human
Then I take it, he said,
gpt
A lie--an absolute lie!
human
Perfectly correct, Mr. Deland.
gpt
Thank you, Mr. Duggan. At any rate, the ownership of the thing is established, which, by the way, Lady Paula, makes no assertion whatever as to incriminating _you_ in this disastrous affair. Miss Debenham, would you mind coming over here for a moment? I would like to look at your dress----
human
My _dress_, Mr. Deland?
gpt
No wonder you think I am mad, but--ah, yes! see, right here on this panel--I thought I was not mistaken. If you wouldn't mind turning round a little more toward the middle of the room, Miss Debenham--thank you--right here; those dark stains. He went down on his knees suddenly and sniffed them, rubbed them with his fingers, and then beckoned the mystified Mr. Narkom, who joined him immediately.
human
You see, Mr. Narkom, what it is? Rather peculiar, isn't it?
gpt
What the devil are you driving at? demanded Ross at this juncture, striding around the desk and taking up a stand beside his fiancée as though to shield her from the hands of these merciless probers of human hearts.
human
I wish to God you and your kind had never showed up here at all, I do, indeed! You always bring trouble in your wake.
gpt
supplemented Cleek quietly.
human
The trouble is generally there first. It is our business to see that it is thrust upon--the right shoulders.
gpt
Then Cynthia--what are you driving at now?
human
Simply this. Those three stains there--long, narrow ones--upon Miss Debenham's gown (I noticed them this morning at breakfast) are--bloodstains, Mr. Duggan--_bloodstains_!
gpt
But how, Mr. Deland?-- But why?-- And upon Cynthia's dress, too!
human
Well, I'll swear I never had anything to do with it, anyhow! threw in Cynthia emphatically and in a voice of astonishment.
gpt
How _could_ they be bloodstains, Mr. Deland? and how could they possibly get on _my_ frock? Solve that question, if you please, first of all.
human
Quite a simple one, Miss Debenham. Just this: The murderer--or one of them, as the case may be--entered this room by that middle window, stabbed Sir Andrew with the stiletto, stolen for the purpose, of course--then, in a frenzy lest he be discovered, caught hold of the nearest thing and wiped the bloodstained instrument upon it, and then made off as quickly as possible. You happened to be the nearest, no doubt. So you were the person chosen. Did you not feel anything at all of the action?
gpt
Nothing that I remember. We were all so astonished when the light failed that I don't remember anything at all about it. If it was done, it was done gently--and my skirt is wide.
human
And you think the murderer, the perpetrator of this wicked crime, was a man, then, Mr. Deland?
gpt
I do, indeed. No woman could have arranged the thing like this, Lady Paula. The electricity would have been too difficult a problem for her, in the first place, and then the shooting----
human
And how do you account for _that_, Mr. Deland?
gpt
Ah, that is a more difficult matter. How? By whose hand? We will get back to our stage rehearsal for that, I think. Mr. Narkom, would you sit down again in the chair? Thanks very much. It's only just for a moment. Now, if you ladies would take up your positions again as they were, I'd be very much obliged. Let me see. The shot entered the temple here above the left eye and passed clean through the head into the wall of the room beyond. An acute angle of fifty degrees. H'm. That would bring it to about over there and to a level with the top of that wood-panelling. Then the bullet must be located somewhere in that vicinity, from all logical reasonings. But where? Come, Mr. Narkom, just a moment. Lend me your keen eyes, will you? And we'll have a look together. It'll want careful looking, I'll warrant. But the panelling's in fine condition and shows every mark. I-- Gad! and here it is too!
human
Here, lend me your knife, my friend, and we'll dig it out. That will establish a pretty good clue, I can promise you. And a soundless pistol-shot--an air-gun. It ought to be easy to trace the owner of _that_, in desolate parts like this. Well, here goes!