But it was no use trying to reason with the public,
they had got it into their sage heads that a crime had been
committed, and demanded evidence; so as the press had no real
evidence to give, they made it up, and the public, in private
conversations, amplified the evidence until they constructed a
complete criminal case.
'Pshaw!' said Rolleston, when he read these sensational reports, 'in
spite of the quidnuncs the mountain will only produce a mouse after
all.'
But he was wrong, for now rumours were started that the Government
analyst and Dr Gollipeck had found poison in the stomach, and that,
moreover, the real criminal would be soon discovered. Public opinion
was much divided as to who the criminal was--some, having heard the
story of Madame's marriage, said it was her husband; others insisted
Kitty Marchurst was the culprit, and was trying to shield herself
behind this wild story of the hand coming from behind the curtains;
while others were in favour of suicide. At all events, on the
morning when the inquest was resumed, and the evidence was to be
given of the analysis of the stomach, the Court was crowded, and a
dead silence pervaded the place when the Government analyst stood up
to give his evidence. Madame Midas was present, with Kitty seated
beside her, the latter looking pale and ill; and Kilsip, with a
gratified smile on his face which seemed as though he had got a clue
to the whole mystery, was seated next to Calton.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372