For a few minutes the two men smoked in silence; then Ward laid aside his cigar. "May I close the door?" he asked. "I have something of importance to say to you."
"Why, certainly." Warren started to rise, but Ward returned quickly from closing the door, and resumed his seat.
"I made a startling discovery to-night," he began. "I suppose I should take my story to the judge advocate; but I am convinced you are defending an innocent girl, and this information may help you to clear her."
"Continue," urged Warren, his weariness forgotten. Ward drew his chair closer to his interested listener.
"You undoubtedly recollect that Captain Lloyd was found dead on Monday night, March 6th, and that Symonds sent at once for me."
"Yes, yes," exclaimed Warren, impatiently as Ward paused for a reply.
"The next day I called to see Major Goddard in the morning, and again in the afternoon. To my intense indignation I found Colonel Baker talking to Goddard, with what results you know. Goddard's condition was such that I had to remain with him all night.
"When I rose to go the young nurse handed me my hypodermic syringe, saying that I had left it there that morning. I dropped the syringe into my overcoat pocket and thought no more of the matter. The weather turned mild, and I did not use my overcoat again. But this evening I hunted through its pockets looking for a mislaid letter, and I found my hypodermic syringe.
"I was considerably puzzled; for I have given many hypodermics since I used that coat. So I searched through the pockets of the clothes I have on and found the syringe I have been using constantly. Thinking the syringe in the coat pocket was the one I carry in my bag for emergencies, I opened the bag intending to replace it, and was astounded to find a syringe already there.
"Then I sat down and examined the syringe the nurse had given me. I found some substance remaining in it; made several tests, and discovered that it was a solution of curari or curarine."