I set to work then in earnest to connect him with that night in Adelphi
Terrace. All the finger marks in the captain's study were for some
reason destroyed, but I found others outside, in the dust on that
seldom-used gate which leads from the garden. Without his knowing,
I secured from the man I suspected the imprint of his right thumb. A
comparison was startling. Next I went down into Fleet Street and luckily
managed to get hold of the typewritten copy sent to the Mail bearing
those four messages. I noticed that in these the letter a was out
of alignment. I maneuvered to get a letter written on a typewriter
belonging to my man. The a was out of alignment. Then Archibald
Enwright, a renegade and waster well known to us as serving other
countries, came to England. My man and he met--at Ye Old Gambrinus, in
Regent Street. And finally, on a visit to the lodgings of this man who,
I was now certain, was Von der Herts, under the mattress of his bed I
found this knife."

And Colonel Hughes threw down upon the inspector's desk the knife from
India that I had last seen in the study of Captain Fraser-Freer.

"All these points of evidence were in my hands yesterday morning in
this room," Hughes went on. "Still, the answer they gave me was so
unbelievable, so astounding, I was not satisfied; I wanted even stronger
proof. That is why I directed suspicion to my American friend here. I
was waiting. I knew that at last Von der Herts realized the danger he
was in. I felt that if opportunity were offered he would attempt
to escape from England; and then our proofs of his guilt would be
unanswerable, despite his cleverness. True enough, in the afternoon he
secured the release of the countess, and together they started for the
Continent. I was lucky enough to get him at Dover--and glad to let the
lady go on."

And now, for the first time, the startling truth struck me full in the
face as Hughes smiled down at his victim.

"Inspector Bray," he said, "or Von der Herts, as you choose, I arrest
you on two counts: First, as the head of the Wilhelmstrasse spy system
in England; second, as the murderer of Captain Fraser-Freer. And, if you
will allow me, I wish to compliment you on your efficiency."

Bray did not reply for a moment. I sat numb in my chair. Finally the
inspector looked up. He actually tried to smile.

"You win the hat," he said, "but you must go to Homburg for it. I will
gladly pay all expenses."

"Thank you," answered Hugh