ds, 'The professor--it was she,' but imagines
that they were the outcome of delirium. He believes that Willoughby
Smith had not an enemy in the world, and can give no reason for the
crime. His first action was to send Mortimer, the gardener, for the
local police. A little later the chief constable sent for me. Nothing
was moved before I got there, and strict orders were given that no
one should walk upon the paths leading to the house. It was a splendid
chance of putting your theories into practice, Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
There was really nothing wanting."

"Except Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said my companion, with a somewhat bitter
smile. "Well, let us hear about it. What sort of a job did you make of
it?"

"I must ask you first, Mr. Holmes, to glance at this rough plan, which
will give you a general idea of the position of the professor's study
and the various points of the case. It will help you in following my
investigation."

He unfolded the rough chart, which I here reproduce,

GRAPHIC

and he laid it across Holmes's knee. I rose and, standing behind Holmes,
studied it over his shoulder.

"It is very rough, of course, and it only deals with the points
which seem to me to be essential. All the rest you will see later for
yourself. Now, first of all, presuming that the assassin entered the
house, how did he or she come in? Undoubtedly by the garden path and the
back door, from which there is direct access to the study. Any other way
would have been exceedingly complicated. The escape must have also been
made along that line, for of the two other exits from the room one was
blocked by Susan as she ran downstairs and the other leads straight to
the professor's bedroom. I therefore directed my attention at once
to the garden path, which was saturated with recent rain, and would
certainly show any footmarks.

"My examination showed me that I was dealing with a cautious and expert
criminal. No footmarks were to be found on the path. There could be no
question, however, that someone had passed along the grass border which
lines the path, and that he had done so in order to avoid leaving a
track. I could not find anything in the nature of a distinct impression,
but the grass was trodden down, and someone had undoubtedly passed. It
could only have been the murderer, since neither the gardener nor anyone
else had been there that morning, and the rain had only begun during the
night."

"One moment," said Holmes. "Wher