“Partially, from the condition of the body,” Sergeant Holcomb said. “The body had been there at least six days. Probably, seven. In the heat and closeness of the room, decomposition had been quite rapid. Moreover, there’s another reason. The decedent had had a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Mr. Sabin was an enthusiastic fisherman. He went up to the cabin for the purpose of being there on the opening morning of fishing season. It is inconceivable that he would have gone fishing on that first morning and not caught at least some fish. If he had caught them, there would have been evidences that he’d eaten them for breakfast the next morning instead of bacon and eggs. There were no remains of fish anywhere in the garbage pail, nor in the garbage pit in the back of the house, to which the contents of the garbage pail were transferred each day.”
And Sergeant Holcomb smiled at the jury, as much as to say, “That shows how easy it is to avoid a lawyer’s trap.”
“Very well,” Mason said, “Let’s look at it from another angle. The fire was laid in the fireplace, but hadn’t been lit, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Now, it’s rather chilly there in the mornings?”
“Quite chilly.”
“And at night?”
“Yes.”
“Now, according to your theory, the alarm went off at five-thirty, and Mr. Sabin got up to go fishing, is that right?”
“Yes.”