Page 19 (1/1)

"Might it not be buried in the flesh?" Gwen asked

"Possibly, but as I have not been able to find it I cannot believe it very likely, though closer search ht forefinger," he continued, "is slightly stained with blood, but the wound is of a nature which could not have been caused by a finger nail previously poisoned Since we know he pressed his hand to his throat this blood-stain ly toward the truth of the suicide theory than it does toward that of the murder hypothesis Suppose now, for we in to act upon the assumption that murder has been committed What will they then do? They will satisfy themselves that the east as opened six and three-quarters inches and securely fastened in that position; that the two south ere closed and fastened and that the blinds thereof were also closed

They will ascertain the time when death occurred,--we can easily tell them,--and this will show them that neither of the blinds on the south side could have been opened without so increasing the light in the room as to be sure to attract our attention They will learn also that the folding doors were locked, as they are now, on this side and that these two gentleainst them They will then turn to the hall door as the only possible means of entrance and I shall tell them that the Doctor and I sat directly in front of this door and between it and Mr Darrow I have taken the liberty to cut the carpet to mark the positions of our chairs In view of all these facts what must they conclude? Simply this: no one entered the roo observed" "But surely," I ventured to suggest, "you do not think they will presume to question the testimony of all of us that no one was observed"

"That is all negative evidence," he replied, "and does not conclusively prove that another ht not have observed e failed to detect However, it is all so self-evident that they will not question it I knoell theirthat I am already prepared to refute their conclusions at every point, without, I regret to say, beingthat I purposely a any theory whatever until I have ascertained everything which it is possible to learn in the matter In this way I hope to avoid the error into which the detective is so prone to fall Once you set up an hypothesis you unconsciously, and in spite of yourself, accentuate unduly the i toward that hypothesis, while, on the other hand you either utterly neglect, nant to your theory In cheather theany, so that the first few shall not, either by satisfying or discouraging me, cause me to leave the bush half beaten