the law and the lady-第33章

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by　the　death　of　his　wife；　and　by　the　proceedings　which　had
followed　it。　He　was　reported　to　be　quite　incapable　of　exerting
himself；　and　quite　unfit　to　see　strangers。　We　insisted
nevertheless　（in　deference　to　our　instructions）　on　obtaining
admission　to　his　room。　He　made　no　reply　when　we　inquired　whether
he　had　or　had　not　removed　anything　from　the　sleeping…room　next　to
his　late　wife's；　which　he　usually　occupied；　to　the　sleeping…room
in　which　he　now　lay。　All　he　did　was　to　close　his　eyes；　as　if　he
were　too　feeble　to　speak　to　us　or　to　notice　us。　Without　further
disturbing　him；　we　began　to　examine　the　room　and　the　different
objects　in　it。

〃While　we　were　so　employed；　we　were　interrupted　by　a　strange
sound。　We　likened　it　to　the　rumbling　of　wheels　in　the　corridor
outside。

〃The　door　opened；　and　there　came　swiftly　in　a　gentlemana
cripplewheeling　himself　along　in　a　chair。　He　wheeled　his　chair
straight　up　to　a　little　table　which　stood　by　the　prisoner's
bedside；　and　said　something　to　him　in　a　whisper　too　low　to　be
overheard。　The　prisoner　opened　his　eyes；　and　quickly　answered　by
a　sign。　We　informed　the　crippled　gentleman；　quite　respectfully；
that　we　could　not　allow　him　to　be　in　the　room　at　this　time。　He
appeared　to　think　nothing　of　what　we　said。　He　only　answered；　'My
name　is　Dexter。　I　am　one　of　Mr。　Macallan's　old　friends。　It　is　you
who　are　intruding　herenot　I。'　We　again　notified　to　him　that　he
must　leave　the　room；　and　we　pointed　out　particularly　that　he　had
got　his　chair　in　such　a　position　against　the　bedside　table　as　to
prevent　us　from　examining　it。　He　only　laughed。　'Can't　you　see　for
yourselves；'　he　said；　'that　it　is　a　table；　and　nothing　more？'　In
reply　to　this　we　warned　him　that　we　were　acting　under　a　legal
warrant；　and　that　he　might　get　into　trouble　if　he　obstructed　us
in　the　execution　of　our　duty。　Finding　there　was　no　moving　him　by
fair　means；　I　took　his　chair　and　pulled　it　away；　while　Robert
Lorrie　laid　hold　of　the　table　and　carried　it　to　the　other　end　of
the　room。　The　crippled　gentleman　flew　into　a　furious　rage　with　me
for　presuming　to　touch　his　chair。　'My　chair　is　Me；'　he　said：　'how
dare　you　lay　hands　on　Me？'　I　first　opened　the　door；　and　then；　by
way　of　accommodating　him；　gave　the　chair　a　good　push　behind　with
my　stick　instead　of　my　hand；　and　so　sent　it　and　him　safely　and
swiftly　out　of　the　room。

〃Having　locked　the　door；　so　as　to　prevent　any　further　intrusion；
I　joined　Robert　Lorrie　in　examining　the　bedside　table。　It　had　one
drawer　in　it；　and　that　drawer　we　found　secured。

〃We　asked　the　prisoner　for　the　key。

〃He　flatly　refused　to　give　it　to　us；　and　said　we　had　no　right　to
unlock　his　drawers。　He　was　so　angry　that　he　even　declared　it　was
lucky　for　us　he　was　too　weak　to　rise　from　his　bed。　I　answered
civilly　that　our　duty　obliged　us　to　examine　the　drawer；　and　that
if　he　still　declined　to　produce　the　key；　he　would　only　oblige　us
to　take　the　table　away　and　have　the　lock　opened　by　a　smith。

〃While　we　were　still　disputing　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door　of
the　room。

〃I　opened　the　door　cautiously。　Instead　of　the　crippled　gentleman；
whom　I　had　expected　to　see　again；　there　was　another　stranger
standing　outside。　The　prisoner　hailed　him　as　a　friend　and
neighbor；　and　eagerly　called　upon　him　for　protection　from　us。　We
found　this　second　gentleman　pleasant　enough　to　deal　with。　He
informed　us　readily　that　he　had　been　sent　for　by　Mr。　Dexter；　and
that　he　was　himself　a　lawyer；　and　he　asked　to　see　our　warrant。
Having　looked　at　it；　he　at　once　informed　the　prisoner　（evidently
very　much　to　the　prisoner's　surprise）　that　he　must　submit　to　have
the　drawer　examined；　under　protest。　And　then；　without　more　ado；
he　got　the　key；　and　opened　the　table　drawer　for　us　himself。

〃We　found　inside　several　letters；　and　a　large　book　with　a　lock　to
it；　having　the　words　'My　Diary'　inscribed　on　it　in　gilt　letters。
As　a　matter　of　course；　we　took　possession　of　the　letters　and　the
Diary；　and　sealed　them　up；　to　be　given　to　the　Fiscal。　At　the　same
time　the　gentleman　wrote　out　a　protest　on　the　prisoner's　behalf；
and　handed　us　his　card。　The　card　informed　us　that　he　was　Mr。
Playmore；　now　one　of　the　Agents　for　the　prisoner。　The　card　and
the　protest　were　deposited；　with　the　other　documents；　in　the　care
of　the　Fiscal。　No　other　discoveries　of　any　importance　were　made
at　Gleninch。

〃Our　next　inquiries　took　us　to　Edinburghto　the　druggist　whose
label　we　had　found　on　the　crumpled　morsel　of　paper；　and　to　other
druggists　likewise　whom　we　were　instructed　to　question。　On　the
twenty…eighth　of　October　the　Fiscal　was　in　possession　of　all　the
information　that　we　could　collect；　and　our　duties　for　the　time
　being　came　to　an　end。〃

This　concluded　the　evidence　of　Schoolcraft　and　Lorrie。　It　was　not
shaken　on　cross…examination；　and　it　was　plainly　unfavorable　to
the　prisoner。

Matters　grew　worse　still　when　the　next　witnesses　were　called。　The
druggist　whose　label　had　been　found　on　the　crumpled　bit　of　paper
now　appeared　on　the　stand；　to　make　the　position　of　my　unhappy
husband　more　critical　than　ever。

Andrew　Kinlay；　druggist；　of　Edinburgh；　deposed　as　follows：

〃I　keep　a　special　registry　book　of　the　poisons　sold　by　me。　I
produce　the　book。　On　the　date　therein　mentioned　the　prisoner　at
the　bar；　Mr。　Eustace　Macallan；　came　into　my　shop；　and　said　that
he　wished　to　purchase　some　arsenic。　I　asked　him　what　it　was
wanted　for。　He　told　me　it　was　wanted　by　his　gardener；　to　be　used；
in　solution；　for　the　killing　of　insects　in　the　greenhouse。　At　the
same　time　he　mentioned　his　nameMr。　Macallan；　of　Gleninch。　I　at
once　directed　my　assistant　to　put　up　the　arsenic　（two　ounces　of
it）；　and　I　made　the　necessary　entry　in　my　book。　Mr。　Macallan
signed　the　entry；　and　I　signed　it　afterward　as　witness。　He　paid
for　the　arsenic；　and　took　it　away　with　him　wrapped　up　in　two
papers；　the　outer　wrapper　being　labeled　with　my　name　and　address；
and　with　the　word　'Poison'　in　large　lettersexactly　like　the
label　now　produced　on　the　piece　of　paper　found　at　Gleninch。〃

The　next　witness；　Peter　Stockdale　（also　a　druggist　of　Edinburgh）；
followed；　and　said：

〃The　prisoner　at　the　bar　called　at　my　shop　on　the　date　indicated
on　my　register；　some　days　later　than　the　date　indicated　in　the
register　of　Mr。　Kinlay。　He　wished　to　purchase　sixpenny…worth　of
arsenic。　My　assistant；　to　whom　he　had　addressed　himself；　called
me。　It　is　a　rule　in　my　shop　that　no　one　sells　poisons　but　myself。
I　asked　the　prisoner　what　he　wanted　the　arsenic　for。　He　answered
that　he　wanted　it　for　killing　rats　at　his　house；　called　Gleninch。
I　said；　'Have　I　the　honor　of　speaking　to　Mr。　Macallan；　of
Gleninch？'　He　said　that　was　his　name。　I　sold　him　the
arsenicabout　an　ounce　and　a　halfand　labeled　the　bottle　in
which　I　put　it　with　the　word　'Poison'　in　my　own　handwriting。　He
signed　the　register；　and　took　the　arsenic　away　with　him；　after
paying　for　it。〃

The　cross…examination　of　the　two　men　succeeded　in　asserting
certain　technical　objections　to　their　evidence。　But　the　terrible
fact　that　my　husband　himself　had　actually　purchased　the　arsenic
in　both　cases　remained　unshaken。

The　next　witnessesthe　gardener　and　the　cook　at　Gleninchwound
the　chain　of　hostile　evidence　around　the　prisoner　more
mercilessly　still。

On　examination　the　gardener　said；　on　his　oath：

〃I　never　received　any　arsenic　from　the　prisoner；　or　from　any　one
else；　at　the　date　to　which　you　refer；　of　at　any　other　date。　I
never　used　any　such　thing　as　a　solution　of　arsenic；　or　ever
allowed　the　men　working　under　me　to　use　it；　in　the　conservatories
or　in　the　garden　at　Gleninch。　I　disapprove　of　arsenic　as　a　means
of　destroying　noxious　insects　infesting　flowers　and　plants。〃

The　cook；　being　called　next；　spoke　as　positively　as　the　gardener：

〃Neither　my　master　nor　any　other　person　gave　me　any　arsenic　to
destroy　rats　at　any　time。　No　such　thing　was　wanted。　I　declare；　on
my　oath；　that　I　never　saw　any　rats　in　or　about　the　house；　or　ever
heard　of　any　rats　infesting　it。〃

Other　household　servants　at　Gleninch　gave　similar　evidence。
Nothing　could　be　extracted　from　them　on　cross…examination　except
that　there　might　have　been　rats　in　the　house；　though　they　were
not　aware　of　it。　The　possession　of　the　poison　was　trace