"I shall start," announced Kennedy, "at the point where the state
left off--with the proof that Mr. Godwin died of conine, or
hemlock poisoning. Conine, as every chemist knows, has a long and
well-known history. It was the first alkaloid to be synthesised.
Here is a sample, this colourless, oily fluid. No doubt you have
noticed the mousey odour in this room. As little as one part of
conine to fifty thousand of water gives off that odour--it is
characteristic.
"I have proceeded with extraordinary caution in my investigation
of this case," he went on. "In fact, there would have been no
value in it, otherwise, for the experts for the people seem to
have established the presence of conine in the body with absolute
certainty."
He paused and we waited expectantly.
"I have had the body exhumed and have repeated the tests. The
alkaloid which I discovered had given precisely the same results
as in their tests."
My heart sank. What was he doing--convicting the man over again?
"There is one other test which I tried," he continued, "but which
I can not take time to duplicate tonight.
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