"Is he dead, Doctor?" asked the policeman.
"He has been dead for some time," replied the physician, impressively; "the body is almost cold."
"Been dead for some time?" echoed the policeman.
"Yes; this man was shot. See there!"
As he spoke, he pointed to a red streak which, starting from the left side of the dead man's coat, extended downward and marked the course of the tiny stream in which the life blood had flowed to a little pool on the floor of the cab.
"Shot!" exclaimed the policeman, who turned immediately to one of his brother officers. "Keep your eye on the cabman, Jim. We'll have to take him in. And look out for the other man, quick!"
Then, addressing the cabman, upon each of whose shoulders a policeman's hand was immediately placed, he asked roughly:
"Who is this man?"
The cabman was completely sober now. He stood, pale and trembling, between his two captors, as he replied solemnly:
"Before God, I don't know, boss. I never saw him before."