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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
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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 …
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The Darrow Enigma
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 l