CASE #194

Rudolph Mayer stumbled into the police station of the little village of Monroe, shook water from his clothes, and collapsed. A local physician was summoned and brought Mayer around. He told the following story.

“My wife and I, fond of winter sports, registered at the Fox Head Resort this afternoon—I’ve spent several vacations here. Shortly before dusk we decided to go skating on Lake Howard. We’d been out probably twenty minutes, as nearly as I can figure it, when my wife, who was about ten yards in front of me, suddenly dropped into the water through a large hole. Someone must have been cutting ice. I swerved, took off my skates, and jumped in after her. Despite my efforts, however, I couldn’t locate her. I was barely able to pull myself out, and as I called and there was no help at hand, made my way here, somehow. It’s about half a mile, I guess, and I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. For God’s sake send someone out there!”

Again the man fainted but was revived in a few minutes, mumbling incoherently about skates.

Two constables were dispatched through the ten below zero weather to the scene and returned with Mayer’s skates found on the edge of a large hole where a local concern had been cutting ice. At the sight of them Mayer again collapsed.

* * * *

Professor Fordney read no further in the above newspaper account.

“Mayer is certainly lying,” he said to himself.

How did he know? Turn page for solution.