These words produced a great sensation in the breathlessly silent court.
“By what means?”
“That I have utterly failed to discover. All appearances point to the fact that the deceased lost consciousness almost instantly, for she had no time even to take out her handkerchief or smelling-salts, the first thing a woman does when she feels faint. Death came very swiftly, but the ingenious means by which the murder was accomplished are at present entirely a mystery. At first my suspicions were aroused by a curious discoloration of the mouth, which I noticed when I first saw the body; but, strangely enough, this had disappeared yesterday when I made the post-mortem. Again, in the centre of the left palm, extending to the middle finger, was a dark and very extraordinary spot. This I have examined microscopically, and submitted the skin to various tests, but have entirely failed to determine the cause of the mark. It is dark grey in colour, and altogether mysterious.”
“There was no puncture in the hand?” inquired the Coroner.
“None whatever. I examined the body thoroughly, and found not a scratch,” the doctor answered quickly. “At first I suspected a subcutaneous injection of poison; but this theory is negatived by the absence of any puncture.”
“But you adhere to your first statement that she was murdered?”
“Certainly. I am confident that the paralysis is not attributable to natural causes.”
“Have you found any trace of poison?”
“The contents of the stomach were handed over by the police to the analyst. I cannot say what he has reported,” the doctor answered sharply.
At once the Coroner’s officer interposed with the remark that the analyst was present, and would give evidence.