Evening star., 1921-08-14

looking down with keen professional
piece of test tube" remarked
Malcolm Sage. as he placed the small
piece of glass upon the table.
Moses aunt" gasped the inspec-
tor. 81 missed that, though l saw a
lot of bits of glass. l thought 1t was
an electric bulb"
These are not letters" he continued
without looking up.
Not letters?"
The paper is all Of the same quail
ity. BY the way. has any one dis
turbed it?" He indicated the CRATE.
mo one" was the reply.
Presently he picked up the poker
a massive steel affair. and proceeded
to examine the fire-end with great
,minuteneSs.
+ at was done with the other end" said
the inspector. He must have wiped II
afterwards. There was no sign OF blood
or hair
"The professor did not smoker" he
mo: but the murderer did," was the
rather brusque reply.
OBVIOUSLY" was Malcolm Sage's dry
retort. HE also left his pipe behind and
had to return for it. 1t was rather a
LEFT his pipe behind" cried the in
spector, his irritation dropping from him
, like a garment. How on earth
X Z X =
sIJERE." Malcolm Sage indicated a
IL dark stain on the highly polished
table, land here" he pointed to few
fecks of ash some four or five inches
distant, "are indications that pipe has
remained for some considerable time,
long enough for the nicotine to drain
through the stem; it was very foul
pipe, Carton" .,.,o. 49,.
i in a few minutes, or while the man was
here?' objected Inspector Carton.
with a wet smoker the saliva might
have drained back" said Malcolm Sage,
his eyes upon the stain. but tins Is
nicotine from higher up the stem, which
would take time to flow out. AS 70
leaving it on the table. what inveterate
smoker would allow pipe t}s TO ,,nless ne on ns
left it behind him? The man smoked
like a chimney; look at the tobacco ash
in the fireplace. Now that photograph
Carton"
Taking letter-case from his breast
photograph folded in half: This ne
handed to Malcolm Sage. who. after a
keen glance at the grim and gruesome
picture, put it in his pocket.
81 thought so, he murmured:
Thought what, Mr.. Sage?" inquired
TLeft-handed," said Malcolm Sage.
"Clean through the left side of the occl:
pital bone. No right-handed man could
have delivered such blow. That con-
firms the poker"
Of the lock have been loosened from
the inside with the poker" explained
Malcolm Sage.
"Then the forced door was blind?"
gasped the inspector.
1.-THE murderer was let In by the pro-
fessor himself. who was subsequently at
tackled from behind as he stood with his
back to the fireplace. You are sure the
CRATE has not been touched?"
."Some one has stirred the ashes about
so as to break up the charred leaves
into small pieces to make identificati ton
impossible. This man has brain," he
sdded' 81
Malcolm Sage had seated himself
at the table, his long thin fingers
outspread before him. Suddenly he
gave utterance to an exclamation OF
annoyance.
'The pipe" he murmured. "I was
wrong. He put it down because he
was absorbed in something, probably
the papers he burnt"
Then you think the murderer burnt
the papers?" inquired the inspector
in surprise.
"Who else?" asked Malcolm Sage,
rising. Now we'll see the butler"
AS Malcolm Sage and Inspector Car
fon crossed the lawn from the labor
atory Sir Jasper Chambers was seen
coming down the drive towards them.
There's Sir. Jasper" cried the in
spector. I'VE have just been looking
at the laboratory"
"Ah" Sir Jasper nodded his head
several times. 1.-THE laboratory" -
will you oblige with your pouch,
CarfoH," said Malcolm Sage. drawing
his pipe from his pocket. I've lost
mine" 80.
4 + X 4 - -:
INSPECTOR CARTON thrust his
hand into his left-hand pocket,
then began to go hurriedly through
his other pockets with the. air of a
man who has lost something.
II had it a quarter of an hour ago.
he said. II must have dropped it in
49, "a. eta Yo..~.