evidently been a receptacle
for old magazines and newspapers, all of which, that had not been
checked by the balusters, now lay in a confused heap upon the floor
just as they slid from the shelves.

Even across the distance which then separated me from this article of
furniture--twelve feet, I should say--I could see that the top was
coated with dust, save for two spots where the rich red lustre of the
polished mahogany shone conspicuously: one about five inches in
diameter and forming a perfect octagon, the other much smaller, and
ragged in outline.

Here at my feet was the explanation. The base of the iron candlestick
accounted for the octagonal design; while the fragments of a shallow,
saucer-like sea-shell, which had been utilized as a match holder,
accounted for the smaller spot. These two articles manifestly had
reposed upon top of the _etagere_. The matches, to the number of half
a dozen or so, were strewn upon the stairs and landing.

I picked up the candlestick from where it lay upon the landing, and
examined it with much interest. It was a solid affair of ornamental
iron, about fifteen inches high, and weighed some six or eight
pounds--clearly a nasty weapon if wielded by a strong arm.

The bit of candle which it had contained lay nearby, one end flattened
out from having been crushed under somebody's foot.

At the time of his tragic death Mr. Page was in his sixty-first year,
but a large and very vigorous man. He had been garbed in his street
clothes (save for a frayed and faded purple smoking-jacket), thus
contradicting Burke's belief that the household had retired. On the
right temple the mark clearly showed where the candlestick's base had
crushed the skull beneath. Death certainly had been instantaneous.

While I held the candlestick in my band, Maillot suddenly exclaimed:

"By George, Swift! the old gentleman's death may have been owing to
accident, after all!"

I looked keenly at him.

"Suppose he was here on the landing," the young fellow went on
enthusiastically; "suppose somebody knocked that book-case affair
suddenly forward--might 've stumbled against it in the dark, you
know--why, that heavy candlestick would have put a quietus on any man,
falling on his head that way."

But I could not encourage this idea.

"I thought of that as soon as I saw the overturned whatnot," said I;
"but several circumstances disprove it.

"In the first place, if the candlestick slid off the top, th