"That I have utterly failed to discover. All appearances point to the fact that the deceased lost consciousness almost instantly, for she had no time even to take out her handkerchief or smelling-salts, the first thing a woman does when she feels faint. Death came very swiftly, but the ingenious means by which the murder was accomplished are at present entirely a mystery. At first my suspicions were aroused by a curious discoloration of the mouth, which I noticed when I first saw the body; but, strangely enough, this had disappeared yesterday when I made the post-mortem. Again, in the centre of the left palm, extending to the middle finger, was a dark and very extraordinary spot. This I have examined microscopically, and submitted the skin to various tests, but have entirely failed to determine the cause of the mark. It is dark grey in colour, and altogether mysterious." "There was no puncture in the hand?" inquired the Coroner. "None whatever. I examined the body thoroughly, and found not a scratch," the doctor answered quickly. "At first I suspected a subcutaneous injection of poison; but this theory is negatived by the absence of any puncture." "But you adhere to your first statement that she was murdered?" "Certainly. I am confident that the paralysis is not attributable to natural causes." "Have you found any trace of poison?" "The contents of the stomach were handed over by the police to the analyst. I cannot say what he has reported," the doctor answered sharply. At once the Coroner's officer interposed with the remark that the analyst was present, and would give evidence. The foreman of the jury then put several questions to the doctor. "Do you think, doctor," he asked, "that it would be possible to murder a woman while she was sitting in a cab in so crowded a place as Piccadilly Circus?" "The greater the crowd, the less the chance of detection, I believe." "Have you formed no opinion how this assassination was accomplished? Is there absolutely nothing which can serve as clue to the manner in which this mysterious crime was perpetrated?" "Absolutely nothing beyond what I have already explained," the witness answered. "The grey mark is on the palm of the left hand, which at the time of the mysterious occurrence was gloved. On the hand which was ungloved there is no mark. I therefore am of opinion that this curious discoloration is evidence in some way or other of murder." "Was she a lady?" "She had every evidence of being so. All her clothing was of first-class quality, and the four rings she wore were of considerable value. When I came to make the post-mortem, I found both hands and feet slightly swollen, therefore it was impossible to remove her rings without cutting."