“There’s no game that can’t be beaten,” asserted Murray emphatically. “There is no burglar-proof safe. With improvements in safes there has come a corresponding improvement in cracksmen’s methods. No man is so much superior to all other men that he can devise a thing so perfect that some other can not find the flaw that makes it temporarily worthless. The burglar-proof safes have to be watched to keep burglars away from them. The insurance system is as good as we now know how to make it, but it has to be watched to keep swindlers from punching holes in it. When we further improve the system they will further improve their methods, and we’ll have to keep on watching. The business concern that thinks it has an infallible system to protect itself from loss is then in the greatest danger.” “Do you think this case a swindle?” asked the doctor. “It’s better to get facts before reaching conclusions,” replied Murray. “It may be only an extraordinary coincidence. The man who was refused insurance was not then living where the man who applied to us is now living. That’s worth considering.” But investigation only made the case the more puzzling. From Madison, Indiana, a report was received that Elmer Harkness was born there on the date given, and that nothing was known of any second Elmer Harkness. The father of the Elmer born at Madison had been Abner Harkness, who was now dead. The name of the father of the man who had applied to Murray was given as Abner, and that also was the name of the father of the man whose application had been previously refused. Elmer, after the death of his parents, had left Madison, and nothing had been heard of him since, although he was supposed to be in Chicago. “Strange!” commented Murray. “This Madison Harkness is our Harkness, beyond question, and he also corresponds, except physically, to the Harkness who was refused.” So far as was known at Madison, Harkness was physically sound and well. He certainly had been considered a strong, healthy man. “That,” said Murray, “answers the description of the man who was here, but it really means nothing, as far as the other refusal is concerned. Heart trouble was the cause of that refusal, and there hardly would have been any indication of that to the casual observer. This Madison Harkness may well have been the man who was refused or the man who applied to us, but he can hardly be both—unless you have made a mistake, Doctor.” “I’ll examine him again,” said the doctor. So he sent for Harkness again, on the plea that he had mislaid the record of the previous examination, and this time he gave particular attention to the heart.