"And I suppose that I may be permitted to question Mrs. Breedon?"
Doctor Lindquist was profoundly regretful.
"Mrs. Breedon is a very ill woman. She suffered a tremendous shock at the time of her husband's death last summer, and has been practically in a semiconscious condition ever since. There are times when I even fear for her reason. The slightest disturbance or excitement might produce very serious results."
He took a newspaper cutting from a gold-edged letter-case and handed it to Markham.
"You will observe that this obituary notice mentions her prostration and confinement in a private sanitarium. I have been her physician for years."
Markham, after glancing at the cutting, handed it back. There was a short silence broken by a question from Vance.
"By the bye, doctor, what is the name of the night nurse at your sanitarium?"
Doctor Lindquist looked up quickly.
"My night nurse? Why—what has she to do with it? She was very busy Monday night. I can't understand. . . . Well, if you want her name I have no objection. It's Finckle—Miss Amelia Finckle."
Vance wrote down the name and, rising, carried the slip of paper to Heath.
"Sergeant, bring Miss Finckle here to-morrow morning at eleven," he said, with a slight lowering of one eyelid.
"I sure will, sir. Good idea." His manner boded no good for Miss Finckle.
A cloud of apprehension spread over Doctor Lindquist's face.
