And then there comes a sharp quickening of the public interest, and even the judge leans forward. Sir Almeric puts solemnly the question:
“And among those drugs I understand that there was a considerable quantity of arsenic in a stoppered glass jar?”
“There was,” she answers in a clear voice.
“Is it also a fact that the jar, marked with the word ‘arsenic’ printed on a blue label, stood open to the view of all those who were in a position to glance up into your medicine cupboard when it was open?”
“That is so,” says Miss Prince in a lower tone.
“And now I want you to cast your mind back to last spring.”
Miss Prince makes no answer, she simply looks quietly, thoughtfully at her questioner.
“Can you do that?”
“I think so. Though of course it’s difficult for me to swear to anything that may have happened on any special day.”
“You do, however, remember a late April storm which caused the gutters of your house to overflow and which did damage to the ceiling of a servant’s bedroom on the top floor of your house?”