"Mr.Darrow," he began, "has just died under peculiar circumstances.Three possible views of the case at once suggest themselves.First: his death may have been due to natural causes and his last expressions the result of an hallucination under which he was labouring.Second: he may have committed suicide, as the result, perhaps, of a mania which in that case would also serve to explain his last words and acts; or, - you will pardon me, Miss Darrow, - these last appearances may have been intentionally assumed with a view to deceiving us.The officers you have summoned will not be slow in looking for motives for such a deception, and several possible ones cannot fail at once to suggest themselves to them.Third: your father may have been murdered and his last expressions amore or less accurate description of the real facts of the case.It seems to me that these three theories exhaust the possibilities of the case.Can anyone suggest anything further?" And he paused for a reply.
"It is clear," replied Mr.Herne with portly deliberation, "that all deaths must be either natural or unnatural; and equally clear that when unnatural the agent, if human, must be either the victim himself, or some person external to him.""Precisely so," continued Maitland."Now our friend, the Doctor, believes that Mr.Darrow's death resulted from natural causes.The official authorities will at first, in all probability, agree with him, but it is impossible to tell what theory they will ultimately adopt.If sufficient motive for the act can be found, some are almost certain to adopt the suicide theory.Miss Darrow has expressed her conviction that we are dealing with a case of murder.Mr.Browne and Mr.Herne have expressed no opinion on the subject, so far as I am aware."At this point Gwen, with an eagerness she had not before displayed,- or possibly it was nervousness, - exclaimed: "And your own view of the case?" "I believe," Maitland replied deliberately, "that your father's death resulted from poison injected into the blood; but this is a matter so easily settled that I prefer not to theorise upon it.There are several poisons which might have produced the effects we have observed.If, however, I am able to prove this conjecture correct I have still only eliminated one of the three hypotheses and resolved the matter to a choice between the suicide and murder theories, yet that is something gained.It is because I believe it can be shown death did not result from natural causes that I have so strongly urged Mr.Browne not to leave the room.""Pardon me, sir!" ejaculated Browne, growing very dark and threatening."You mean to insinuate - " "Nothing," continued Maitland, finishing his sentence for him, and then quietly ignoring the interruption."As I have already said, I am somewhat familiar with the usual methods of ferreting out crime.As a lawyer, and also as a chemical expert, I have listened to a great deal of evidence in criminal cases, and in this and other ways, learned the lines upon which detectives may confidently be expected to act, when once they have set up an hypothesis.The meansby which they arrive at their hypotheses occasionally surpass all understanding, and we have, therefore, no assurance as to the view they will take of this case.The first thing they will do will be to make what they will call a 'thorough examination' of the premises; but a study of chemistry gives to the word 'thorough' a significance of which they have no conception.It is to shorten this examination as much as possible, - to prevent it from being more tiresome to you than is absolutely necessary," he said to Gwen, "that I have taken the liberty of ascertaining and recording most of the data the officers will require.""Believe me," Gwen said to him in an undertone not intended for the rest of us, though we heard it, "I am duly grateful for your consideration and shall find a fitting time to thank you."With no other reply than a deprecating gesture, Maitland continued: "Now let us look at the matter from the standpoint of the officers."They must first determine in their own minds how Mr.Darrow methis death.This will constitute the basis of their first hypothesis.I say 'first' because they are liable to change it at any moment it seems to them untenable.If they conclude that death resulted from natural causes, I shall doubtless be able to induce them to waive that view of the case until I have been given time to prove it untenable - if I can - and to act for the present upon one of the other two possible theories.It appears, from our present knowledge of the case, that, whichever one of these they choose, the same difficulty will confront them."Gwen looked at him inquiringly and he continued, answering the question in her eyes:
"This is what I mean.Your father, whether he committed suicide or was murdered, in all probability met his death through that almost imperceptible wound under his chin.This wound, so far as I have yet been able to examine it without a glass, was made with a somewhat blunt instrument, able, apparently, to little more than puncture the skin and draw a drop or so of blood.Of course, on such a theory, death must have resulted from poisoning.The essential point is: Where is the instrument that inflicted the wound?""Might it not be buried in the flesh?" Gwen asked.
