He passed
on to his own arrival from the city, to Swain's return from the
rendezvous, and finally to the screams which had reached us, and to
the discovery we had made when we burst into the house.
"I summoned Dr. Hinman immediately," he added, "for Miss Vaughan
seemed to be in a serious condition; then I called Simmonds, and
suggested that he stop for you, Mr. Coroner, for I knew that the case
would interest you. Dr. Hinman arrived perhaps half an hour ahead of
you, and had Miss Vaughan put to bed at once. And I guess you know the
rest," he concluded.
We had all listened intently. I was pretty sure that Simmonds would
make no inferences which Godfrey wished to avoid; but I feared the
more penetrating mind of the coroner. His first question proved that I
was right to do so.
"Where is this man Swain?" he asked.
"He was suffering from the shock," said Godfrey, "and Lester and Dr.
Hinman took him over to my place and put him to bed. That's where they
were when you got here."
"He seemed to be suffering from a slight concussion," Hinman
explained. "There was a swelling on one side of his head, as though
some one had struck him, and the pupils of his eyes were
unsymmetrical.
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