re no
more divorced in Colchester than elsewhere. "Seen that colonel guy
to-day?" asked Carroll.

"The colonel guy?" The doctor's voice showed his puzzlement.

"Yes, the chap that's working with Kenneth on the Darcy case."

"Seen him? No, I haven't."

"He was here looking for you a little while ago. Seemed quite anxious
about meeting you. Here he is now. Say, if he lets out anything we
can use against Darcy--you know, legitimate stuff--pass it on to me and
Thong, will you? You know we've got to go on the stand, and, between
you and me, our case ain't any too strong."

"That's right. I'll let you know what I hear," and the two ended their
half-whispered talk as Colonel Ashley entered police headquarters.

It was his third visit to headquarters that day in search of Doctor
Warren, and he would state the object of his seeking to none other.
Now he smiled at the man he had been looking for. They had met
previously.

"Ah, good afternoon, Doctor Warren. I've been looking for you," was
the colonel's greeting. "If you're not busy, sir, I'd like just a few
minutes of your time--officially, of course."

"Always ready for duty, Colonel. I guess you military men know that we
doctors are in a sort of class with yourselves when it comes to that."

"You're right. Now I won't be much more than a minute, and what I want
to ask you, I can propound right here as well as anywhere. You know
I'm working to save Darcy?"

"So I've heard."

"Well, you examined Mrs. Darcy soon after she was found dead. You may,
or you may not, have formed an opinion as to _who_ killed her, but I
judge you are positive as to _how_ she was killed--I mean the nature of
the wound."

"There were two wounds you know--a fracture of the skull just back of
the right ear, and a stab wound in the left side which punctured the
heart. Either would have caused death."

"Can you tell which killed her?"

"I should say the stab wound, but I can not be positive. You
understand, Colonel, that I am to go on the stand for the prosecution
and tell all I know about this case."

"Oh, yes, I realize that, of course. You are practically a witness
against Darcy. And I don't, for one moment, wish you to think that I
am trying to get advance information to use in his favor. This is
simply in the matter of justice, the ends of which I know you wish to
serve, as I do myself. So if I ask anything improper please stop me.
But since you will testify about