"
"Murder?" in a tone of mild surprise.
"Was it not murder?" she asked, quickly.
He gave his shoulders a quiet shrug.
"The physician pronounced it heart disease, I believe."
"What physician?"
"Eh? Why, one who was fishing in the neighborhood for trout, and staying
at the hotel. Old Dr. Jackson was in Huntington at the time, I
remember."
The girls exchanged significant glances, and West noted them and smiled
again.
"That murder theory is a new one to me," he said; "but I see now why it
originated. The employment of a strolling physician would give color to
the suspicion."
"What do you think, sir?" asked Patsy, who had been watching the man's
expression closely.
"I? What do I think? Why, that Captain Wegg died from heart disease, as
he had often told me he was sure to do in time."
"Then what made old Mr. Thompson go mad?" inquired Beth.
"The shock of his friend's sudden death. He had been mentally unbalanced
for some time previous--not quite mad, you understand, but showing by
his actions at times that his brain was affected."
"Can you explain what became of their money?" asked Louise, abruptly.
West gave a start, but collected himself in an instant and covered the
action with another shrug.
"I cannot say what become of their money," he answered.
Pages:
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123