He expressed a wish to ask your Grace a question or two with a view
to rendering your Grace's attendance at the inquest unnecessary."
Mr. Sabin nodded.
"I am perfectly willing," he said, "to answer any questions you may
choose to put to me."
A plain, hard-featured little man, in a long black overcoat, and
holding a bowler hat in his hand, bowed respectfully to Mr. Sabin.
"I am much obliged to you, sir," he said. "My name is John Passmore.
We do not of course appear in this matter unless the post-mortem
should indicate anything unusual in the circumstances of Duson's
death, but it is always well to be prepared, and I ventured to ask
Mr. Hertz here to procure for me your opinion as regards the death
of your servant."
"You have asked me," Mr. Sabin said gravely, "a very difficult
question."
The eyes of the little detective flashed keenly.
"You do not believe then, sir, that he died a natural death?"
"I do not," Mr. Sabin answered.
Mr. Hertz was startled. The detective controlled his features
admirably.
"May I ask your reasons, sir?"
Mr. Sabin lightly shrugged his shoulders.
"I have never known the man to have a day's illness in his life,"
he said. "Further, since his arrival in England he has been
acting in a strange and furtive manner, and I gathered that he had
some cause for fear which he was indisposed to talk about.
Pages:
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245