"
I almost dropped the pan of acid I was holding, in my excitement.
"Well," I said, concealing my own surprise, "I've found out
something, too. Every one of these finger-prints so far is from
the same pair of hands."
We scarcely ate any breakfast, and were soon on our way up to the
hall. Craig had provided himself at the local stationer's with an
inking-pad, such as is used for rubber stamps. At the hall he
proceeded to get the impressions of the fingers and thumbs of all
the servants.
It was quite a long and difficult piece of work to compare the
finger-prints we had taken with those photographed, in spite of
the fact that writers descant on the ease with which criminals
are traced by this system devised by the famous Galton. However,
we at last finished the job between us; or rather Craig finished
it, with an occasional remark from me. His dexterity amazed me;
it was more than mere book knowledge.
For a moment we sat regarding each other hopelessly. None of the
finger-prints taken at the hall tallied with the photographed
prints. Then Craig rang for the housekeeper, a faithful old soul
whom even the typhoid scare could not budge from her post.
"Are you sure I have seen all the servants who were at the hall
while Mr. Bisbee was here" asked Craig.
"Why, no, sir--you didn't ask that.
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