(Friday, June 14; 9.30 a.m.)
The District Attorney and Heath walked up to the body, and stood regarding it.
"You see," Heath explained; "he was shot directly from the front. A pretty powerful shot, too; for the bullet passed through the head and struck the woodwork over there by the window." He pointed to a place on the wainscot a short distance from the floor near the drapery of the window nearest the hallway. "We found the expelled shell, and Captain Hagedorn's got the bullet."
He turned to the fire-arms expert.
"How about it, Captain? Anything special?"
Hagedorn raised his head slowly, and gave Heath a myopic frown. Then after a few awkward movements, he answered with unhurried precision:
"A forty-five army bullet—Colt automatic."
"Any idea how close to Benson the gun was held?" asked Markham.
"Yes, sir, I have," Hagedorn replied, in his ponderous monotone. "Between five and six feet—probably."
Heath snorted.
"'Probably'," he repeated to Markham with good-
