She might have found
it when she came after the death to Rose Cottage, but in that
case, had she nothing to conceal, she would have shown it to
the police. Instead of this, she hid it in the attic.
Jennings congratulated himself on his dexterity in securing
this piece of evidence. There was no doubt in his mind that
this was the very knife with which Miss Loach had been
stabbed.
"And by a man," thought Jennings. "No woman would have such a
weapon in her possession; and if she bought one to accomplish
a crime, she would purchase a stiletto or a pistol. It would
take a considerable exercise of muscle to drive this heavy
knife home."
Jennings considered that the only person who could make Juliet
speak was Cuthbert. It was true that she already had declined
to make a confidant of him, but now, when there was a chance
of his being arrested--as Jennings had hinted--she might
be inclined to confess all, especially if it was Cuthbert she
was shielding. But the detective fancied her brother might be
the culprit. On the night of the murder, both had left the
Marlow Theatre, which was near Rexton, and Juliet declined to
say where they went. It might be that both had been on the
spot about the time of the commission of the crime. Again,
unless Miss Loach had admitted her assailant, he must have had
a latch-key to let himself in. From the fact that the poor
woman had been found with the cards on her lap in the same
position in which Susan had left her, Jennings was inclined to
think that the assassin had struck the blow at once, and then
had left the house at the half hour.
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