have paint upon it when pressed upon the glass。 Second： the two
men engaged in priming the house； James Cogan and Charles Rice； were
the only persons save the assassin known to have been upon that side
of the house the day of the murder。 〃Here；〃 he said； carefully
removing two strips of glass from a box； 〃are the thumb…marks of
Cogan and Rice made with the same paint。 You see that neither of
these men could； by any possibility； have made the mark upon the
glass。 So there you are。 But we are missing the question before
us。 What line of procedure can you suggest； Doc？ I'm all at sea。〃
〃We must find someone；〃 I said； 〃who could have had a motive。 This
someone ought to have a particularly good reason for concealing his
footprints； and is evidently lame besides。 I can't for the life of
me see anything else we have to go by； unless it be the long nail
of the little finger； and I don't see how that is going to help us
find the assassin … unless we can find out why it was worn long。
If we knew that it might assist us。 As I have already suggested； a
Chinaman might have a long nail on the little finger； but he would
also have the other nails long； wouldn't he？ Furthermore； he might
use the boards to conceal the prints of his telltale foot…gear； but
why should he not have put on shoes of the ordinary type？ If he had
time to prepare the boards； … the whole affair shows premeditation；
… clearly he had time to change his boots。 The Chinese are usually
small； and this might easily account for the smallness of the hand
as shown by your cast。 These are the pros and cons of the only clue
that suggests itself to me。 By the way； Maitland； it's a shame we
did not try； before it was too late； to track this fellow down with
a dog。〃
〃Ah；〃 he replied； 〃there is another little thing I have not told you。
After you had left the house with Miss Darrow on the night of the
murder； and all the servants had retired； I locked the parlour
securely and quietly slipped out to look about a bit。 As you know；
the moon was very bright and any object moderately near was plainly
visible。 I went around to the eastern side of the house where the
prints of the hand and boards were found； and examined them with
extreme care。 What I particularly wished to learn was the direction
taken by the assassin as he left the house and the point at which
he had removed the boards from his feet。 The imprints of the boards
were clearly discernible so far as the loose gravel extended； but
beyond that nothing could be discovered。 I sat down and pondered
over the matter。 I had about concluded to drive two nails into the
heels of my boots to enable me to distinguish my own footprints from
any other trail I might intersect； and then； starting with the house
as a centre； to describe an involute about it in the hope of being
able to detect some one or more points where my course crossed that
of the assassin； when I remembered that my friend Burwell； whose
Uncle Tom's Cabin Combination recently stranded at Brockton was at
home。 As you are perhaps aware an Uncle Tom Company consists of
a 'Legree；' one or two 'Markses；' one or two 'Topsies；' 'Uncle Tom；'
a 'Little Eva；' who should not be over fifty years old； … or at
least should not appear to be； … two bloodhounds； and anybody else
that happens to be available。 It really doesn't make the least
difference how many or how few people are in the cast。 I have
heard that an Uncle Tom manager on a Western circuit； most of whose
company deserted him because the 'ghost' never walked； succeeded
in cutting and rewriting the piece so as to double 'George Harris'
and 'Legree；' ' Marks' and 'Topsy；' 'Uncle Tom' and 'Little Eva。'
As for the rest he had it so arranged that he could himself 'get
off the door' in time to 'do；' with the aid of the dogs； all the
other characters。 You see the dogs held the stage while he changed；
say； from 'Eliza' to Eva's father。 'George Harris' would look off
left second entrance and say that 'Legree' was after him。 Then he
would discharge a revolver； rush off right first entrance； where he
would pass his weapon to 'Eva' and 'Uncle Tom；' and this bisexual
individual would discharge it in the wings at the imaginary pursuer；
while 'Harris ' would put on a wire beard； slouch hat； black
melodramatic cape； and；=20rushing behind the flat； enter left as
'Legree。'
〃The hardest thing to manage was the death of 'Little Eva' with
'Uncle Tom' by the bedside； but managerial genius overcame the
difficulty after the style of Mantell's 'Corsican Brothers。' You
see it is all easy enough when you know how。 'Little Eva' is
discovered； sitting up in bed with the curtains drawn back。 She
says what she has to say to her father and the rest。 Then her
father has a line in which he informs 'Eva' that she is tired and
had better try to sleep。 She says she will try； just to please him；
and he gently lowers her back upon the pillows and draws the
curtains in front of the bed。 But instead of utilising this
seclusion for a refreshing sleep 'Eva' rolls out at the back side
of the bed。 'Legree' snatches off 'Eva's' wig and 'Topsy' deftly
removes the white nightdress concealing his … 'Eva's' … 'Uncle Tom'
make…up； while the erstwhile little girl hastily blackens his face
and hands； puts on a negro wig； and in less than a minute is
changed in colour； race； and sex。 He 'gets round' left and enters
the sick room as 'Uncle Tom' with 'Topsy。' They are both told that
'Little Eva' is asleep； and 'Topsy' peeps cautiously between the
curtains and remarks that the child's eyes are open and staring。
The father looks in and； overcome by grief； informs the audience
that his child is dead。 'Topsy；' tearful and grief…stricken；
'gets off' right and washes up to 'do' 'Little Eva' climbing the
golden stair in the last tableau。 Meanwhile 'Uncle Tom；' in a
paroxysm of grief； throws himself upon the bed and holds the stage
till he smells the red fire for the vision； then he staggers down
stage； strikes an attitude； the others do likewise； picture of
'Little Eva；' curtain。 Talk about doubling 'Marcellus；' 'Folonius；'
'Osric；' and the 'First Grave Digger'！ Why； that's nothing to these
'Uncle Tom' productions。 But hold on； where did I get side…tracked？
Oh； yes； the dogs。
〃Well； as I was saying； as soon as I thought of Burwell I made up
my mind at once to borrow one of his hounds。 It was late when I got
to his house。 When I knocked at the door both Pompey and Caesar
began sub…bass solos of growls； and Burwell was awake in a minute。
I told him I wanted a dog for private business and took Caesar off
with me。 He found the trail with no difficulty； and followed it in
a bee…line down to the water； where he raised his big muzzle and
howled in dismal impotency。 The assassin had taken to the water。
I took the dog up and down the shore to see if he had returned to
land； but all I found of interest was a clump of alders from
which a pole had been cut。 I knew by the dog's actions that the
assassin had been there； for Caesar immediately took a new trail
back to the house。 Try as I might I could learn nothing further；
and I at once returned the dog。 There is no doubt that the
murderer made his escape in a boat and took with him the pole he
had cut； the boards he had worn； and everything else； I dare say；
connected with his crime。 One thing seems clear； and that is that
we are dealing with no ordinary criminal。 I would wager a good
deal that this fellow； if ever he is caught； will be found to be
a man of brains。 I don't place much confidence in the Chinese
theory； Doc； but as I have nothing better to offer； let us go see
Miss Darrow。 If her father has ever had any dealings with Chinamen；
we shall probably deem it wise to look the Orientals up a bit。〃
We immediately acted upon this suggestion； waiting upon Gwen at my
house。 She said she and her father had spent a year in San
Francisco when she was about seven years of age。 While there their
household was looked after by two Chinese servants； named Wah Sing
and Sam Lee。 The latter had been discharged by her father because
of his refusal to perform certain minor duties which； through
oversight； had not been set down as part of his work when he was
engaged。 So far as she knew no altercation had taken place and
there were no hard feelings on either side。 Sam Lee had bade her
good…bye and had seemed sorry to leave； notwithstanding which；
however； he refused； with true Chinese pertinacity； to assume the
new duties。 She did not think it likely that either of these
Chinamen had been instrumental in her father's death； yet she
agreed with Maitland that it would be a point gained to be assured
of this fact。 Maitland accordingly determined to depart at once
for San Francisco； and the next day he was off。
We received no letters from him during his absence and were；
accordingly； unable to tell when he expected to get back。 Since
his return from India Gwen had given evidence of a reviving interest
in life； but now that he was again away； she relapsed into her old
listless condition； from which we found it impossible to arouse her。
Alice； who did her utmost to please her； was at her wit's end。 She
could never tell which of two alternatives Gwen preferred； since
that young lady would invariably express herself satisfied with
either and did not seem to realise why she should be expected to have
any choice in the matter。 Alice was quite at a loss to understand
this state of affairs； until I told her that Gwen was in a condition
of semi…torpor in which even the effort of choice seemed an
unwarrantable outlay。 She simply did not care what happened。 She
felt nothing； save a sense of fatigue； and even what she saw was
viewed as from afar； … and seemed to her a drama in which she took
no other part than that of an idle； tired； and listless spectator。
Clearly she was losing her hold on life。 I told Alice we must do
our utmost to arouse her； to stimulate her will； to awaken her
interest； and we tried many things in vain。
Maitland had been gone； I think； about three weeks when my sister
and I hit upon a plan which we thought might have the desired effect
upon