Isabel Ostrander

“ Until such time as I am able to produce proof of this, Inspector, may I ask that you place Captain Marchal under strict surveillance?"
"Every occupant of both houses has been shadowed from the hour the crime was discovered," Inspector Druet responded. "At this stage of the investigation I am not prepared to refute your theory, Mr. Terhune, but ingenious as your reconstruction of the murder was, I am afraid you will find that it won't work. For one thing, there's that little matter of blackmail which doesn't fit in with your theory. ”

“ As a grim little playlet of the Grand Guignol, produced in darkness, it would have been admirable; as an exposition of the case upon which you have bent your distinguished efforts it is of a surprisingly novel point of view. ”

“ From the beginning of the test to its completion the bulb was compressed in a grip which never relaxed an iota."
"That was Denny," observed McCarty. "He'd be holding on to it now only we pried him loose!"
"The seventh and last record, however, gives us something vastly different." Terhune's tones had quickened. "Evidently our friend Captain Marchal also recognized the odor of that particular brand of cigarette, for instinctively his fingers tightened about the bulb. The pressure increased at the suggested entrance of the woman and held until the talking-machine record was turned on. ”

“ For instance, take bulb number one, which was that held by my client, Mr. Jarvis. He is naturally in a feverish, weakened condition and super-sensitive to suggestion. The degree of moisture in the palm of his hand increased steadily through the violet, indigo and blue stages to the fourth—the green—where it remained until the tenth minute of the test; the minute when the voice of his dead wife sounded from the talking machine. Then the record leaped two degrees, through yellow to orange, and there remained. At no time did it reach the maximum—or red—degree at the top of the tube. ”

“ Terhune, that your test has been productive of the result you anticipated?"
"I cannot tell until I have examined the records," Terhune responded, unruffled by Norwood's tirade. "I will confer with you early in the morning, before the funeral. You must try to rest to-night and steady your nerves, for the utmost we may already have accomplished can at best be only circumstantial and the most difficult task still lies before us."
A new voice at McCarty's right caught his attention and he turned to find the Englishman, Vivaseur, in animated conversation with Inspector Druet. ”

“ It is unfortunate that we seem to be invariably working at cross purposes, but as In the past I think you will find my theory to be the true solution of the affair. Scientific testimony is incontrovertible and in spite of his self-control the man has laid bare his innermost thoughts to us here in these records. ”

“ One set ran under the rug to the screen and the other led to the clock. It is a physiological fact that nervousness superinduced by fear or a kindred emotion betrays itself by dryness of the mouth, stricture of the throat, irregular action of the heart and moisture and contraction of the hands. It is to the latter that I have confined myself exclusively during this test. ”