, a* elsewhere related, was the young medical man who had 1 consulted. Sexton Blake, some months 1 before, in the puzzling cane of "The Mummer's Wife."

' As soon as Dr. Burgin had examined his patient, he declared that he was suf'fering from th" ell'ccts of some poison, probably arsenic. He said this i;i the hearing of Parker, -who. writhing with agony though lie wa«?, turned on Mrs. Hunt, with ts<mething akin to maniacal -fury.

I* 'This is your doing, vmi—you fioml! i be almost. «cri»anml. f *Von suid In night you would ruthtT se:» me dond than married to Kthfd. Vou hiivo r»«>i?onpd mo to prevent im* inarrviiijr K'.hM. and 111 the hope of scouriu;? my money Yourself, But vou won't gain anything

>y it! 1 made a new will last week,! eaviug eve-rything to Ethel!" [, lu spite of Dr. Buigin's protests, t'iie ; ild man sent Amelia for the police. | The police, of course, declined to ar- f est Ill's. Hunt, as her father command-'( (d them to do. After they had qucs- j -ioncd Dr. Burgin, however, they took possession of the remains of Parker's jreakfast. Later in the day they reported to Mr. Parker, and afterwards ;o Dr. Burgin, that the borough analyst lad carefully analysed these various irticies, and had failed to tiud the very smallest trace of any poison of any kind, | This placed Dr. Burgin in a somewhat iwkward position. He had pledged his reputation that Parker's symptoms were 1 lue to poison. Even' on his own show- j ing, the poison could only have been idministered at breakfast-time. Yet the remains of the food which Parker had eaten at breakfast-tiiuu were not poisoned. In tlie meantime, Parker's condition ivas growing graver with every passing liour, and every fresh symptom pointed more strongly, in Dr. Burgin's opinion, | to the fact that he wan suH'cring from arsenical poisoning. Yet none of the , usual remedies —and Dr. Burgin tried them all—had the slightest effect. j "He's going to die," said the doctor te ; his wife, when he returned to his house | after his fifth visit to his patient. "That he has been poisoned with arsenic 1 haven't the smallest doubt; but liow, or when, or by whom, and why no arsenic W«8 found in the food, I can't imagine. I was never so baffled in my ii f "Why not slip .round to Baker Street and lay the facts before Sexton Blake?" suggested hie wife. "Good idea!" said the doctor. ''Why didn't I think of him before 11. "I should like to see Mr. Parker before I uass an opinion on the case," said

! Sexton Blake, when Dr. Biugui had told liirn all thcri; was to Ml. "You 3mve no objection?" "On the contrary!" said Dr. Burgin. And a few minutes later the two men stood in Parker's bcdi'ooiu. The detective, who, it will be remembered, was a duly-qualified medical wan, examined the old man. "Unless something ie done for him, and very quickly, he s going to die,' he said, when lie and 1 Dr. Burgin had adjourned- to the sitting-room. "Jlay 1 see the niaid?" "Certainly," said Dr. Burgin. "In the meantime, do you agree with me that ke is suffering from arsenical poisonjug?" "I do. There's no room for doubt. 'Then why " "I'll toll you when I've questioned 'the maid." Amelia came into the room, red-eyed and frighteued-lookiug. "Who prepared the porridge for Mr. Parker's breakfast this morning?' asked Sexton Blake. "Please, sir, Mrs. Hunt, sir, replied •Amelia. ~ . "Did he always have porridge for breakfast!" ■ "Ever since Mrs. Robertson came, "And Mrs. Robertson usually prepared it?" ■ "Ahvavs, sir." ' "Was 'the oatmeal which was used this morning the same that 31r«. Robertson utsed yesterday, and the day before ?" . "Yes, sir. Leastways, it was out of the same jar, but it wasn't the same ■oatmeal." ■ "Alii That's what 1 suspected. Mis. Robertson used the last of the old oatmeal yesterday morning ?' "Not quite all, sir. But when shed *' made his porridg.' yesterday morning !'there wasn't enough to make any more, so, before she went awav, she got a fresh lot aud put it in the jar. "And it was tlie fresh lot which 31is. Hunt used this morning?" "Yes. sir."

i "Let me see the jar." Amelia brought' the jar, and the deI tective turned it upside-down on the ' table, thus emptying out ite contents n a little conical heap. I'roin the lop of the hoan—which represented the old Oatmeal whieh had been in the bottom of the jar, of course—he scooped up i small quantity of the meal and placed it in an envelope. Then, bidding. Dr. Bur"m wait for him, and promising to explain when lie returned, lie left the house, and walked briskly to his; r00 j?°; In his laboratory he submitted the meal to a searching analysis, the rest t of which appeared to allord h m th liveliest satisfaction, lhen, aftii tak in.' down from one of the sheltcs a sinall bottle of pinkish-colored fluid, ami thrusting it into his pocket, he rituiniil to Porl man Terrace. As he entered the bedroom lie saw that Dr. Burgin was just about to giic his pati-.-nt a hypodermic injection mornhia to relieve him. "Don't do that," said feex on BlaU'"l've got something here which will „>Ne ltiin far more relief than morphia. "What?" aiskt'd Dr. Burg l ", m fcUr ' Bv wnv of replv, the detective diew tho'bottie of pinh*h liquid J} 1 * pocket noured out a small qiianti.y fotoVmedicinc-glass, and administered it to the olil malt. For a moment or two nothing happened. Then gradually the look of pain died out of Parker's face lus skin iesumed its normal color the > eki i. ceased, and murmuring. « voti. «ir! That's the fust bit of casi I've had since this morning! he sank hack on his pillows and dropped into ' D, tiered ami amazed is but feebly to describe his feelings, lie gazed at Sexton Blake in astonishment. "You're a wizard!" lie gasped. Whttl —what have you given liiinV" _ '•A big dose of arsenic!" said Sexton

Blake. i 111. j "Wheii you told me what Mr. Parker'* symptoms Avere."' said Sexto:i Blake 10 !Dr. Burgin, "J lwd the slightest doubt that you were right in supposing he was sull'ering from arsenical poisoning. When you told me that 110 arsenic liad been found' in the remains of his breakfast, or in (he food which he had rejected. I began to have a suspicion of -tk) truth. When i questioned the maid ■my suspicions were confirmed, f.nd when I had analysed the meal at the bottom of the jar they became a certainty."' 1 "There was arse:iie in the meal at the .bottom of the jar?' 5

"There was." -What. then. N your theory?" Before the detective could reply Mrs. Hunt came into the room. "My father seems bvtter/ 3 she remarked.

I, "Much better." said sexton Blake. ,' ; ln fact, 1 think we may *av he is out (of danger." ' Mre. Hunt Imitated for a moment: j then frhe looked the detective full in s,the face.

I "Do vou believe I poisoned him?" she /asked. *

'"Xo." said Sexton Blake: "but 1 believe—in fact. I knew that Mrs. •Robertson did.'' .Mrs. Hunt >dio'ok h r head. Prejudiced though -he wa-. against her father's lnm«.ekeeper. she had all all Kug-li-hwoman'rt t-vn-e of fair play. ''lmpossible!" "he said. .Robertson went away yesterday at'crimon, ami mv father was only taken ill this momThe detective smiled. "Mrs J\«d»erts<»u evidently know* more about the action of arsenic than you do," he Ktid. "She know*, for instance. that if a pei>on has been in the habit of taking arsenic regularly for some time, and is then suddenly deprived of it, lie contracts all the syinpi loins of acute arsenical poisoning. "What J mean is this." he continued. •'"lf you hail not. been in the habit, of (taking arsenic, and I were to give you big dose, you would quickly become an ill as vour father was this morning. On the other hand, if 1 were to begiu bv givin" you a small dos.* every da\,. and were gradually to increase the dose, •I could at last. : without hurting you, give you a dose that would poison any ordinary person. If 1 were then suddeulv to stop giving you any arsenic, vou'would develop the same symptoms as if I had given you a hi- .lose all at 'once for the first time in your life.

"Ik that sol" asked Mrs. Hunt, turning to Dr. Burgin. "Yes," slid the doctor, in tones ot 'suppressed excitement. Xu'\\ I undei* «tand! Mrs. Robertson has been mixing nrst'iiic with your fatln-rV for 'till! liiHl few mnntlis.yloulitli'ss in 'crt'anr.i" closes. Yesterday she went iawiiy' with tiie result that your father 'rrot- 'no (U'senie with Ilis porridge tins morning. HciiijJ thus deprived of lns { Maily dose, he immediately began to ■'sud'er all tiie symptoms of acute [arsenical poisoning.' ''Kxactlv!' ; rtrtid Sexton Blak\

| Tic tnviu'd.to Mrs. Hunt. "Mr-!. Holn lie said, "ir.m evidrnlly lu'V heart <»u sci-uriu? your I father's money. She enuld only do this I by him. which she didn t: wanttn do—which, perhaps, sh.' couldn't do, as she mav be married already, \\hat She did, therefore, was this:

■ "livery morning she mixed a done of [arsenic, which doubtless grew bigg T ieverv day. with your father's porridge. , ;When the banns had been published for 1 (the last time and the date of the wed- ! '(ding had been fixed, and your father 1 had made a new will in her favor, she I |,«vent away, pretending that she was going to spend the wek before the wedding with some frie-ads in the Xorth. Doubtless she took the new will with .her, and I shall be greatly surprised if ■ ■ she left any address when she went | si way." t "She didn't," said Ill's. Hunt. i '; "Which is just what 1 expected," said I '{Sexton Make. ''But to resume my ex-1 'planation. Before she left she bought, j a fresh supply of oatmeal and placed it ; 'fa the jar on the top of the doctored j lueal she had been using. That she didn't throw the latter away is just one ;of those incredibly stupid mistakes "which, somehow, the cleverest criminals nearly always make. "Tiie rest you can guess for yourself," he concluded. ''This morning your I father, being deprived of his daily dose ' of arsciiic, developed violent symptom* | /of arsenical poisoning. The police examined the remains of the food he hail j had at breakfast, but. of course, they ; found no arsenic in it. For it wasn't j the presence of arsenic, but the absence 'of arsenic, in the porridge -which caused your father's illness. Hence, when I gave him a istilf ilose of the drug,, as Di. liurgin will tell you, all his symptoms disappeared." '•What an inhuman Bend the woniua must be!" said -Mrs. Hunt. "And sh-'ll never be caught, of course, for nobody knows where she is, and when she learns that her diabolical plot has failed shell never dare show up here again." "Suppose we could make Mrs. Robertson believe that her plot had succeeded''" said Sexton Blake. "Suppose she 'read in to-morrow's papers that Mr. ■Parker was dead'! What would she do. "She would hurry here at once, said Mrs. Hunt, "and produce the will, and claim mv father's money." "Exactly!" said Sexton Blake. s-« the idea?" , „ ' They did; and half an hour later all the Winds were drawn, whilst the fo.lowiim morning an announcement of John "Parker's death appeared m the 'obituarv columns of -all the leading win-

ilon papers. ' Tiie detective's ruse succeeded to petfection. In the course of the afternoon Mrs. liohertson arrived at Portman Tei-l-aee, apparently prostrated with grief. Her grief, however. i|ineUly changed to fury and dismay when she was arrested «nci the trick was explained. When, from papers found in hei possesion. the police hail identified her as the wife —not- the widow —of nil cxmedical student, who was then serving a loiitr term of penal servitude foi similar crime, she threw up the sponge; and her confession proved to lie a replica of the theory expounded <b s Sexton Blake.—•■ Answers."