Call Mr. Fortune | Page 9

no delicacy in handling the affair. You went to
Dr. Fortune's room this morning." The Archduke gave a glance at
Reggie, who sat intent on stirring his tea. "He was preparing an
injection of strychnine for his patient."
"Hallo, what's that?" Reggie cried, and nodded at the window. "Oh, I
suppose it's the car, Lomas, Your fellows will have found her and
brought her round."
'' The car, sir? " the Archduke said, and Lomas put up his eyeglass.
"The car that did the deed."
The Archduke slid across to the window. Lomas, too, stood up and
looked out. They turned and stared at Reggie, who was sipping his tea.
Lomas frowned. "There's nothing there, Fortune."
The Archduke smiled. "Dr. Fortune has hallucinations," and he pulled
out his handkerchief and dabbed his face, sat down, and drank his tea in
gulps.
"We'll keep to the point, if you please." Lomas was annoyed. "Dr.
Fortune told you that two of his strychnine tablets would kill a man. He
went out of the room. While he was gone you dropped half a dozen
tablets into the injection prepared for your brother. I have to demand,
sir, that you leave England by the next boat."

The Archduke burst out laughing. "The good Dr. Fortune! As you have
seen, he has hallucinations. He hears what is not, dreams what never
was. But if I were a policeman, Mr. Lomas, I should not make Dr.
Fortune a witness. You become ridiculous."
"He is not the only witness, sir. One of my men was behind the
curtain."
The Archduke poured himself out another cup of tea. "May I give you
some more, Dr. Fortune? No? I fear you are malicious, my friend." He
laughed a little. "And you, sir. We sometimes find a policeman corrupt
in our country. We do not permit him to trouble us."
"You brought a German car into England, sir," Lomas said. "Where is
that car?"
"Your spies do not seem very good, Mr. Lomas. Come, sir, enough of
this. I -- " The Archduke started from his seat with a cry. His body was
bent in a bow. A horrible grin distorted his face. He fell down and was
convulsed... He gasped; his pale cheeks became of a dusky blue. He
writhed and lay still...
"So that's that," Reggie said. " I wondered what he wanted with half a
dozen."
"What is it?" Lomas muttered.
"Oh, strychnine poisoning. He's swallowed a grain or so."
"My God! Can you do anything?"
Reggie shrugged. " He's as dead as the table. ..."
After a while, "Well! It's a way out," Lomas said. "But I can't
understand the fellow."
"Oh, I don't understand it all," Reggie admitted. "He was out to kill his
brother. That meant being Emperor. But why kill him now more than
before? And the Archduchess. She is straight enough, I know. But just

how she was to this fellow I don't see."
"There's not much in that," Lomas said. "Maurice couldn't stand the
Court, and it was common talk he meant to resign the succession.
While he was quiet over here in England Leopold felt safe. But lately
they tell me Maurice has been making up his mind to go back. Duty to
his country, don't you know? The Archduchess was strong against it.
She hates all the business of royalty. But Maurice is a resolute sort of
fellow even with a woman. Leopold came over to see what he could do.
I suppose he set the Archduchess on to make Maurice give up the idea
and stay quiet. They worked together - or that's the notion at the
Bohemian Embassy. She's a gipsy, what, but she's straight. She is not in
this. It wasn't her car. Well, when Leopold found there was nothing
doing he set about the murder. He was a bad egg, don't you know?
There was a woman in Rome - they kicked him out there. But it was a
sound scheme. He had it all straight - except the wrong tyres on his car.
Good touch, the hatpin. Seemed like a woman in a rage. He knew a lot
about women - one kind of woman."
There was a tap at the door. The two walked forward.
"Sir Lawson Hunter, sir." The footman tried in vain to see the
Archduke.
"Yes, bring him up," Reggie said.
Sir Lawson bustled in. " New case for you, sir." The two men moved
apart and Sir Lawson saw the body.
"Poisoned himself. Taken strychnine," Lomas said.
"Oh, don't bias him," said Reggie. "He doesn't like that."
"Good Gad!" Sir Lawson's eyes bulged.
"Yes, that beats me. Fortune." Lomas waved his hand at the body. "I
would have sworn he hadn't the pluck."

"Oh, he hadn't. He meant it for me. I