But by this time Painter--a fair-haired
young constable of small intelligence--was examining the packing
case and surveying the dead. Dr. Robinson also looked with a
professional eye, and Braddock, wiping his purple face and
gasping with exhaustion, sat down on a stone sarcophagus.
Archie, folding his arms, leaned against the wall and waited
quietly to hear what the experts in crime and medicine would say.
The packing case was deep and wide and long, made of tough teak
and banded at intervals with iron bands. Within this was a case
of tin, which, when it held the mummy, had been soldered up;
impervious to air and water. But the unknown person who had
extracted the mummy, to replace it by a murdered man's body, had
cut open the tin casing with some sharp instrument. There was
straw round the tin casing and straw within, amongst which the
body of the unfortunate young man was placed. Rigor mortis had
set in, and the corpse, with straight legs and hands placed
stiffly by its side, lay against the back of the tin casing
surrounded more or less by the straw packing, or at least by so
much as the Professor had not torn away. The face looked dark,
and the eyes were wide open and staring. Robinson stepped
forward and ran his hand round the neck.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88