"There isn't a scrap of evidence to show that the murderer was a
woman."
Coroner: "You are out of order, sir. And I would point out that,
as yet, Inspector Date has produced no witnesses."
Date glared. He and the Coroner were old enemies, and always
sparred when they met. It seemed likely, that the peppery little
Professor would join in the quarrel and that there would be a
duel of three; but Date, not wishing for an adverse report in the
newspapers as to his conduct of the case, contented himself with
the glare aforesaid, and, after a short speech, called Braddock.
The Professor, looking more like a cross cherub than ever, gave
his evidence tartly. It seemed ridiculous to his prejudiced mind
that all this fuss should be made over Bolton's body, when the
mummy; was still missing. However, as the discovery of the
criminal would assuredly lead to the regaining of that precious
Peruvian relic, he curbed his wrath and answered the Coroner's
questions in a fairly amiable fashion.
And, after all, Braddock had very little to tell. He had, so he
stated, seen an advertisement in a newspaper that a mummy,
swathed in green bandages, was to be sold in Malta; and had sent
his assistant to buy it and bring it home.
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