citously called 'a policy of
masterly inactivity'; and yet that is one of the great lessons that a
medical training impresses on the student."

"That may be so," said I. "But the result, up to the present, of your
masterly policy is that a verdict of wilful murder stands against your
client, and I don't see what other verdict the jury could have found."

"Neither do I," said Thorndyke.

I had written to my principal, Dr. Cooper, describing the stirring
events that were taking place in the village, and had received a reply
from him instructing me to place the house at Thorndyke's disposal, and
to give him every facility for his work. In accordance with which edict
my colleague took possession of a well-lighted, disused stable-loft, and
announced his intention of moving his things into it. Now, as these
"things" included the mysterious contents of the hamper that the
housemaid had seen, I was possessed with a consuming desire to be
present at the "flitting," and I do not mind confessing that I purposely
lurked about the stairs in the hopes of thus picking up a few crumbs of
information.

But Thorndyke was one too many for me. A misbegotten infant in the
village having been seized with inopportune convulsions, I was
compelled, most reluctantly, to hasten to its relief; and I returned
only in time to find Thorndyke in the act of locking the door of the
loft.

"A nice light, roomy place to work in," he remarked, as he descended the
steps, slipping the key into his pocket.

"Yes," I replied, and added boldly: "What do you intend to do up there?"

"Work up the case for the defence," he replied, "and, as I have now
heard all that the prosecution have to say, I shall be able to forge
ahead."

This was vague enough, but I consoled myself with the reflection that
in a very few days I should, in common with the rest of the world, be in
possession of the results of his mysterious proceedings. For, in view of
the approaching assizes, preparations were being made to push the case
through the magistrate's court as quickly as possible in order to obtain
a committal in time for the ensuing sessions. Draper had, of course,
been already charged before a justice of the peace and evidence of
arrest taken, and it was expected that the adjourned hearing would
commence before the local magistrates on the fifth day after the
inquest.

The events of these five days kept me in a positive ferment of
curiosity. In the first place an insp