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Page 52
"What!" asked Bryce.
"Why, that whoever it was who did it was somebody who had a
knowledge of poison!" answered Mitchington. "And I should say
there aren't many people in Wrychester who have such knowledge
outside yourselves and the chemists. It's a black business,
this!"
Bryce nodded silently. He waited until Dr. Coates, an elderly
man who was the leading practitioner in the town, arrived, and
to him he gave a careful account of his discovery. And after
the police had taken the body away, and he had accompanied
Mitchington to the police-station and seen the tin bottle and
the remains of Collishaw's dinner safely locked up, he went
home to lunch, and to wonder at this strange development. The
inspector was doubtless right in saying that Collishaw had
been done to death by somebody who wanted to silence him--but
who could that somebody be? Bryce's thoughts immediately
turned to the fact that Ransford had overheard all that
Mitchington had said, in that very room in which he, Bryce,
was then lunching--Ransford! Was it possible that Ransford
had realized a danger in Collishaw's knowledge, and had--
He was interrupted at this stage by Mitchington, who came
hurriedly in with a scared face.
"I say, I say!" he whispered as soon as Bryce's landlady had
shut the door on them. "Here's a fine business! I've heard
something--something I can hardly credit--but it's true. I've
been to tell Collishaw's family what's happened. And--I'm
fairly dazed by it--yet it's there--it is so!"
"What's so?" demanded Bryce. "What is it that's true?"
Mitchington bent closer over the table.
"Dr. Ransford was fetched to Collishaw's cottage at six
o'clock this morning!" he said. "It seems that Collishaw's
wife has been in a poor way about her health of late, and Dr.
Ransford has attended her, off and on. She had some sort of a
seizure this morning--early--and Ransford was sent for. He
was there some little time--and I've heard some queer things."
"What sort of queer things?" demanded Bryce. "Don't be afraid
of speaking out, man!--there's no one to hear but myself."
"Well, things that look suspicious, on the face of it,"
continued Mitchington, who was obviously much upset. "As
you'll acknowledge when you hear them. I got my information
from the next-door neighbour, Mrs. Batts. Mrs. Batts says
that when Ransford--who'd been fetched by Mrs. Batts's eldest
lad--came to Collishaw's house, Collishaw was putting up his
dinner to take to his work--"
"What on earth made Mrs. Batts tell you that?" interrupted
Bryce.
"Oh, well, to tell you the truth, I put a few questions to her
as to what went on while Ransford was in the house," answered
Mitchington. "When I'd once found that he had been there, you
know, I naturally wanted to know all I could."
"Well?" asked Bryce.
"Collishaw, I say, was putting up his dinner to take to his
work," continued Mitchington. "Mrs. Batts was doing a thing
or two about the house. Ransford went upstairs to see Mrs.
Collishaw. After a while he came down and said he would have
to remain a little. Collishaw went up to speak to his wife
before going out. And then Ransford asked Mrs. Batts for
something--I forget what--some small matter which the
Collishaw's hadn't got and she had, and she went next door to
fetch it. Therefore--do you see?--Ransford was left alone
with--Collishaw's tin bottle!"
Bryce, who had been listening attentively, looked steadily at
the inspector.
"You're suspecting Ransford already!" he said.
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