impertinent, such as, "Have you noticed the blotter, Mr. Coroner?
Very often, you know, much may be learned from the blotter on a
man's desk."

As the large blotter in question was by no means fresh, indeed
was thickly covered with ink impressions, and as there was
nothing to indicate that Mr. Crawford had been engaged in writing
immediately before his death, Mr. Orville's suggestion was
somewhat irrelevant. And, too, the jurors were not detectives
seeking clues, but were now merely learning the known facts.

However, Mr. Orville fussed around, even looking into the
wastebasket, and turning up a corner of a large rug as if
ferreting for evidence.

The others exhibited no such minute curiosity, and, after a few
moments, they followed the coroner out of the room.

Then the doctor and his assistants came to take the body away,
and I went in search of Coroner Monroe, eager for further
information concerning the case, of which I really, as yet, knew
but little.

Parmalee went with me and we found Mr. Monroe in the library,
quite ready to talk with us.

"Mr. Orville seems to possess the detective instinct himself,"
observed Mr. Parmalee, with what seemed like a note of jealousy
in his tone.