At first he treated the affair as of no importance. The medical evidence had pronounced the Baron’s death as having been due to natural causes. The police could not interfere further, he declared.
“Ah! but thanks to the Baron’s valet we now have evidence of a most subtle and deadly poison,” declared the Dutch pathologist. “I certify that I have found upon a small piece of sharp steel, which has been discovered in the dead man’s glove, traces of orosin, one of the least known but most dangerous poisons.”
The heavy-jowled Dutch police official straightened himself in his chair.
“Is that really so, doctor?” he asked in surprise, holding his cigar between his fingers.
“Yes, it is,” Doctor Obelt replied. “The body must be exhumed, and an examination made to ascertain if there is a small cut in the first finger of the left hand. If there is—then the Baron has been secretly murdered!”
“The valet has alleged this all along, but there being no evidence we disbelieved him,” said the official at once.
“There is now evidence—direct evidence,” said the Dutch doctor. “This Englishman here is interested in some way in the Baron’s death, and after discovering the scrap of razor-blade he brought it to me.”
The Dutch police official knit his brows, and turning to me, asked:
“Did you yourself discover this piece of steel?”