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； 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' … 'Un