ised. He slipped into this room,
because it was the first that he saw. There was no other place where he
could hide, so he popped in behind this curtain. That all seems clear
enough. It is likely that his main idea was to burgle the house; but
Mr. Douglas chanced to come upon him, so he murdered him and escaped."

"That's how I read it," said Barker. "But, I say, aren't we wasting
precious time? Couldn't we start out and scour the country before the
fellow gets away?"

The sergeant considered for a moment.

"There are no trains before six in the morning; so he can't get away by
rail. If he goes by road with his legs all dripping, it's odds that
someone will notice him. Anyhow, I can't leave here myself until I am
relieved. But I think none of you should go until we see more clearly
how we all stand."

The doctor had taken the lamp and was narrowly scrutinizing the body.
"What's this mark?" he asked. "Could this have any connection with the
crime?"

The dead man's right arm was thrust out from his dressing gown, and
exposed as high as the elbow. About halfway up the forearm was a
curious brown design, a triangle inside a circle, standing out in vivid
relief upon the lard-coloured skin.

"It's not tattooed," said the doctor, peering through his glasses. "I
never saw anything like it. The man has been branded at some time as
they brand cattle. What is the meaning of this?"

"I don't profess to know the meaning of it," said Cecil Barker; "but I
have seen the mark on Douglas many times this last ten years."

"And so have I," said the butler. "Many a time when the master has
rolled up his sleeves I have noticed that very mark. I've often
wondered what it could be."

"Then it has nothing to do with the crime, anyhow," said the sergeant.
"But it's a rum thing all the same. Everything about this case is rum.
Well, what is it now?"

The butler had given an exclamation of astonishment and was pointing at
the dead man's outstretched hand.

"They've taken his wedding ring!" he gasped.

"What!"

"Yes, indeed. Master always wore his plain gold wedding ring on the
little finger of his left hand. That ring with the rough nugget on it
was above it, and the twisted snake ring on the third finger. There's
the nugget and there's the snake, but the wedding ring is gone."

"He's right," said Barker.

"Do you tell me," said the sergeant, "that the wedding ring was below
the other?"

"Always!"

"Then the murderer, or who