" Of course, Dr. Munro," said he, " you are
much too well known in the town for any one
to take this matter seriously. But the fact is
that we had an anonymous letter this morning
saying that the young man had died yesterday
and was to be buried at an unusual hour to-day,
and that the circumstances were suspicious."



THE STARK MUNRO LETTERS. 325

" He died the day before yesterday. He
was buried at eight to-day," I explained; and
then I told him the whole story from the
beginning. He listened attentively, and took
a note or two.
"Who signed the certificate ? " he asked.
"I did," said I.
He raised his eyebrows slightly. " There is
really no one to check your statement then ? "
said he.
"Oh yes, Dr. Porter saw him the night
before he died. He knew all about the case."

The detective shut his note-book with a
snap. "That is final. Dr. Munro," said he.
" Of course I must see Dr. Porter as a matter
of form, but if his opinion agrees with yours I
can only apologise to you for this intrusion."

"And there is one more thing, Mr. Detective,
sir," said Whitehall explosively. " I'm not a

rich man, sir, only the half-pay skipper

of an armed transport ; but by , sir, I'd

give you this hat full of dollars to know the

name of the rascal who wrote that

anonymous letter, sir. By sir, you'd have

a real case to look after then." And he waved
his blackthorn ferociously.
So the wretched business ended, Bertie.
But on what trifling chances do our fortunes
depend ! If Porter had not seen him that



326 THE STARK MUNRO LETTERS.
