Mitchington showed a desire to speak, and Bryce paused.
“What about what Ransford said before the Coroner?” asked Mitchington. “He demanded certain information about the postmortem, you know, which, he said, ought to have shown that there was nothing poisonous in those pills.”
“Pooh!” exclaimed Bryce contemptuously. “Mere bluff! Of such a pill as that I’ve described there’d be no trace but the sugar coating—and the poison. I tell you, I haven’t the least doubt that that was how the poison was administered. It was easy. And—who is there that would know how easily it could be administered but—a medical man?”
Mitchington and Jettison exchanged glances. Then Jettison leaned nearer to Bryce.
“So your theory is that Ransford got rid of both Braden and Collishaw—murdered both of them, in fact?” he suggested. “Do I understand that’s what it really comes to—in plain words?”
“Not quite,” replied Bryce. “I don’t say that Ransford meant to kill Braden—my notion is that they met, had an altercation, probably a struggle, and that Braden lost his life in it. But as regards Collishaw—”
“Don’t forget!” interrupted Mitchington. “Varner swore that he saw Braden flung through that doorway! Flung out! He saw a hand.”
“For everything that Varner could prove to the contrary,” answered Bryce, “the hand might have been stretched out to pull Braden back. No—I think there may have been accident in that affair. But, as regards Collishaw—murder, without doubt—deliberate!”
He lighted another cigarette, with the air of a man who had spoken his mind, and Mitchington, realizing that he had said all he had to say, got up from his seat.
“Well—it’s all very interesting and very clever, doctor,” he said, glancing at Jettison. “And we shall keep it all in mind. Of course, you’ve talked all this over with Harker? I should like to know what he has to say. Now that you’ve told us who he is, I suppose we can talk to him?”
“You’ll have to wait a few days, then,” said Bryce. “He’s gone to town—by the last train tonight—on this business. I’ve sent him. I had some information today about Ransford’s whereabouts during the time of disappearance, and I’ve commissioned Harker to examine into it. When I hear what he’s found out, I’ll let you know.”
“You’re taking some trouble,” remarked Mitchington.
“I’ve told you the reason,” answered Bryce.
Mitchington hesitated a little; then, with a motion of his head towards the door, beckoned Jettison to follow him.
“All right,” he said. “There’s plenty for us to see into, I’m thinking!”
Bryce laughed and pointed to a shelf of books near the fireplace.
“Do you know what Napoleon Bonaparte once gave as sound advice to police?” he asked. “No! Then I’ll tell you. ‘The art of the police,’ he said, ‘is not to see that which it is useless for it to see.’ Good counsel, Mitchington!”
The two men went away through the midnight streets, and kept silence until they were near the door of Jettison’s hotel. Then Mitchington spoke.
“Well!” he said. “We’ve had a couple of tales, anyhow! What do you think of things, now?”
Jettison threw back his head with a dry laugh.
“Never been better puzzled in all my time!” he said. “Never! But—if that young doctor’s playing a game—then, by the Lord Harry, inspector, it’s a damned deep ’un! And my advice is—watch the lot!”
XX
Jettison Takes a Hand
By breakfast time next morning the man from New Scotland Yard had accomplished a series of meditations on the confidences made to him and Mitchington the night before and had determined on at least one course of action. But before entering upon it he had one or two important letters to write, the composition of which required much thought and trouble, and by the time he had finished them, and deposited them by his own hand in the General Post Office, it was drawing near to noon—the great bell of the Cathedral, indeed, was proclaiming noontide to Wrychester as Jettison turned into the police-station and sought Mitchington in his office.
“I was just coming round to see if you’d overslept yourself,” said Mitchington good-humouredly. “We were up pretty late last night, or, rather, this morning.”
“I’ve had letters to write,” said Jettison. He sat down and picked up a newspaper and cast a casual glance over it. “Got anything fresh?”
“Well, this much,” answered Mitchington. “The two gentlemen who told us so much last night are both out of town. I made an excuse to call on them both early this morning—just on nine o’clock. Dr. Ransford went up to London by the eight-fifteen.
“Dr. Bryce, says his landlady, went out on his bicycle at half-past eight—where, she didn’t know, but, she fancied, into the country. However, I ascertained that Ransford is expected back this evening, and Bryce gave orders for his usual dinner to be ready at seven o’clock, and so—”
Jettison flung away the newspaper and pulled out his pipe.
“Oh, I don’t think they’ll run away—either of ’em,” he remarked indifferently. “They’re both too cocksure of their own ways of looking at things.”
“You looked at ’em any more?” asked Mitchington.
“Done a bit of reflecting—yes,” replied the detective. “Complicated affair, my lad! More in it than one would think at first sight. I’m certain of this quite apart from whatever mystery there is about the Braden affair and the Collishaw murder, there’s a lot of scheming and contriving been going on—and is going on!—somewhere, by somebody. Underhand work, you understand? However, my particular job is the Collishaw business—and there’s a bit of information I’d like to get hold of at once. Where’s the office of that Friendly Society we heard about last night?”
“That’ll be the Wrychester Second Friendly,” answered Mitchington. “There are two
