The Lost Despatch

by Natalie Sumner Lincoln

  CHAPTER XXIV

  A STARTLING DISCOVERY

  Mrs. Warren, who had spent an anxious evening by herself, heard therattle of her husband's latch key, and hurried out to the front door tomeet 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 intothe study," he suggested, and waited until they were closeted in theroom before he spoke again. "Goddard has been placed under closearrest."

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

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

  "I agree with the judge advocate," admitted Mrs. Warren. "It was onlytoo obvious this afternoon that Major Goddard was trying to shieldNancy."

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

  "But, oh, Tom, how he loves her!"

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

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

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

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

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

  He glanced at his wife's shocked face, and added hastily, "To sum upthe case against Nancy: let us grant that the prosecution hasestablished a motive for the murder. Now, they have proved, mind you,_proved_: first, that Captain Lloyd's talk with Symonds in the hallcould have been overheard, and that _no_ one but Nancy could haveunderstood to whom that conversation referred as no names werementioned; secondly, that Nancy was in the boarding-house at that timeon the floor above; thirdly, that later she was seen coming _from_ theback hall, which Captain Lloyd's bedroom door opens into; fourth, thatCaptain Lloyd's door was not locked; fifth, that Nancy had her dog withher; sixth, that that dog was in the room at the very time CaptainLloyd was probably killed. Nancy gave Mrs. Lewis a plausible excuse forher presence in that hall when she said she had gone down stairs tolook for Misery, but I doubt if I can _prove_ her statement. I havealready seen the cook, Aunt Dinah, and questioned her as to whether thedog or Nancy were in the kitchen that afternoon, and the only responseI 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 toconvict 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 theevidence and statement will not be recorded. Besides, what weight willher unsupported word carry against a dozen witnesses?" asked Warren,bitterly.

  "The coroner testified that Captain Lloyd might have died from heartfailure. Perhaps Nancy entered the room just to steal the paper andfound the captain already dead, and she dare not confess that she wasin 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 timeworrying as to whether she killed Lloyd or not. They would instantlyconvict her for being a rebel spy, and she would hang," returnedWarren, grimly.

  "Why?" blankly.

  "Because if she admits stealing that paper, it is proof positive thatCaptain 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 convictedon such a charge Nancy need expect no leniency. I have just left MissMetoaca--" A knock interrupted him. "Come in!" Then as his servantentered, "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 doctorin here. I am going up to my room, Tom, and you and the doctor can talkhere undisturbed." And with a swish of her skirts she disappeared upthe staircase as the man-servant ushered the doctor into the study.

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

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

  "Oh, that's all right. I am glad you came. I doubt if I can sleepto-night. The prosecution will rest its case to-morrow, and my workbegins." He opened his cigar case and handed it to the doctor. "Won'tyou join me? Here's a match." He put an ash receiver on the table byWard's side. "Have you heard of Goddard's arrest?"

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

  "It is not surprising. His blindness, his evident infatuation for MissNewton and desire to shield her appeal to the romantic side of humannature. 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 asidehis cigar. "May I close the door?" he asked. "I have something ofimportance to say to you."

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

  "I made a startling discovery to-night," he began. "I suppose I shouldtake my story to the judge advocate; but I am convinced you aredefending an innocent girl, and this information may help you to clearher."

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

  "You undoubtedly recollect that Captain Lloyd was found dead on Mondaynight, 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 againin the afternoon. To my intense indignation I found Colonel Bakertalking to Goddard, with what results you know. Goddard's condition wassuch 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 syringeinto my overcoat pocket and thought no more of the matter. The weatherturned mild, and I did not use my overcoat again. But this evening Ihunted through its pockets looking for a mislaid letter, and I found myhypodermic syringe.

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

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

  "Curari!" echoed Warren.

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

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

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

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

  Ward ceased speaking, and in uncontrollable excitement Warren sprang tohis 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 veryserious consequences. Curari is a poison that we Americans at presentknow little about. It is used by the South American Indians, who diptheir arrow points in it. You can swallow a small dose of the poisonand it will not hurt you. It is very difficult, if not impossible, toget this drug in this country. I only know one person who possesses asmall quantity of the poison."

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

  "It is that which induced me to come to you to-night, Senator," saidWard reluctantly. "The only man I know who owns that drug is mypreceptor, 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 dosuch a thing. He is just a hot-tempered, peppery old Southern----"

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

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

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

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

  "Hold on, hold on; not so fast, man," cautioned Warren. "It is notlikely Doctor John went about carrying poison in his pocket, and howwas 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 havetaken him five minutes to get the poison and reenter the boardinghouse. Secondly," as Warren still stared at him with unbelieving eyes,"Doctor John disappeared that night and has not been heard of since."