Final Count by Sapper

Author:Sapper [Sapper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Detective, Crime, Drummond, bulldog, sapper, warfare, chemical
ISBN: 9780755117383
Publisher: House of Stratus
Published: 1985-01-01T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

In which I appear to become irrelevant

I think it was the method of the murder of Sir John that brought home to me most forcibly the nerve of the gang that confronted us. And though there will be many people who remember the affair, yet, for the benefit of those who do not, I will set forth what happened as detailed in the papers of the following day. The cutting is before me as I write.

“Another astounding and cold-blooded murder occurred between the hours of nine and ten last night. Sir John Dallas, the well-known scientist and authority on toxicology, was stabbed through the heart in his own laboratory.

“The following are the facts of the case. Sir John, as our readers will remember, gave evidence as recently as the day before yesterday in the sensational Robin Gaunt affair. He described in court the action of the new and deadly poison, by means of which the dog, the policeman and the Australian – David Ganton – had been killed. He also stated that he was endeavouring to analyse the drug, and there can be little doubt that he was engaged on that very work when he met his end.

“It appears that yesterday afternoon a further and, at present, secret development occurred which caused Sir John to feel hopeful of success. He returned to his house in Eaton Square in time for dinner, which he had served in his study – the usual course of procedure when he was busy. At eight-thirty he rang the bell and Elizabeth Perkins, the parlour-maid, came and removed the tray. He was apparently completely absorbed in his research at that time, since he failed to answer her twice repeated question as to what time he would like his milk. On the desk in front of him was a bottle containing a colourless liquid which looked like water, and a small cardboard box.

“These facts are interesting in view of what is to follow, and may prove to have an important bearing on the case. At between nine o’clock and a quarter-past the front-door bell rang, and it was answered by Perkins. There was a man outside who stated that he had come to see Sir John on a very important matter. She told him that Sir John was busy, but when he told her that it was in connection with Sir John’s work that he was there, she showed him along the passage to the laboratory. And then she heard the stranger say distinctly, ‘I’ve come from Scotland Yard, Sir John.’

“Now there can be but little doubt that this man was the murderer himself, since no one from Scotland Yard visited Sir John at that hour. And as walking openly into a man’s house, killing him, and walking out again requires a nerve possessed by few, the added touch of introducing himself as a member of the police is quite in keeping with the whole amazing case.

“To return, however, to what happened. Perkins, having shown this man into the laboratory, returned to the servants’ hall, where she remained till ten o’clock.

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