"Possibly; but I hardly think it likely. The provost marshal had placed all the boarders and Mrs. Lane under arrest, and stationed a guard about the house. No one could enter the captain's two rooms, except," remembering Baker's intrusion, "the head of the Secret Service Bureau, and officers of the provost guard."
"I have no further questions to ask you now, Doctor. Mr. Senator, will you take the witness?"
Warren, who had followed Ward's testimony with the closest attention, tore off a sheet from his pad, and passed it over to the judge advocate to read aloud.
"Is it not possible that Captain Lloyd died from apoplexy, Doctor?"
"No, Mr. Senator. I examined the brain, and found no indication of apoplexy, although there was a slight, very slight congestion noticeable at the base of the brain."
Warren quickly wrote another question, and handed it to the judge advocate, who was busy entering his first question and its answer in his record.
"Symonds testified yesterday that Captain Lloyd lay in bed as if asleep. If he had been suffocated, would not convulsions have ensued?"
"Some muscular contractions," admitted Ward, "but not enough to throw off the heavy quilt which Symonds told me covered his body when he first approached Captain Lloyd."
Again Warren wrote another question, which the judge advocate read aloud after a moment's pause.
"Are you willing to swear, Doctor Ward, that Captain Lloyd could not possibly have died from natural causes?"