A renowned detective is called to investigate a brutal murder of a woman found in a train compartment. The victim, a former artist's model named Edith Grant, is discovered with a severe head wound, and the primary suspect is her former lover, Harold Stopford, a painter. Stopford's character and circumstances suggest he is innocent, yet he is arrested due to circumstantial evidence linking him to the crime. The detective, accompanied by his assistant, travels to the scene of the crime, gathering information from witnesses and examining the body. They learn that Stopford and Grant had a heated argument shortly before her death, and he was the last person seen with her. The detective meticulously analyzes the details of the murder, including the nature of the wound and the position of the body. As the investigation unfolds, the detective discovers a series of clues, including a blue sequin from the victim's hat and a unique injury on a steer in a nearby cattle truck. He theorizes that the murder may not have been intentional but rather an accident caused by the steer’s horn striking Grant's head as she leaned out of the train window, leading to her fatal injury. The detective's findings culminate in a compelling argument that exonerates Stopford, revealing that the evidence points to a tragic accident rather than murder. The case concludes with the coroner's verdict of "Death by misadventure," allowing Stopford to regain his freedom and highlighting the detective's skill in unraveling the truth from a web of circumstantial evidence.
By R. Austin Freeman · First published 1928 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime