about
midnight
Coroner and Jury . The post-mortem examination had been held ; and three doctors had sworn that deceased came to his death from a great variety of Greek and Latin troubles , all caused by a learned something which signified , in plain English , a blow on the head . Coroner Bullfast was so struck with the clear and explicit nature of the medical evidence , that he had it reduced to writing for his private regalement . The post-mortem examination , and the testimony of the three doctors , and of all the people in the house -LRB- except Patty Minford , daughter of the deceased -RRB- -- whose joint knowledge upon the subject amounted to nothing more than hearing somebody with heavy boots come down stairs about midnight -- occupied the whole of the first day . Patty , or Pet , was so thoroughly unnerved by the events of that horrible night , that the coroner found it impossible to take her evidence on that day . She had fainted twice before she could make Coroner Bullfast clearly understand that Marcus Wilkeson , her benefactor , and her father 's best friend , was THE MURDERER . Having learned thus much , the coroner had put the police on the track of Marcus Wilkeson , and had postponed the further examination of the chief witness .