Chapter 24

A STARTLING DISCOVERY

Mrs. Warren, who had spent an anxious evening by herself, heard the rattle of her husband's latch key, and hurried out to the front door to meet him.

"Any new developments, dear?" she asked, as he stooped and kissed her.

Warren hung up his overcoat and hat before answering. "Let us go into the study," he suggested, and waited until they were closeted in the room before he spoke again. "Goddard has been placed under close arrest."

"Great Heavens! Why?" Mrs. Warren pushed forward a lounging chair. "Sit here, dear, you look utterly worn out."

"I am." The senator dropped wearily into the seat and stretched himself in comfort. "Baker insists that Goddard is an accessory after the fact." He ceased speaking, and drew out his cigar case and selected one of its contents. Mrs. Warren threw herself on the sofa near at hand and waited in silence for her husband to continue his remarks. "The judge advocate, also, is firmly convinced that Goddard knows more of what took place in Lloyd's bedroom than he will admit."

"I agree with the judge advocate," admitted Mrs. Warren. "It was only too obvious this afternoon that Major Goddard was trying to shield Nancy."

"And by so doing he has accomplished more harm than good." Warren paused and watched the smoke from his cigar as it curled slowly upward. "And what is worse, he has _shown_ that he himself believes she is guilty."

"But, oh, Tom, how he loves her!"

"Yes," Warren's face softened. "He lied like a man. I wish to God he hadn't been caught!"

"Tom--you--you--_don't_ believe Nancy killed that man?" The question seemed forced from her.

Warren hesitated. "Nancy swore to me that she was innocent; and yet--the deeper we go into this affair the more evidence we find that she _only_ could have murdered Lloyd."

"But, Tom, we have only heard the prosecution's side of the case, so far. Your defence will surely throw some light favorable to Nancy's cause."

Again Warren hesitated and twirled his beard with nervous fingers; then burst out, "I wouldn't give _that_"--he snapped his fingers derisively--"for my defence! Louise, except Miss Metoaca, there is not _one_ person I can call as a witness in Nancy's behalf. God help the girl! My only hope is to shake or discredit the testimony of the Government's witnesses."

He glanced at his wife's shocked face, and added hastily, "To sum up the case against Nancy: let us grant that the prosecution has established a motive for the murder. Now, they have proved, mind you, _proved_: first, that Captain Lloyd's talk with Symonds in the hall could have been overheard, and that _no_ one but Nancy could have understood to whom that conversation referred as no names were mentioned; secondly, that Nancy was in the boarding-house at that time on the floor above; thirdly, that later she was seen coming _from_ the back hall, which Captain Lloyd's bedroom door opens into; fourth, that Captain Lloyd's door was not locked; fifth, that Nancy had her dog with her; sixth, that that dog was in the room at the very time Captain Lloyd was probably killed. Nancy gave Mrs. Lewis a plausible excuse for her presence in that hall when she said she had gone down stairs to look for Misery, but I doubt if I can _prove_ her statement. I have already seen the cook, Aunt Dinah, and questioned her as to whether the dog or Nancy were in the kitchen that afternoon, and the only response I could get from her was that she 'disremembered'."

"It is all circumstantial evidence," protested Mrs. Warren.

"Aye, my dear; only circumstantial evidence--but strong enough to convict her. I have not one witness who can refute this testimony."

"Why not let Nancy testify in her own behalf?"

"Nancy _can_ testify in her own behalf and make a statement, but the evidence and statement will not be recorded. Besides, what weight will her unsupported word carry against a dozen witnesses?" asked Warren, bitterly.

"The coroner testified that Captain Lloyd might have died from heart failure. Perhaps Nancy entered the room just to steal the paper and found the captain already dead, and she dare not confess that she was in his room fearing they would not believe she had not killed him," argued Mrs. Warren, hopefully.

"My dear, if she made such an admission the court would lose no time worrying as to whether she killed Lloyd or not. They would instantly convict her for being a rebel spy, and she would hang," returned Warren, grimly.

"Why?" blankly.

"Because if she admits stealing that paper, it is proof positive that Captain Lloyd's charges are true."

"Scylla and Charybdis!" ejaculated Mrs. Warren. "But you forget, Tom, that Lee has surrendered."

"And Joe Johnston has not," dryly. "The war is not over. Once convicted on such a charge Nancy need expect no leniency. I have just left Miss Metoaca--" A knock interrupted him. "Come in!" Then as his servant entered, "Well, Hamilton, what is it?"

"Doctor Ward would like ter see yo', suh."

Warren rose. "Is he in the parlor?"

"Yes, suh."

"Wait!" Mrs. Warren sprang up from the sofa. "Hamilton, show the doctor in here. I am going up to my room, Tom, and you and the doctor can talk here undisturbed." And with a swish of her skirts she disappeared up the staircase as the man-servant ushered the doctor into the study.

"How are you, Ward," said the senator, heartily. "Stop, Hamilton, bring the doctor some refreshments."

"None for me, Senator, thank you all the same." Ward took the chair pushed toward him, and Warren turned his seat about so as to face his visitor. "I am sorry to disturb you at this hour, but I felt that I had to see you at once."

"Oh, that's all right. I am glad you came. I doubt if I can sleep to-night. The prosecution will rest its case to-morrow, and my work begins." He opened his cigar case and handed it to the doctor. "Won't you join me? Here's a match." He put an ash receiver on the table by Ward's side. "Have you heard of Goddard's arrest?"

"Yes. It is all over town by now; and Stanton is very much censured for placing him under close arrest. Major Goddard has won the people's sympathy."

"It is not surprising. His blindness, his evident infatuation for Miss Newton and desire to shield her appeal to the romantic side of human nature. I only wish it would have the same effect on the Court," growled Warren.

For a few minutes the two men smoked in silence; then Ward laid aside his cigar. "May I close the door?" he asked. "I have something of importance to say to you."

"Why, certainly." Warren started to rise, but Ward returned quickly from closing the door, and resumed his seat.

"I made a startling discovery to-night," he began. "I suppose I should take my story to the judge advocate; but I am convinced you are defending an innocent girl, and this information may help you to clear her."

"Continue," urged Warren, his weariness forgotten. Ward drew his chair closer to his interested listener.

"You undoubtedly recollect that Captain Lloyd was found dead on Monday night, March 6th, and that Symonds sent at once for me."

"Yes, yes," exclaimed Warren, impatiently as Ward paused for a reply.

"The next day I called to see Major Goddard in the morning, and again in the afternoon. To my intense indignation I found Colonel Baker talking to Goddard, with what results you know. Goddard's condition was such that I had to remain with him all night.

"When I rose to go the young nurse handed me my hypodermic syringe, saying that I had left it there that morning. I dropped the syringe into my overcoat pocket and thought no more of the matter. The weather turned mild, and I did not use my overcoat again. But this evening I hunted through its pockets looking for a mislaid letter, and I found my hypodermic syringe.

"I was considerably puzzled; for I have given many hypodermics since I used that coat. So I searched through the pockets of the clothes I have on and found the syringe I have been using constantly. Thinking the syringe in the coat pocket was the one I carry in my bag for emergencies, I opened the bag intending to replace it, and was astounded to find a syringe already there.

"Then I sat down and examined the syringe the nurse had given me. I found some substance remaining in it; made several tests, and discovered that it was a solution of curari or curarine."

"Curari!" echoed Warren.

"Curari, called variously 'curara, ourari, woorali', a deadly poison which leaves no trace when injected into the blood, or applied to an open wound or sore."

Warren's eyes were fairly popping from his head. "And you think?" he gasped.

"There is not a doubt in my mind but that Captain Lloyd was killed by an injection of a solution of curari," declared Ward, positively. "Every symptom, or rather, lack of symptoms, found at the autopsy points to its use.

"Realizing what I had stumbled across," continued the doctor, "I hurried over to the office of the Sanitary Commission, and they told me there that the nurse, Mary Phelps, was at the Central Hospital. When I reached the hospital I found Miss Phelps just going off duty. She said that she had found that syringe tucked between the mattress and the headboard of Goddard's bed when she changed the sheets. She supposed I had dropped it there the night before."

Ward ceased speaking, and in uncontrollable excitement Warren sprang to his feet and walked rapidly up and down the room.

"This ought to help, and yet I cannot see--I cannot see," he muttered; then wheeled on Ward, who was watching him intently. "Come, Doctor, haven't you formed some theory which may give me a clue?"

"I have," admitted Ward slowly. "It is one that may lead to very serious consequences. Curari is a poison that we Americans at present know little about. It is used by the South American Indians, who dip their arrow points in it. You can swallow a small dose of the poison and it will not hurt you. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to get this drug in this country. I only know one person who possesses a small quantity of the poison."

"His name?" demanded Warren vehemently. "His name?" Then as Ward still hesitated, "Good God! man, do you realize that an innocent life may be sacrificed if you don't divulge his name!"

"It is that which induced me to come to you to-night, Senator," said Ward reluctantly. "The only man I know who owns that drug is my preceptor, Doctor John Boyd."

"Boyd!" shouted Warren. "Oh, preposterous!"

"That is what I thought--at first."

"Why, why, damn it, man!" exclaimed Warren. "Doctor John wouldn't do such a thing. He is just a hot-tempered, peppery old Southern----"

"Exactly, sir, and has been accused of passing information through our lines. Time and again he has been threatened with arrest."

Warren mopped his hot face; then dropped back into his chair. "Go ahead and explain your theory more definitely," he directed abruptly.

"Doctor John is devoted to Miss Newton. I don't doubt he has assisted her on many occasions--" Ward checked his hasty speech. He did not wish to convince Warren that Nancy was a spy. _That_ would not be doing her a service.

"Listen to me, Senator," he checked off his remarks on his fingers to emphasize them. "Doctor John Boyd is the only person who has any curari in this city--to that I am willing to swear. Miss Newton may have confided to him that Lloyd suspected her of being a spy, and that she feared him. Doctor John may have overheard Lloyd when he told Symonds that he had absolute proof of her guilt. He attends several of Mrs. Lane's boarders professionally, and may have been in the house at that time."

"Hold on, hold on; not so fast, man," cautioned Warren. "It is not likely Doctor John went about carrying poison in his pocket, and how was it possible for him to be there at the psychological moment?"

"You forget his office is next door to Mrs. Lane's; it would not have taken him five minutes to get the poison and reënter the boarding house. Secondly," as Warren still stared at him with unbelieving eyes, "Doctor John disappeared that night and has not been heard of since."