"Yes. I beat back and forth with the rest."
"Something moved in the shrubbery, but we couldn't locate it. Nealman thought afterward it was a raccoon or some other small animal."
"You've had long acquaintance with Mr. Nealman, however?"
Major Dell hesitated, just an instant. "No. I had never met Mr. Nealman until last night."
The coroner's interest quickened. "You didn't? How did you happen to be included among his guests?"
"I was a great friend of his friend, Mr. Van Hope. I was invited through his kindness. He wanted me to have a taste of shooting and fishing."
"I am interested in finance, in a modest way."
"You saw, heard or knew of nothing connected with this murder that you haven't testified."
"No." Dell paused, considering. "Nothing, I'm sure."
"I say 'murder.' Testimony has gone to show that Florey was dead, not just severely wounded, when you and the others reached his side. Mr. Dell, do you think there is any possibility that life remained in his body when you saw him beside the inlet?"
Dell spoke clearly. "None whatever," he said.
"I am sure. I've seen too many dead men ever to make a mistake. The position of the body, the features--everything told it as plain as day."
The coroner leaned forward. His eyes gleamed. "And where and how did you happen to see all these dead men, may I ask?"
There was an instant's second of strain throughout the room. All of us, I think, were siding with Major Dell--from the sheer instinctive distrust of constituted authority that seems to be implanted in our bodies at birth. Dell looked down, and his face was gray.
"In the Argonne," he said, quietly. The room was deathly still.
Fargo, called immediately after, testified as to his argument with Dell as to the nature of black bass. Dell had left him, he said, to go into the library.
"You were alone in the billiard room when you heard the cry?"
"Yes. But I ran outdoors and joined the others."
Van Hope testified as to his acquaintance with Major Dell, saying that they had known each other for several months, and that Dell belonged to one of his clubs. He verified Nealman's story perfectly.
"And what is your occupation, Mr. Pescini?" the coroner asked.
"I am in the publishing business, in New York."