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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 …
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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
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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
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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
del