known the facts all along？ Had he simply been playing with the
witness for reasons which we could not divine？ M。 Godin's face
was a study。 He ceased boring holes in Latour with his eyes and
turned those wonderful orbs full upon Maitland； in whom they
seemed to sink to the depths of his very soul。 Clearly M。 Godin
was surprised at this exhibition of Maitland's power。
Browne； who throughout the trial had glared at Maitland with an
unfriendliness which must have been apparent to everyone； now
lowered blacker than ever； it seemed to me。 I wondered what could
have occurred to still further displease him； and finally concluded
it must either be some transient thought which had come uncalled
into his mind； or else a feeling of envy at his rival's prominence
in the case； and the deservedly good reputation he was making。 His
general ill…feeling I； of course； charged to jealousy； for I could
not but note his uncontrollable admiration for Gwen。 I fully
believed he would have given his own life … or anyone else's for
that matter … to possess her； and I decided to speak a word of
warning to George。 After a short； whispered consultation with
Jenkins and the prosecuting attorney； Maitland turned to the prisoner
and said：
〃That will do。 M。 Latour may leave the stand。〃
It seemed to the spectators that the affair was now entirely cleared
up； and they accordingly settled themselves comfortably for the
formal denouement。 They were； therefore； much taken aback when
Maitland continued； addressing the jury：
〃The evidence against the prisoner would indeed seem overwhelming；
even had we not his confession。 Apart from this confession we have
no incriminating evidence save such as has been furnished by the
government's chief witness； M。 Godin。 As it is through this
gentleman's efforts that Latour was brought within reach of justice；
it is but natural that much should be clear to him which may be
puzzling to those who have not made so close a study of the case。
I think he will enlighten us upon a few points。 M。 Godin will
please take the stand。〃
At this there was much whispering in the courtroom。。 Maitland's
course seemed decidedly anomalous。 Everyone wondered why he should
be at such pains to prove that which had been already admitted and
which； moreover； since he was representing Latour； it would seem he
would most naturally wish to disprove。 M。 Godin； however； took the
stand and Maitland proceeded to examine him in a way which only
added amazement to wonder。
Q。 How long have you been at work on this case？
A。 Ever since the murder。
Q。 When did you first visit M。 Latour's rooms？
A。 Do you mean to enter them？
Q。 Yes。
A。 I did not enter his rooms until the day he was arrested。 I went
to other rooms of the same tenement…house on previous occasions。
Q。 Have you reason to believe M。 Latour ever saw you prior to the
day of his arrest？
A。 No。 I am sure he did not。 I was especially careful to keep out
of his way。
Q。 You are certain that on the several occasions when you say you
entered his rooms you were not observed by him while there？
A。 I did not say I entered his rooms on several occasions。
Q。 What did you say？
A。 I said I never was in his rooms but once； and that was upon the
day of his arrest。
Q。 I understand。 Were you not assisted in your search for Mr。
Darrow's murderer by certain library books which you discovered M。
Latour had been reading？
A。 I … I don't quite understand。
Q。 M。 Latour obtained some books from the Public Library for hall
use； giving his name as … as …=20
A。 Weltz。 Yes； they did assist me。 There were some also taken under
the name of Rizzi。
Q。 Exactly。 Those are the names； I think。 How was your attention
called to these books？
A。 I met Latour at the library by accident； and he at once struck me
as a man anxious to avoid observation。 This made it my business to
watch him。 I saw that he signed his name as 〃Weltz〃 on the slips。
The next day I saw him there again； and this time he signed the
slips 〃Rizzi。〃 This was long before the murder； and I was not at
work upon any case into which I could fit this 〃Weltz〃 or 〃Rizzi。〃
I was convinced in my own mind； however； that he was guilty of some
crime； and so put him down in my memory for future reference。 During
my work upon this present case this incident recurred to me； and I
followed up the suggestion as one which might possibly throw some
light upon the subject。
Q。 Did you peruse the books M。 Latour borrowed under the names of
Weltz and Rizzi？
A。 I did not。
Q。 Did you not look at any of them？
A。 No。 It did not occur to me to examine their names。
Q。 You probably noticed that there were several of them。 Among the
pile was one by Alexander Wynter Blyth entitled； 〃Poisons； Their
Effects and Detection。〃 Did you notice that？
A。 No。 I did not notice any of them。
Q。 But after you became suspicious of M。 Latour； did you not then
look up the slips； find this work； and read it？
A。 No。 I have never seen the book in my life and did not even know
such a work existed。
Q。 Oh！ Then the perusal of the books had no part in the tracking of
M。 Latour。
A。 None whatever。
Q。 Do you ever play cards？
A。 Yes； sometimes； to pass the time。
Q。 Do you play for money？
A。 Sometimes for a small stake … just enough to make it interesting。
Q。 Are you familiar with the house in which Mr。 Darrow was murdered？
A。 I have only such knowledge of it as I acquired at the examination
immediately after the murder。 You will remember I entered but the
one room。
Q。 And the grounds about the house？ Surely you examined them？
A。 On the contrary； I did not。
Q。 Did you not even examine the eastern side of the house？
A。 I did not。 I have never been within the gate save on the night in
question； and then only to traverse the front walk to and from the
house in company with Messieurs Osborne and Allen。 I was convinced
that the solution of the problem was to be found within the room in
which the murder was committed； and that my notes taken the night
of the tragedy contained all the data I could hope to get。
Q。 Was not this rather a singular assumption？
A。 For many doubtless it would be； but I have my own methods； and I
think I may say they have been measurably successful in most cases。
＇This last was said with a good…natured smile and a modest dignity
that completely won the audience。＇
At this point Maitland dismissed M。 Godin and the court adjourned
for the day。 That night M。 Godin made his first call upon Gwen。
Their interview was private； and Gwen had nothing to say about it
further than that her caller had not hesitated to inform her that
he was aware a reward had been offered and that he considered he
had earned it。 Maitland questioned her as to what he had claimed
as his due； but Gwen； with her face alternately flushed and ashen；
begged to be permitted to keep silence。
This attitude was； of course； not without its significance to
Maitland； and it was easy to see that M。 Godin's visit had much
displeased him。 But he was not the only one who was displeased
that night。 I regret that my promise of utter candour compels me
to bear witness to my own foolishness； for when Maitland found it
necessary to take Jeannette into the back parlour and to remain
there alone with her in earnest conversation one hour and twelve
minutes … I happened to notice the exact time … it seemed to me he
was getting unpleasantly confidential； and it nettled me。 You may
fancy that I was jealous； but it was； most likely； only pique； or；
at the worst； envy。 I was provoked at the nonchalant ease with
which this fellow did offhand a thing I had been trying to work
myself up to for several days； and had finally abandoned from sheer
lack of courage。 Why couldn't I carelessly say to her； 〃Miss
Jeannette； a word with you if you please；〃 and then take her into
the parlour and talk a 〃whole history。〃 Oh； it was envy； that's
what it was！ And then the change in Jeannette！ If he had not been
making love to her … well； I have often wondered since if it were
all envy； after all
The next morning M。 Latour's trial was resumed； and Maitland again
put M。 Godin upon the stand。 The object of this did not appear at
the time； though I think the Judge fully understood it。 Maitland's
first act was to show the Judge and Jury a glass negative and a
letter； which he asked them to examine carefully as he held the
articles before them。 He then passed the negative to M。 Godin；
saying：
〃Please take this by the lower corner； between your thumb and
forefinger； so that you may be sure not to touch the sight of the
picture； hold it to the light； and tell me if you recognise the
face。〃 M。 Godin did as directed and replied without hesitancy： 〃It
is a picture of M。 Latour。〃 〃Good；〃 rejoined Maitland； taking back
the negative and passing him the letter； 〃now tell me if you
recognise that signature。〃 M。 Godin looked sharply at the letter；
holding it open between the thumb and forefinger of each hand； and
read the signature； 〃'Carl Cazenove。' I should say that was M。
Latour's hand。〃
〃Good again；〃 replied Maitland； reaching for the paper and appearing
somewhat disconcerted as he glanced at it。 〃You have smutched the
signature； … however； it doesn't matter；〃 and he exhibited the paper
to the Judge and Jury。 〃The negative must have been oily … yes；
that's where it came from；〃 and he quietly examined it with a
magnifying glass； to the wonderment of us all。 〃That is all； M。
Godin； thank you。〃
As the celebrated detective left the stand we were all doing our best
to fathom what possible bearing all this could have upon Latour's
confession。 M。 Godin for once seemed equally at a loss to comprehend
the trend of affairs； if I may judge by the deep furrows which
gathered between his eyes。
Maitland then proceeded to address the Court and to sum up his case；
the gist of which I shall give you as nearly as possible in his own
words； omitting only such portions as were purely formal；
uninteresting； or unnecessarily verbose。
〃Your Honour and Gentlemen of the Jury： John Darrow was murdered and
the prisoner；