and in an ever-widening circle. And that thought led to another of
much greater significance. The shot had been fired at close range to
ensure accuracy of aim or deaden the sound of the report. But, whichever
the murderer's intention, the second purpose had been achieved,
intentionally or unintentionally. How had it happened, then, that the
sound of the report had penetrated so loudly downstairs?

As Colwyn moved about the room, examining everything with his quick
appraising eye, he noticed that the position of the bed had been changed
since he last saw it. The head was a trifle askew, and nearer to the
side of the wall than the foot. The difference was slight, but Colwyn
could see a portion of the fireplace which had not been visible before.
The bed stood almost in the centre of the room, the foot in line with
the door, and the head about three or four feet from the chimney-piece.
In noting this rather unusual position during his last visit, Colwyn had
formed the conclusion that it had been chosen for the benefit of fresh
air and light during the summer months, as the window, which looked over
the terraced gardens, was nearer that end of the room.

Colwyn approached the head of the bed and bent down to examine the
bedposts. A slight groove in the deep pile carpet showed clearly enough
that the bed had been pushed back a few inches. The change in position
was so trifling that it might have been attributed to the act of a
servant in sweeping the room if a closer examination had not revealed
the continuance of the groove under the bed. The inference was
unmistakable: the bed, in the first instance, had been pushed much
farther back on its castors, and then almost, but not quite, restored to
its original position.

Had the bed been moved to gain access to the fireplace? He could see no
reason for such a proceeding. It was too early in the autumn to need
fires, and the room had not been occupied since the murder. In any case,
the appearance of the grate showed that no fire had been lit. There was
ample space to pass between the head of the bed and the fireplace,
though perhaps not much room for movement. On his last visit Colwyn had
looked into this space to test its possibilities of concealment. In the
quickened interest of his new discovery he pushed the bed out of the way
and examined it again.

The first thing that caught his eye was a scratch on the polished
surface of the register grate. It looked to be of recent o