Page:William Le Queux - The Temptress.djvu/27

12 "Any mark on it?"

"No, nothing," he replied. "There's some funny scent on it, though," he added, placing it nearer his nose.

"Good heavens. Bill, what shall we do?" ejaculated the driver, thoroughly alarmed at the startling discovery.

"Call the police at once. Wait here a minute, and I'll fetch a constable," the other replied, getting out of the omnibus, and running to the corner of the Strand, where an officer is constantly stationed on point duty.

Already a small crowd had collected, for the cabmen from the shelter opposite had quickly discerned that something unusual had occurred, and, on learning of the crime, grouped themselves around the vehicle in a state of great excitement, and eager to obtain a glimpse of the corpse.

A minute later the conductor returned with two constables. These were immediately followed by a detective-sergeant, who chanced to be passing, and another constable. The detective himself was astounded, although he had been present on more than one occasion when bodies had been found.

The circumstances having been briefly explained, he despatched one of the men to Agar Street for the hospital ambulance, and gave other orders, which were executed with obedience and promptitude.

"Do you know the gentleman by sight?" asked the detective of the conductor, as they both stood gazing upon the body, awaiting the arrival of the ambulance.

"No, I've never seen him before," the man replied; "and the strangest part of the affair is, that when I got off at the Haymarket corner he wasn't inside. There were two gentlemen in the 'bus"—