A. “He left nothing behind. As far as I have been able to find out, he was heavily in debt at the time of his death. His present possessions, if sold, would barely pay for the chattel mortgages and loans. He was penniless when he died.” Q. “Do you know whether he was insured?” A. “Yes. Mr. Ballau was insured for $150,000.” Q. “Do you know what kind of a policy he held?” A. “A straight death insurance policy collectable in the event of his demise.” Q. “Is there a suicide clause in that policy, Mr. Stone?” A. “I believe there is. I believe that the policy provides that its conditions shall be null and void in the event of its holder taking his own life.” Q. “Has any effort been made to collect that insurance?” A. “None whatsoever, sir.” “Thank you,” beamed the coroner. “Call Mr. Meyerson.” Mr. Meyerson walked to the witness chair. Following the introductory questions the coroner proceeded. Q. “You frequently sold antiques to Mr. Ballau during his life, did you not, Mr. Meyerson?” A. “Yes.” Q. “How are his accounts now? I mean, has he paid you his bills and was he in the habit of paying regularly, or do your books show that his estate is indebted to you?” A. “Mr. Ballau owed me $12,000 at the time of his death.” Q. “Did you ever press for payment of this money?” A. “During my fifteen years of dealing with Mr. Ballau I have never sent him a bill.” Q. “What was the last thing Mr. Ballau bought from you?” A. “My books show that on March 28th Mr. Ballau purchased a Florentine dagger which formed a part of the famous De Medici collection in my keeping.” Q. “Is this the dagger which Mr. Ballau purchased from you on March 28th?” The coroner held aloft the slim weapon which had been found protruding from Victor Ballau’s heart. A. “Yes, without a doubt.” Q. “Were you there when the purchase was made?” A. “Yes.” Q. “What was said at the time?” A. “We discussed the dagger. Mr. Ballau was always a collector. I remember his enthusiasm over the weapon. He declared it an excellent piece of workmanship and wondered over its history.” Q. “What did you say, Mr. Meyerson?” A. “We discussed the sinister history which undoubtedly was attached to the dagger. It had been, according to my information, one of the weapons Catherine De Medici carried into France with her. As such it had unquestionably been in many a bloody drama.” Q. “Was Mr. Ballau alone when the purchase was made?” A. “He came in alone but as we were talking Julien De Medici entered. He joined us in our discussion over the weapon, contributing to its sinister and romantic past.” Q. “What, exactly, if you remember, did Mr. De Medici say?” A. “I recall that he humorously bewailed the habits of his great-great-grandmother and added that if he had enough money he would buy the entire De Medici collection in my keeping and drop it in the middle of the Atlantic.” “That will be all, Mr. Meyerson,” said the coroner. “Call Miss Florence Ballau.”