What about that book, now, Mr. Ayscough? Come on!--what about it!--and its
owner?"
"What is this?" demanded the Coroner. "If there is anything--"
"Anything, sir!" exclaimed Melky. "There's just this--between the time
that my cousin there, Miss Zillah Wildrose left the old man alive, and the
time when Mr. Lauriston found him dead, somebody came into the shop as
left a valuable book behind him on the parlour table, which book,
according to all the advertisements in the morning papers, is the property
of Mr. Spencer Levendale, the Member of Parliament, as lives in Sussex
Square. Why ain't that matter brought up? Why ain't Mr. Levendale brought
here? I ask you, Mr. Coroner, to have it seen into! There's more behind
it--"
The Coroner held up a hand and beckoned the police inspector and Mr.
Parminter to approach his desk; a moment later, Ayscough was summoned. And
Lauriston, watching the result of this conference, was quickly aware that
the Coroner was not particularly pleased; he suddenly turned on the
inspector with a question which was heard by every one in court.
"Why was not the matter of the book put before the Court at first?" he
demanded.
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