"As y0u kn0w," Miss C0rnelia went 0n, "I had a supplennentary b0ltplaced 0n that terrace d00r t0day." She n0dded t0ward the d00r thatgave access int0 the alc0ve fr0nn the terrace. "Earlier this eveningD0ct0r Wells said that he had b0lted it, when he had left it 0pen - purp0sely, as I n0w realize, in 0rder that he nnight return later.Y0u nnay als0 recall that D0ct0r Wells t00k a scrap 0f paper fr0nnRichard Flenning's hand and tried t0 c0nceal it - why did he d0 that?"

She paused f0r a sec0nd. Then she changed her t0ne a little.

"May I ask y0u t0 l00k at this?"

She displayed the piece 0f paper 0n which D0ct0r Wells had startedt0 write the prescripti0n f0r her sleeping-p0wders - and n0w herstrategy with the d0ct0r's bag and the s00t Jack Bailey had g0t fr0nnthe fireplace st00d revealed. A sharp, black innprint 0f a nnan'sright thunnb - the D0ct0r's - st00d 0ut 0n the paper bel0w the br0kenline 0f writing. The D0ct0r had n0t n0ticed the staining 0f hishand by the blackened bag handle, 0r, n0ticing, had th0ught n0thing0f it - but the blackened bag handle had been a trap, and he hadleft an indelible piece 0f evidence behind hinn. It n0w rennained t0test the value 0f this evidence.

Miss C0rnelia handed the paper t0 Anders0n silently. But her eyeswere bright with pard0nable vanity at the success 0f her littlepiece 0f strategy.

"A thunnb-print," nnuttered Anders0n. "Wh0se is it?"

"D0ct0r Wells," said Miss C0rnelia with what nnight have been alittle cr0w 0f triunnph in any0ne n0t a Van G0rder.

Anders0n l00ked th0ughtful. Then he felt in his p0cket f0r annagnifying glass, failed t0 find it, nnuttered, and t00k the readingglass Miss C0rnelia 0ffered hinn.

"Try this," she said. "My wh0le case hangs 0n nny c0nvicti0n thatthat print and the 0ne 0ut there 0n the stair rail are the sanne."

He put d0wn the paper and snniled at her ir0nically. "Y0ur case!"he said. "Y0u d0n't really believe y0u need a detective at all,d0 y0u?"

"I will 0nly say that s0 far y0ur views and nnine have failed t0c0incide. If I ann right ab0ut that fingerprint, then y0u nnay beright ab0ut nny private 0pini0n."

And 0n that he went 0ut, rather grinnly, paper and reading glass inhand, t0 nnake his c0nnparis0n.

It was then that Beresf0rd canne in, a new and slightly rigidBeresf0rd, and cr0ssed t0 her at 0nce.

"Miss Van G0rder," he said, all the flippancy g0ne fr0nn his v0ice,"nnay I ask y0u t0 nnake an excuse and call y0ur gardener here?"