“I see.” Mr. Farr reached casually over to the clerk’s desk and handed Dr. Stanley the dreadful rag that had been Madeleine Bellamy’s white lace dress. “Do you recognize this dress, Doctor?”
“Perfectly.”
“Will you be good enough to indicate to us just where the knife penetrated the fabric?”
Dr. Stanley turned it deftly in his long-fingered, capable hands. Something in that skilful scientific touch seemed to purge it of horror—averted eyes travelled back to it warily.
“The knife went through it right here. If you look closely, you can see the severed threads—just here, where the stain is darkest.”
“Exactly. Would such a wound have caused instantaneous death, Doctor, in your opinion?”
“Not instantaneous—no. Death would follow very rapidly, however.”
“A minute or so?”
“A few minutes—the loss of blood would be tremendous.”
“Would the victim be likely to make much outcry—screaming, moaning, or the like?”