The Greatest Works of Fergus Hume - 22 Mystery Novels in One Edition. Fergus Hume

hand business is all bosh,’ observed Felix Rolleston, authoritatively; ‘it’s in a play called “The Hidden Hand”.’

      ‘Perhaps the person who poisoned Miss Sprotts, got the idea from it?’ suggested Jarper.

      ‘Pshaw, my dear fellow,’ said Vandeloup, languidly; ‘people don’t go to melodrama for ideas. Everyone has got their own version of this story; the best thing to do is to await the result of the inquest.’

      ‘Is there to be an inquest?’ cried all.

      ‘So I’ve heard,’ replied the Frenchman, coolly; ‘sounds as if there was something wrong, doesn’t it?’

      ‘It’s a curious poisoning case,’ observed Bellthorp.

      ‘Ah, but it isn’t proved that there is any poisoning about it,’ said Vandeloup, looking keenly at him; ‘you jump to conclusions.’

      ‘There is no smoke without fire,’ replied Rolleston, sagely. ‘I expect we’ll all be rather astonished when the inquest is held,’ and so the discussion closed.

      The inquest was appointed to take place next day, and Calton had been asked by Madame Midas to be present on her behalf. Kilsip, a detective officer, was also present, and, curled up like a cat in the corner, was listening to every word of the evidence.

      The first witness called was Madame Midas, who deposed that the deceased, Selina Jane Sprotts, was her servant. She had gone to bed in excellent health, and next morning she had found her dead.

      The Coroner asked a few questions relative to the case.

      Q. Miss Marchurst awoke you, I believe?

      A. Yes.

      Q. And her room is off yours?

      A. Yes.

      Q. Had she to go through your room to reach her own?

      A. She had. There was no other way of getting there.

      Q. One of the windows of your room was open?

      A. It was—all night.

      Miss Kitty Marchurst was then called, and being sworn, gave her story of the hand coming through the window. This caused a great sensation in Court, and Calton looked puzzled, while Kilsip, scenting a mystery, rubbed his lean hands together softly.

      Q. You live with Mrs Villiers, I believe, Miss Marchurst?

      A. I do.

      Q. And you knew the deceased intimately?

      A. I had known her all my life.

      Q. Had she anyone who would wish to injure her?

      A. Not that I knew of. She was a favourite with everyone.

      Q. What time did you come home from the ball you were at?

      A. About half-past two, I think. I went straight to Mrs Villiers’ room.

      Q. With the intention of going through it to reach your own?

      A. Yes.

      Q. You say you fell asleep looking at a portrait. How long did you sleep?

      A. I don’t know. I was awakened by a noise at the window, and saw the hand appear.

      Q. Was it a man’s hand or a woman’s?

      A. I don’t know. It was too indistinct for me to see clearly; and I was so afraid, I fainted.

      Q. You saw it pour something from a bottle into the glass on the table?

      A. Yes; but I did not see it withdraw. I fainted right off.

      Q. When you recovered your senses, the deceased had drank the contents of the glass?

      A. Yes. She must have felt thirsty and drank it, not knowing it was poisoned. Q. How do you know it was poisoned?

      A. I only suppose so. I don’t think anyone would come to a window and pour anything into a glass without some evil purpose.

      The Coroner then asked why the glass with what remained of the contents had not been put in evidence, but was informed that the glass was broken.

      When Kitty had ended her evidence and was stepping down, she caught the eye of Vandeloup, who was looking at her keenly. She met his gaze defiantly, and he smiled meaningly at her. At this moment, however, Kilsip bent forward and whispered something to the Coroner, whereupon Kitty was recalled.

      Q. You were an actress, Miss Marchurst?

      A. Yes. I was on tour with Mr Theodore Wopples for some time.

      Q. Do you know a drama called ‘The Hidden Hand’?

      A. Yes—I have played in it once or twice.

      Q. Is there not a strong resemblance between your story of this crime and the drama?

      A. Yes, it is very much the same.

      Kilsip then gave his evidence, and deposed that he had examined the ground between the window, where the hand was alleged to have appeared, and the garden wall. There were no footmarks on the flower-bed under the window, which was the only place where footmarks would show, as the lawn itself was hard and dry. He also examined the wall, but could find no evidence that anyone had climbed over it, as it was defended by broken bottles, and the bushes at its foot were not crushed or disturbed in any way.

      Dr Chinston was then called, and deposed that he had made a post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased. The body was that of a woman of apparently fifty or fifty-five years of age, and of medium height; the body was well nourished. There were no ulcers or other signs of disease, and no marks of violence on the body. The brain was congested and soft, and there was an abnormal amount of fluid in the spaces known as the ventricles of the brain; the lungs were gorged with dark fluid blood; the heart appeared healthy, its left side was contracted and empty, but the right was dilated and filled with dark fluid blood; the stomach was somewhat congested, and contained a little partially digested food; the intestines here and there were congested, and throughout the body the blood was dark and fluid.

      Q. What then, in your opinion, was the cause of death?

      A. In my opinion death resulted from serous effusion on the brain, commonly known as serous apoplexy.

      Q. Then you found no appearances in the stomach, or elsewhere, which would lead you to believe poison had been taken?

      A. No, none.

      Q. From the post-mortem examination could you say the death of the deceased was not due to some narcotic poison?

      A. No: the post-mortem appearances of the body are quite consistent with those of poisoning by certain poisons, but there is no reason to suppose that any poison has been administered in this case, as I, of course, go by what I see; and the presence of poisons, especially vegetable poisons, can only be detected by chemical analysis.

      Q. Did you analyse the contents of the stomach chemically?

      A. No; it was not my duty to do so; I handed over the stomach to the police, seeing that there is suspicion of poison, and thence it will go to the Government analyst.

      Q. It is stated that the deceased had convulsions before she died—is this not a symptom of narcotic poisoning?

      A. In some cases, yes, but not commonly; aconite, for instance, always produces convulsions in animals, seldom in man.

      Q. How do you account for the congested condition of the lungs?

      A. I believe the serous effusion caused death by suspended respiration.

      Q. Was there any odour perceptible?

      A. No, none whatsoever.

      The inquest was then adjourned till next day, and there was great excitement over the affair. If Kitty Marchurst’s statement was true, the deceased must have