“Ha! what have we here?” he cried, as he perceived, and, at the same time, pointed out the existence of a very small red spot upon the white dress just above the waistband.  In an instant, as he spoke, he whipped out a powerful magnifying-glass, and carefully examined the tell-tale spot by its aid.

“Yes, that is a spot of blood—­blood sure enough! but it is very singular that there should be such a minute spot, and no more; no, I can find no further trace,” he added, after a careful and minute examination of every part of the dress.

“Might not any trifling accident—­the most insignificant thing in the world—­produce such a mere spot as that—­a scratched finger—­ either her own or another person’s?” asked the lawyer.

“Well, hardly so; a slight stain might easily be so caused; but hardly a round spot like that.  That spot must have been caused by a small drop falling on that place—­not by the muslin having been brought into contact with any portion of blood, however small.  How could that one little round drop of blood have come there?” said the anatomist, thoughtfully.  “It is singular enough.”

Then, when the dress had been removed preparatory to the examination of the body, the Professor himself and his assistants minutely searched every part of it—­in vain.  There was no other, even the smallest, mark of blood to be found.

“Are you sure that that spot is blood?” asked the lawyer.

“Are you sure whether a deed is signed or is not signed when you see it?” retorted the anatomist.  “Yes; that spot has been caused by a drop of blood falling there—­a very minute drop.  Of that there can be no doubt.  And now we must proceed to examine the body externally.  If there should be nothing to be learned from that, we must see what revelations the knife may bring to light.”

And then the Professor, aided by his pupils, proceeded to institute a minute and careful examination of the body.

At the first sight it appeared to be as unblemished in every part of it as Nature’s choicest and most perfect handiwork could be.  So little did a mere cursory view suggest the possibility that life would have been destroyed by any external violence, that the Professor was about to take the necessary steps for ascertaining what light could be thrown on the manner of her death by the internal condition of the different portions of the organism, when the sharper eyes of one of the young assistants were drawn to a very slight indication, which he immediately pointed out to his superior.

The appearance in question consisted of a very small round white spot, around which there was a slight equally circular redness.  It was situated nearly in the middle of the body, just below the meeting of the ribs on the chest, about a broad hand’s breadth above the waistband—­in such a position, in short, as to be very nearly at the point where the neck-opening of the dress ceased.