The Mystery at Stowe

Elaine stared straight before her. ‘When I entered the room, and saw her lying there, I put my arm under her, and tried to lift her up. Then something told me she was dead, and though I have had some experience in my travels of sudden deaths, I was so shocked that I let her fall back.’

‘That will explain the bruise on the back of the head,’ said the superintendent.

CHAPTER V (#ulink_c1fee3b5-b202-5e6b-9ea7-094e52ed322e)

THE FINGERPRINTS (#ulink_c1fee3b5-b202-5e6b-9ea7-094e52ed322e)

‘HAS Dr Browne gone?’ asked the superintendent, of Mr Barley.

‘Yes. He had to go to an urgent case. He will be back later.’

‘Then we must leave this question of the bruise till later. Now, Miss Gurdon, you are aware that Dr Browne believed Mrs Tollard died as the result of some alkaloid poison in which the point of a dart had been steeped. You know something of these primitive South American weapons.’

‘Yes.’

‘And you have heard of the use of curare?’

‘I have seen it used in that way.’

‘Then you will agree with Dr Browne that it was used in this case?’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’

Mr Barley started, looking puzzled. Even the detective gave her a glance of wonder.

‘Why not?’

She frowned slightly. ‘There are several ways of poisoning these darts. Some tribes use a poison that is unfamiliar to me. Some poison them with snake-venom injected by the snake into rotten meat. Some use woorali, which is also called urari, and curare here at home. But curare is not so deadly when it is stale.’

‘I was not aware of that,’ said Fisher thoughtfully. ‘But your answer, Miss Gurdon, brings up another point. How could you, from merely seeing the body, assert that poison other than fresh poison was used on the top of the dart?’

‘I have every ground for believing it,’ she said steadily. ‘Mr Barley has taken over some curios of mine. Among them is a blow-pipe, and a little quiver for darts. There were six darts in the quiver when the trophy was hung up in the hall. This morning, in Mr Barley’s presence, I took it down, and found only five.’

‘Is this true, sir?’ said Fisher quickly.

‘Quite. I forgot to tell you.’

‘Well, we shall go into that later. I want to hear more of these weapons, Miss Gurdon. For example, what is their range?’

Elaine looked down. ‘It varies, just as the range of a bow and arrow varies, with the user. I should say sixty yards was a very long shot, and many people would not be able to aim accurately at that distance.’

‘While the speed of the dart would not be great?’

‘That is of no moment. The darts themselves, unless received in the eyes, say, would not do much harm. The savage relies on the deadly poison with which the dart is tipped.’

‘So that a mere scratch would be fatal?’

‘If fresh poison was used in the case of curare.’

‘Then curare was not used on the darts in your possession?’

‘No.’

‘Have you any idea what it was?’

‘No, it was one of the poisons I could not analyse.’

‘So that it might be dangerous even when not quite fresh?’

‘I thing so. I have heard that is so. I remember a boy, a native servant of mine, from that tribe, killed pacas with them, three months after we had left his tribe, though he had no means of getting a fresh supply of poison.’

‘You think it possible from your experience that a man could shoot, say from the lawn outside, and kill a lady in the house?’

‘Granting three things: a man who could use the blow-pipe, who saw Mrs Tollard at the window, and had a dart tipped with this particular venom.’

‘Thank you, Miss Gurdon. That is a help to us. The window was open. You might go out, Warren, and investigate that point. And you might give out a general warning that no one in the house, servants or guests, should cross the lawn, or walk on the path under that window.’

The detective-inspector got up. ‘Very well, sir.’

‘Leave your notes with me.’

Warren handed over the note-book, and went out.

Fisher turned again to Elaine. ‘I suppose it is rare to find an English person who can use a blow-pipe?’

‘Yes. Some explorers can. Many don’t trouble to learn, or find it too difficult.’

‘Can you use one?’

‘Yes. I was showing them here lately how it was used. Of course I used harmless darts.’

‘Did anyone of your audience try a hand at it?’

Elaine bit her lip. ‘One or two,’ she said. ‘Mr Haine tried, and Mr Tollard.’

‘Is that the dead lady’s husband?’

‘He went to town before this occurred,’ interrupted Mr Barley anxiously.

Fisher frowned. ‘So he was not in the house last night?’

‘No. He went to town.’

‘Well, we shall see him later. But to return to this demonstration, Miss Gurdon, did Mr Haine or the other gentleman show any—er—proficiency?’

Elaine reddened slightly. ‘Mr Haine couldn’t get it out at all. Mr Tollard sent the dart a fair distance, but without any certainty of aim.’

‘At least he could fire it?’