Greatly excited, I stared at him.
“How can that be done?”
“Well, Mr. Bartholomew, fortunately for us we have a friend at court. If we had not, I judge that you would have been arrested on leaving the court-house.”
“Who? Who?” My heart beat to suffocation; I could hardly articulate. Did I hope to hear a name which would clear my sky of every cloud, and make the present, doubtful as it seemed, a joy instead of a menace? If I did, I was doomed to disappointment.
“The Inspector who was the first to examine you does not believe in your guilt.”
Disappointment! but a great—a hopeful surprise also! I rose to my feet in my elation, this unexpected news coming with such a shock on the heels of my despair. But sat again with a gesture of apology as I met his steady look.
“I know this, because he is a friend of mine,” he averred by way of explanation.
“And will help us?”
“He will see that the experiment I mention is made. Poison could not have got into that glass without hands. Those hands must be located. The Police will not cease their activities.”
“Mr. Jackson, I give you the case. Do what you can for me; but—”