The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-25

Italian, should say," said Crewe But he looks as if he might have stepped out of a biblical plate. He would make an admirable model for St. Peter with his expressive eyes and hooked nose and patri archal beard. We'll have ! look at his boat.'
 They walked along the landing place to the boat which had been moored to an iron ring at the end. It was half-decked mo- torboat about, 20 feet long, empty except for coil of rope thrown loosely in the bottom, and small hand fishing net. The boat was painted white, and the name Zuli- etta could be seen on the stern in black letter..
 They turned away, and Crewe suggested to his companion that they should walk along the beach and back to Cliff Farm by the road instead of returning by the path they had just descended. He added that he wanted to have a good look at the ap- proach to the farm from the village from the sea, and Marsland readily agreed, and they walked for some distance in silence. He glanced at Crewe expectantly from time to time, but the detective appeared to be wrapped in thought When they had cov- cred more than had been the distance be- tween the landing place and the point where the cliffs sloped won to the level ground Marsland spoke.
 Have you reached any conclusions yet, Crewe?"
 About this murder?"
 "Of course.'
 Il have not come to any definite con- clusions so far," said Crewe meditatively But of one thing I am certain. The un- raveling of this crime is not going to 5c quite such simple matter as Inspector Payne seems to think"
 q gathered that you were doubtful about his theory that the man who killed Lumsden got in through the window"
 Doubtful about it!' echoed Crewe. Doubtful is mild :, ord. I am absolutely certain that he didn't get in through the window.'
 But the catch was forced"
 ''It was forced from the ins.de.''
 Marsland looked at him in amazement.
 ''How did you find out that?" he asked.
 By inspecting the sash. I had good look at it from the inside and out. Ap- parently it hadn't been opened cor some time before last night, and the marks of the knife which was used to force t were very distinct in the sash in consequence. But the marks were broader and more dis tinct at the top of the sash inside than at the bottom. Therefore, the knife was in- serted at the top, and that could be done only by man inside the house."
 But why was the window forced if the the man was inside?"
 "In order to mislead us.''
 But the footprints led up to the win dow."
 'No, said Crewe. "They led away from it."
 Surely, you are mistaken" said Mars land. q don't like trying to put you right on a matter of this kind, but the marks of the boots were so distinct they all pointed in one way-toward the window"
 Look behind you, at our own footprints in the sand," said Crewe.
 They had left the rocks behind them some time previously and for five minutes had been walking on strip of sand which skirted the cliff road-now level with the sea-and broadened into beach nearer the village. Crewe pointed to the clear imprint of their footsteps in the firm, wet sand behind them.''
 We'll try little experiment" he said "Let us walk backward for a few yards over the ground we have just covered"
 He commenced to do so, and Marsland wonderingly folio we'd suit. After covering about 20 yards in this fashion Crewe stopped.
 That will be sufficient for our purpose" he said. Nov let us compare the two sets