shall see you so soon I need write nothing further。 Kind regards
to Miss Alice。
Ever yours；
GEORGE MAITLAND。
When I had finished reading this letter I looked up at Gwen；
expecting to see that its news had depressed her。 I must confess；
however； that I could not detect any such effect。 On the contrary；
she seemed to be in much better spirits than when I began reading。
〃According to this letter； then；〃 she said； addressing me somewhat
excitedly； 〃we may … 〃 but she let fall her eyes and did not complete
her sentence。 My sister bestowed upon her one of those glances
described in the vernacular of woman as 〃knowing〃 and then said to
me： 〃We may expect Mr。 Maitland at any time； it seems。〃 〃Yes；〃 I
replied； 〃he will lose no time in getting here。 He undoubtedly feels
much chagrined at his failure and will now be more than ever
determined to see the affair through to a successful conclusion。 He
is in the position of a hound that has lost its scent； and is eager
to return to its point of departure for a fresh start。 I fancy it
will be no easy task to discover a new clue； and I shall watch
Maitland's work in this direction with a great deal of curiosity。〃
Gwen did not speak； but she listened to our conversation with a
nearer approach to a healthy interest than I had known her to display
on any other occasion since her father's death。 I regarded this as
a good omen。 Her condition； since that sad occurrence； had worried
me a good deal。 She seemed to have lost her hold on life and to
exist in a state of wearied listlessness。 Nothing seemed to impress
her and she would at times forget； in the midst of a sentence； what
she had intended to say when she began it！ Her elasticity was gone
and every effort a visible burden to her。 I knew the consciousness
of her loss was as a dull； heavy weight bearing her down； and I knew；
too； that she could not marshal her will to resist it； … that； in
fact； she really didn't care； so tired was she of it all。 Experience
had taught me how the dull； heavy ache of a great loss will press
upon the consciousness with the regular； persistent； relentless
throb of a loaded wheel and eat out one's life with the slow
certainty of a cancer。 This I knew to have been Gwen's state since
her father's death； and all my attempts to bring about a healthful
reaction had hitherto been futile。 It is not to be wondered at；
therefore； that even the transient interest she had evinced was
hailed by me with delight as the beginning of that healthful
reaction for which I had so long sought。 When a human bark in the
full tide of life is suddenly dashed upon the rocks of despair the
wreckage is strewn far and wide； and it is with no little difficulty
that enough can be rescued to serve in the rebuilding of even the
smallest of craft。 The thought； therefore； that Gwen's intellectual
flotsam was beginning at length to swirl about a definite object in
a way to facilitate the rescue of her faculties was to me a
decidedly reassuring one； and I noted with pleasure that the state
of excited expectancy which she had tried in vain to conceal did not
wane； but waxed stronger as the days went by。
THE EPISODE OF THE PARALLEL READERS
CHAPTER I
The events of the present are all strung upon the thread of the
past； and in telling over this chronological rosary； it not
infrequently happens that strange； unlike beads follow each other
between our questioning fingers。
It was nearly a week after his letter before Maitland arrived。 He
sent us no further word； but walked in one evening as we were talking
about him。 He came upon us so suddenly that we were all taken
aback and； for a moment； I felt somewhat alarmed about Gwen。 She
had started up quickly when the servant had mentioned Maitland's
name and pressed her hand convulsively upon her heart； while her
face and neck became of a deep crimson colour。 I was saying to
myself that this was a common effect of sudden surprise； when I saw
her clutch quickly at the back of her chair； as if to steady herself。
A moment later she sank into her seat。 Her face was now as pale as
ashes； and I felt I had good reason to be alarmed。 I think she was
conscious of my scrutiny； for she turned her face from me and
remained motionless。 The movement told me she was trying to regain
command of her faculties and I forbore to interfere in the struggle；
though I watched her with some solicitude。=20 My fears were at once
dispelled； however； when Maitland entered； for Gwen was the first
to welcome him。 She extended her hand with much of her old
impulsiveness； saying： 〃I have so much for which to thank you … 〃
but Maitland interrupted her。 〃Indeed； I regret to say；〃 he
rejoined； 〃that I have been unable thus far to be of any real service
to you。 The Ragobah clue was a miserable failure； though we may do
ourselves the justice to admit that we had no alternative but to
follow it to the end。 I confess I have never been more disappointed
than in the outcome of this affair。？〃 〃My dear fellow；〃 I said；
〃we all have much to be thankful for in your safe return； let us
not forget that。〃 Maitland laughed： 〃That reminds me；〃 he said；
〃of the man who passed the hat at a coloured camp…meeting。 When
asked how much he had collected； he replied： 'I didn't get no money；
but I'se done got de hat back。' You've got your hat back； and that's
about all。 However； with Miss Darrow's permission； I shall go back
to the starting point and begin all over again。〃
〃You are making me your debtor；〃 Gwen replied slowly； 〃beyond my
power ever to repay you。〃
〃It is in the hope that no payment may ever be demanded of you；〃
he rejoined； 〃that I am busying myself in your affairs。〃 The colour
sprang to Gwen's cheeks； but she only replied by a grateful glance。
I knew what was passing through her mind。 She was thinking of her
promise … of her father's last words； and of the terrible
possibilities thereof from which Maitland was seeking to rescue her。
She felt that she could safely owe him any debt of gratitude； however
great； while he； on his part； took what I fancied； both then and
afterward； were unnecessary pains to assure her that； in the event
of his finding the assassin； she need have no fear of his making
any claim whatsoever upon her。 And so the whole affair was dropped
for the time being and the rest of the evening devoted to listening
to Maitland's account of his experiences while abroad。
The next morning I called upon our detective at his laboratory and
asked him what he intended to do next。 He replied that he had no
plans as yet； but that he wished to review with me all the evidence
at hand。
〃You see；〃 he said； 〃the thing that renders the solution of this
mystery so difficult is the fact that all our clues； while they
would be of the utmost service in the conviction of the assassin
had we found him； are almost destitute of any value until he has
been located。 Add to this that we are now unable to find any
motive for the crime and you can see how slight are our hopes of
success。 If ever we chance to find the man； … for I feel that
such a consummation would result more from chance than from
anything else； … I think we can convict him。
〃Here； for example；〃 he said； taking up a small slip of glass
which he had cut from the eastern parlour window of the Darrow
house； 〃is something I have never shown either you or Miss Darrow。
It is utterly worthless； so far as assisting us to track the
assassin is concerned； but； if ever we suspect the right man； the
evidence on that glass would probably convict him； though there
were ten thousand other suspects。〃
I took the glass from him and； examining it with the utmost care；
I detected a smutch of yellowish paint upon it； nothing more。
〃For Heaven's sake； Maitland！〃 I said in astonishment； 〃of what
possible use can that formless daub of paint be； or is there
something else on the glass that has escaped me？〃 He laughed at
my excitement as he replied：
〃There is nothing there hut the paint spot。 Regarding that； however；
you have come to a very natural though erroneous conclusion。 It is
not formless〃； and he passed me a jeweller's eye…glass to assist me
in a closer examination。 He was right。 The paint lay upon the
glass in little irregular furrows which arranged themselves
concentrically about a central oval groove somewhat imperfect in
shape。 〃Well；〃 continued。 Maitland； as I returned him the
magnifying glass； 〃what do you make of it？〃 〃If you hadn't already
attached so much importance to the thing；〃 I said； 〃I should
pronounce it a daub of paint transferred to the glass by somebody's
thumb； but； as such a thing would be clearly useless； I am at a loss
to know what it is。〃
〃Well；〃 he rejoined； 〃you've hit the nail on the head； … that's just
what it is； but you are entirely wrong in your assumption that the
thumb…mark can have no value as evidence。 Do you not know that
there are no two thumbs in the world which are capable of making
indistinguishable marks？〃 I was not aware of this。 〃How do you
know；〃 I asked； 〃that this mark was made by the assassin？ It seems
to me there can hardly be a doubt that one of the painters； while
priming the sill； accidentally pressed his thumb against the glass。
His hands would naturally have been painty； and this impression
would as naturally have resulted。〃
〃What you say；〃 replied Maitland； 〃is very good； so far as it goes。
My reasons for believing this thumb…mark was made by the assassin are
easily understood。 First： there was another impression of a thumb
in the moist paint of the sill directly under that upon the glass。
Both marks were made by the same thumb and； in the lower one； the
microscope revealed minute traces of gravel dust； not elsewhere
discernible upon the sill。 The thumb carried the dust there； and
was the thumb of the hand pressed into the gravel； … the hand of
which I have a cast。 You see how this shows how the thumb came to
have paint upon it when pressed upon the glass。 Second： the two
men engaged in priming the house