Part 23 (1/2)
”Pretty much the same thing,” whispered one man.
”Exactly the same,” added another, and the rest nodded.
The coroner looked around the courtroom and then at the jury.
”Have any of you any questions to ask?” he queried of the men. ”If not we'll take a brief recess until Doctor Bardon returns.”
One after another the jurors shook their heads. Whatever the coroner did was sufficient for them. Coroner Busby had picked men he knew would agree with him.
The recess had lasted but a few minutes, when Doctor Bardon reappeared.
His face wore a knowing look that was almost triumphant.
”You will please take the stand again, doctor,” was the request. ”I wish to ask you if a person could be smothered by chloroform.”
”Certainly, under certain conditions.”
”Do you think it possible that Mr. and Mrs. Langmore could have been smothered in that way?”
”Possibly, yes, although I did not see any traces.”
”Would there have been traces?”
”Yes and no--it would depend on circ.u.mstances.”
”Hum. Now about the diamond ring belonging to Miss Langmore, which I gave you a short while ago to examine? Have you--ahem--examined it?”
”I have, and so has Doctor Soper. We used a magnifying gla.s.s and made several tests.”
”Did you find anything unusual?”
”We did. In the first place two of the p.r.o.ngs which hold the diamond in place are bent out and up in such a fas.h.i.+on that each forms a sharp point. We next looked under the stone and found there a substance which both of us are convinced is a bit of dried-up blood.”
”You are sure it is blood?”
”Yes. I can ill.u.s.trate it scientifically, if you desire.”
”It will not be necessary just now. When you say blood do you mean human blood?”
At this the young physician shrugged his shoulders.
”I am not prepared to go as far as that. We should have to make another test. The amount was so very small.”
”Might be blood from a mosquito,” muttered Raymond. ”There are enough around here.”
”You may think as you please,” said the young doctor. ”I am only stating the facts.”
”Have you anything else to say, doctor?” came from the coroner.
”Nothing more. Here is the ring. We have kept what we found under the stone.”