make use of their method of instituting an exhaustive search。 Each
one of the squares formed by these intersecting strings is numbered；
and represents one square foot of carpet； the numbers running from
one to two hundred and eighty…eight。 Every inch of every one of
these squares I shall examine under a microscope； and anything found
which can be of any possible interest will be carefully preserved；
and its exact location accurately marked upon this chart I have
prepared； which； as you will see； has the same number of squares as
the room； the area of each square being reduced from one square foot
to one square inch。 You will note that I have already marked the
location of all doors； windows； and furniture。 The weapon； if there
be one； may be very minute； but if it be on the floor we may be
assured the microscope will find it。 The walls of the room；
especially any shelving projections； and the furniture； I shall
examine with equal thoroughness； though I have now some additional
reasons for believing the weapon is not here。〃
〃Have you discovered anything new？〃 Gwen exclaimed； unable to control
the excitement caused by this last remark。 〃You must pardon me；〃
Maitland rejoined； 〃if I ask you and the Doctor a question before
replying。〃 She nodded assent； and he continued： 〃I wish to know if
you agree with me that we shall be more likely to arrive at a
solution of the problem before us if we keep our own counsel than
if we take the officers of the law； or； for that matter； anyone
else； into our confidence。 You undoubtedly noticed how carefully M。
Godin kept his own counsel。 Official methods； and the hasty
generalisations which form a part thereof … to say nothing of the
petty rivalries and the passion for notoriety … can do much to hinder
our own work； and； I believe； nothing to help it。 What say you？〃
〃That we keep our work to ourselves；〃 Gwen quickly rejoined； and I
signified that I was of the same opinion。 〃Then；〃 Maitland continued；
〃I may say this in answer to your question。 I have ascertained
something which may bear upon the case in hand。 You will remember
that part of the gravel for redressing the croquet ground was dumped
under the east window there。 The painters； I learn； finished
painting that side of the house yesterday forenoon before the gravel
was removed and placed upon the ground； so that any footprints they
may have made in it while about their work were obliterated。 As you
see； there was loose gravel left under the window to the depth of
about two inches。 I carefully examined this gravel this morning …=20
there were no footprints。〃
I glanced at Gwen； her face had a set expression； and she was deathly
pale。 〃There were； however；〃 he continued； 〃places where the gravel
had been tamped down as if by the pressure of a rectangular board。
I examined these minutely and； by careful measurement and close
scrutiny of some peculiar markings suggestive of the grain of wood；
satisfied myself that the depressions in the gravel were made by two；
and not； as I had at first thought； by one small piece of wood。 I
found further that these two boards had always borne certain relative
relations to each other； and that when one had been turned around
the other had undergone a similar rotation。 This last is； in my mind；
a most important point； for； when coupled with the fact that between
any two impressions of the same board the distance was sensibly
constant； and was that of a short stride； there could be no reasonable
doubt but these boards had been worn upon some person's feet。 They
could not have been thrown down merely to be stepped upon； for； in
that case； they would not have borne fixed relations to each other
… probably would not have been turned end for end at all … and
certainly； both would not always have happened to get turned at the
same time。 I procured a board of the combined area of the two
supposed to have made the impressions in the gravel； and weighted it
down until； as nearly as I could measure； it impacted the soil to
the same extent the others had。 The weight was one hundred and
thirty…five pounds； which is about right for a man five feet five
inches tall。 The position of the depressions in the gravel indicated
a stride just about right for a man of that height。
〃There was one other most important discovery which I made after I
had divided the impressions into two classes … according as they
were produced by the right or left board … which was that when the
right foot was thrown forward the stride was from three to four
inches longer than when the left foot led。 Directly under the
window there was a deep impression in the sand。 I took a plaster
cast of it； and here it is；〃 he said； producing an excellent
facsimile of a closed hand。 〃There can be little doubt；〃 he
continued； 〃from the position occupied by the depression； of which
this is a reverse copy； that it was either accidentally made by
someone who； stooping before the east window to avoid obstructing
its light； suddenly lost his balance and regained his equilibrium
by thus thrusting out his hand； or … and this seems far more likely
to me … that the hand was deliberately placed in the gravel in order
to steady its possessor while he performed some peculiar operation。〃
At this point I ventured to ask why he regarded the latter view as
so much more tenable than the former。 〃There are several reasons；〃
he replied； 〃which render the view I prefer to take all but certain。
First； the impression was made by the left hand。 Second； it is the
impression of a closed hand； with the upper joints of the fingers
undermost。 Did you ever know one to save himself from falling by
thrusting out a closed hand？ Certainly not。 There is a certain
amount of fear； however slight； invariably associated with losing
one's balance。 This sentiment； so far as the hand is concerned； is
expressed by opening it and spreading the fingers。 This he would
instinctively have done； if falling。 Then there is the position of
the impression relative to the window and some slight testimony upon
the sill and glass； for the thorough investigation of which I have
been obliged to await my microscope。 I have worked diligently； but
that is all I have been able to accomplish。〃
〃All！〃 exclaimed Gwen； regarding him with ill…concealed admiration。
〃It seems to me a very great deal。 The thoroughness； the minuteness
of it all； overwhelms me； but； tell me； have your discoveries led
you to any conclusion？〃 〃No；〃 he replied； 〃nothing definite yet； I
must not allow myself to become wedded to any theory； so long as
there is anything further to be learned。 If I were to hazard a few
idle guesses； I should say your father was murdered in some
mysterious way … by a person about five feet five inches tall；
weighing； say； one hundred and thirty…five pounds； and having a lame
leg； or； perhaps； one limb shorter than the other； … at all events
having some deformity or ailment causing a variation in the length
of the strides。 I should guess also that this person's feet had some
marked peculiarity； since such pains had been taken to conceal the
footprints。 Then the cast of the hand here encourages speculation。
Fingers long； slim； and delicate； save at the nails； where； with the
exception of the little finger； are to be found unmistakable signs
of the habit of biting the nails； … see； here are the hang…nails；
… but； strange to say； the nail of the little finger has been
spared； and suffered to grow to an unusual length。 I ask myself why
this particular nail has been so favoured； and can only answer；
'because it has some peculiar use。' It is clear this is not the hand
of a manual labourer； the joints are too small； the fingers too
delicate； the texture of the skin； which is clearly visible； much too
fine … in short； wouldn't it pass anywhere for a woman's hand？ Say a
woman who bit her nails。 If it were really such there would be a
pair of feminine feet also to be concealed； and boards would do it
very nicely … but this is all guesswork； and must not be allowed to
affect any subsequent conclusions。 If you will excuse me a few
minutes I will use the microscope a little on the sill of the east
window before we are interrupted by our friends the officers； who
will be sure to be here soon。〃
While Maitland was thus engaged I did all in my power to distract
Gwen's attention； as much as possible； from her father's body。
Whenever she regarded it； the same intense and set expression
overspread her countenance as that which at first had alarmed me。
I was glad when Maitland returned from the window and began mixing
some of the chemicals I had brought him； for Gwen invariably
followed all his movements； as if her very existence depended upon
her letting nothing escape her。 Maitland； who had asked me for a
prescription blank； now dipped it in the chemicals he had mixed
and； this accomplished； put the paper in his microscope box to dry。
〃I have something here；〃 ；he said； 〃which I desire to photograph
quite as much as this room and some of its larger objects；〃 and he
pinned a tiny； crumpled mass against the wall； and made an exposure
of it in that condition。 〃Do you know what this is？〃 he said； as
he carefully smoothed it out for another picture。 〃I haven't the
slightest idea；〃 I said。 〃It is plain enough under the microscope；〃
he continued； placing it upon the slide； and adjusting the focus。
〃Would you like to examine it； Miss Darrow？〃 Gwen had scarcely put
her eye to the instrument before she exclaimed： 〃Why； it's a piece
of thin outside bark from a twig of alder。〃 Maitland's face was a
study。。。 〃Would you mind telling me；〃 he said deliberately； 〃how
you found that out so quickly？〃 She hesitated a moment； and then
said methodically； pointing toward the water； 〃I know the alder well
… our boat is moored near a clump of them。〃 〃You are a keen
observer；〃 he replied； as he took the prepared paper from his box
and spread the film of bark upon it to take a blue print of it。
〃There is one other object upon the sill which； unfortunately； I
cannot take away with me；〃 he continued； 〃but shall have to content
myself with photographing。 I refer to a sinuou