n much use, apparently; the leather's quite new, and the inside
quite unsoiled. British manufactured brass, too, in the buckle.
Shouldn't have expected that in a Persian-made article. Inscription
scratched on with the point of a knife or some other implement not
employed in metal engraving. May I trouble you for a pin? Thank you.
Hum-m-m! Thought so. Some dirty, clayey stuff rubbed in to make the
letters appear old and of long standing. Look here, Mr. Narkom; metal
quite bright underneath when you pick the stuff out. Inscription very
recently added; leather, American tanned; brass, Birmingham; stitching,
by the Blake shoe and harness machine; wizard, probably born in
Tottenham Court Road, and his knowledge of Persia confined to Persian
powder in four-penny tins."

He laid the belt aside, and walked slowly round the room, inspecting its
contents before turning his attention to the portmanteau.

"Evidently the vanishing qualities of the belt did not assert themselves
very rapidly, Mr. Narkom," he said, "for Mr. Carboys not only prepared
to go to bed, but had time to get himself ready to hurry off to business
in the morning with as little delay as possible. Look here; here are his
pyjamas on the top of this chest of drawers, neatly folded, just as he
left them out of his portmanteau; and as a razor has been wiped on this
towel (see this slim line of dust-like particles of hair), he shaved
before going to bed in order to save himself the trouble of doing so in
the morning. But as there is no shaving mug visible, and he couldn't get
hot water at that hour of the night, we shall probably discover a spirit
lamp and its equipment when we look into the portmanteau. Now, as he had
time to put these shaving articles away after using, and as no man
shaves with his collar and necktie on, if we do not find those, too, in
the portmanteau, we may conclude that he put them on again; and, as he
wouldn't put them on again if he were going to bed, the inference is
obvious: something caused him to dress and prepare to leave the house
voluntarily. That 'something' must have manifested itself very abruptly,
and demanded great haste--either that, or he expected to return; for you
will observe that, although he replaced his shaving tackle in the
portmanteau, he did not put his sleeping suit back with it. While I am
poking about, do me the favour of looking in the bag, Mr. Narkom, and
tell me if you find the collar and necktie there."

"Not a