"
Drillford muttered something about local authorities and property-owners
and went forward into an office, motioning Viner to follow. The
divisional surgeon was there in conversation with the sergeant whom
Drillford had left in charge of the body. "That is something on which I'd
stake my professional reputation," he said. "I'm sure of it."
"What's that, Doctor?" asked Drillford. "Something to do with this
affair?"
"I was saying that whoever stabbed this unfortunate man had some
knowledge of anatomy," remarked the doctor. "He was killed by one swift
blow from a particularly keen-edged, thin-bladed weapon which was driven
through his back at the exact spot. You ought to make a minute search
behind the walls on either side of that passage--the probability is that
the murderer threw his weapon away."
"We'll do all that, Doctor," said Drillford. "As to your
suggestion--don't you forget that there are a good many criminals here in
London who are regular experts in the use of the knife--I've seen plenty
of instances of that myself. Now," he went on, turning to the sergeant,
"about that search? What did you find on him?"
The sergeant lifted the lid of a desk and pointed to a sheet of foolscap
paper whereon lay certain small articles at which Viner gazed with a
sense of strange fascination.
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