ost any poison that he wants. But
social position is an important factor, whence we may conclude that X
belongs, at least, to the middle class.

"The fourth point relates to the personal qualities of X. Now it is
evident, from this instance alone, that he is a man of exceptional
intelligence, of considerable general information, and both ingenious
and resourceful. This cigar device is not only clever and original, but
it has been adapted to the special circumstances with remarkable
forethought. Thus the cheroot was selected, apparently, for two
excellent reasons: first, that it was the most likely form to be smoked
by the person intended, and second, that it did not require to have the
end cut off--which might have led to a discovery of the poison. The plan
also shows a certain knowledge of chemistry; the poison was not intended
merely to be dissolved in the moisture of the mouth. The idea evidently
was that the steam generated by the combustion of the leaf at the
distal end, would condense in the cooler part of the cigar and dissolve
the poison, and the solution would then be drawn into the mouth. Then
the nature of the poison and certain similarities of procedure seem to
identify X with the cyclist who used that ingenious bullet. The poison
in this case is a white, non-crystalline solid; the poison contained in
the bullet was a solution of a white, non-crystalline solid, which
analysis showed to be the most poisonous of all akaloids.

"The bullet was virtually a hypodermic syringe; the poison in this cigar
has been introduced, in the form of an alcoholic or ethereal solution,
by a hypodermic syringe. We shall thus be justified in assuming that the
bullet and the cigar came from the same person; and, if this be so, we
may say that X is a person of considerable knowledge, of great ingenuity
and no mean skill as a mechanician--as shown by the manufacture of the
bullet.

"These are our principal facts--to which we may add the surmise that he
has recently purchased a second-hand Blickensderfer of the literary form
or, at least, fitted with a literary typewheel."

"I don't quite see how you arrive at that," I said, in some surprise.

"It is merely a guess, you know," he replied, "though a probable one. In
the first place he is obviously unused to typing, as the numerous
mistakes show; therefore he has not had the machine very long. The type
is that which is peculiar to the Blickensderfer, and, in one of the
mistakes, a