eded carefully
and deliberately. The inking-slab was rolled afresh for each impression,
and, after each, the thumb was cleansed with petrol and thoroughly
dried; and when the process was completed and the prisoner led back to
the dock, the twenty squares on the paper were occupied by twenty
thumb-prints, which, to my eye, at any rate, were identical in
character.

The judge sat for near upon a minute poring over this singular document
with an expression half-way between a frown and a smile. At length, when
we had all returned to our places, he directed the usher to bring in the
witnesses.

I was amused to observe the change that had come over the experts in the
short interval. The confident smile, the triumphant air of laying down a
trump card, had vanished, and the expression of both was one of anxiety,
not unmixed with apprehension. As Mr. Singleton advanced hesitatingly to
the table, I recalled the words that he had uttered in his room at
Scotland Yard; evidently his scheme of the game that was to end in an
easy checkmate, had not included the move that had just been made.

"Mr. Singleton," said the judge, "here is a paper on which there are
twenty thumb-prints. Ten of them are genuine prints of the prisoner's
left thumb and ten are forgeries. Please examine them and note down in
writing which are the true prints and which are the forgeries. When you
have made your notes the paper will be handed to Mr. Nash."

"Is there any objection to my using the photograph that I have with me
for comparison, my lord?" asked Mr. Singleton.

"I think not," replied the judge. "What do you say, Mr. Anstey?"

"No objection whatever, my lord," answered Anstey.

Mr. Singleton accordingly drew from his pocket an enlarged photograph of
the thumb-print and a magnifying glass, with the aid of which he
explored the bewildering array of prints on the paper before him; and as
he proceeded I remarked with satisfaction that his expression became
more and more dubious and worried. From time to time he made an entry on
a memorandum slip beside him, and, as the entries accumulated, his frown
grew deeper and his aspect more puzzled and gloomy.

At length he sat up, and taking the memorandum slip in his hand,
addressed the judge.

"I have finished my examination, my lord."

"Very well. Mr. Nash, will you kindly examine the paper and write down
the results of your examination?"

"Oh! I wish they would make haste," whispered Juliet. "Do yo