The two men drove over to Manfield on the following morning. It was a Sunday, and the market-town had a forlorn appearance. Even the police-station seemed rather deserted, and the constable in charge ushered them immediately into the inspector's office. Here in a short time the inspector joined them.
He bade them good morning, thanked them for coming over in such good time, and sat down behind his desk.
"Discovered anything fresh?" Charles asked, drawing up his chair.
The inspector shook his head. "Looks like a nasty case against someone, sir," he said. "The inquest will be held on Tuesday, and I'm afraid both you gentlemen will have to give evidence."
"Of course," Charles said. "We were quite prepared for that. Can you tell us anything more?"
"Well, sir, strictly speaking I ought not to, but seeing how much you know already, I don't. mind telling you that the Divisional Surgeon has just finished his post mortem, and there doesn't seem to be much doubt that it's murder. I needn't ask you not to repeat this, sir, I know."
"Of course not. What did he discover?"
"It's that piece of cotton wool, sir. Looks as though Duval was chloroformed, and then strung up. Dr Puttock found traces of chloroform still lingering. And during his examination he found various abrasions on the deceased's body as though there had been a bit of a struggle, and in it Duval had knocked against things - the table, maybe, or something like that. Then, sir, the doctor found a bit of skin in one of his finger-nails, as though he might have clawed at someone's face, or hand, or whatever it may have been."
"Any finger-prints?" Charles asked.
"No, Sir. Only the deceased's on that plate you saw, and the glass, and such-like. Whoever did this job took care to wear gloves." He unlocked a drawer in his desk, and took out an envelope. From this he shook a black bone button. "After you'd gone, I had a good look round and I found this lying under the coal-box. Must have rolled there."