White to Play and Mate in Four Moves.
“What did you do then?” demanded Burnham.
“Continued to play the game,” answered Maynard. “But before Von Eltz returned I insured his sleeping soundly that night by pouring a small amount of diluted hyoscine, which I carry with me for insomnia, in one of the liqueur glasses containing cherry cordial which Von Eltz had brought upstairs earlier in the evening.”
“Quite sure it was not hydrocyanic acid?” asked Hayden, and both tone and manner were as insulting as he could make them.
“Quite,” answered Maynard. “My idea was to insure Von Eltz sleeping soundly while I ransacked the house in search of other evidence of German espionage and intrigue.”
“Just a moment,” Chief Connor broke in. “Did Von Eltz bring up only two glasses of cordial?”
“Only two glasses, but a decanter of the cordial,” responded Maynard. “He sipped his at intervals, possibly as a bracer, but I drank sparingly. Frankly, my mind was so engaged with the problem of securing the chess diagrams without his suspecting it, that I paid little attention to what he did. I do remember, however, that previous to a vivid flash of lightning, followed by terrific thunder, which put out our lights temporarily, Von Eltz had refilled both glasses, and at his urging I tossed off mine just before I went to bed.”
“Well, what then?” demanded Hayden. The strain was telling on him and he sought to hurry Maynard’s leisurely speech.
“Then, contrary to my expectations, I slept heavily all night,” answered Maynard, unruffled by his questioner’s manner. “On rising I went into the sitting room, Von Eltz having insisted that I should occupy his bed and he take the sofa there, and I found him lying on the floor—dead.”
Coroner Penfield broke the silence that followed. “When did you make this discovery?”