"Neither of them seems to see the
significance of that bag in the least."
"Did you know about the bag, then?" I asked in surprise.
"No. I thought it was the hair-brush."
I gazed at my colleague in amazement, and was about to ask for some
elucidation of this cryptic reply, when he held up his finger and turned
again to listen.
"Very well, Mr. Horwitz," the coroner was saying, "I will make a note of
your objection, but I shall allow the sergeant to continue his
evidence."
The solicitor sat down, and the detective resumed his statement.
"I have examined and compared the two samples of hair, and it is my
opinion that they are from the head of the same person. The only other
observation that I made in the room was that there was a small quantity
of silver sand sprinkled on the pillow around the deceased woman's
head."
"Silver sand!" exclaimed the coroner. "Surely that is a very singular
material to find on a woman's pillow?"
"I think it is easily explained," replied the sergeant. "The wash-hand
basin was full of bloodstained water, showing that the murderer had
washed his--or her--hands, and probably the knife, too, after the crime.
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