“I am quite positive.”
“Can you describe his appearance?”
“I dunno that I can. He is a tall, strong fellow, with a brown face and bushy eyebrows.”
“With a beaky nose?” inquired the coroner, referring to the girl’s evidence.
“Yes, his nose is a little beaky.”
“That will do, Miss Fulford, we will not trouble you any further to-day. You have given your evidence in a most satisfactory manner.”
Nell was taken out of court. What it cost her to go through the ordeal was only known to herself.
The coroner summed up. He said all the evidence went in one direction, this being to throw a dark shade of suspicion upon the man Chudley. Still at present it was not clearly established that he was the murderer of Mr. Jamblin, and if the jury had any doubts they had better not declare him guilty by their verdict. This was but a preliminary inquiry. It was clearly demonstrated beyond all cavil that Mr. Jamblin was foully murdered; it was therefore their duty to declare this by their verdict.
The jury were some time considering, but ultimately returned a verdict of—
“Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.”