"Well, hardly so; a slight stain might easily be so caused; but
hardly a round spot like that. That spot must have been caused by a
small drop falling on that place--not by the muslin having been
brought into contact with any portion of blood, however small. How
could that one little round drop of blood have come there?" said the
anatomist, thoughtfully. "It is singular enough."
Then, when the dress had been removed preparatory to the examination
of the body, the Professor himself and his assistants minutely
searched every part of it--in vain. There was no other, even the
smallest, mark of blood to be found.
"Are you sure that that spot is blood?" asked the lawyer.
"Are you sure whether a deed is signed or is not signed when you see
it?" retorted the anatomist. "Yes; that spot has been caused by a
drop of blood falling there--a very minute drop. Of that there can
be no doubt. And now we must proceed to examine the body externally.
If there should be nothing to be learned from that, we must see what
revelations the knife may bring to light."
And then the Professor, aided by his pupils, proceeded to institute
a minute and careful examination of the body.
At the first sight it appeared to be as unblemished in every part of
it as Nature's choicest and most perfect handiwork could be. So
little did a mere cursory view suggest the possibility that life
would have been destroyed by any external violence, that the
Professor was about to take the necessary steps for ascertaining
what light could be thrown on the manner of her death by the
internal condition of the different portions of the organism, when
the sharper eyes of one of the young assistants were drawn to a very
slight indication, which he immediately pointed out to his superior.
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