"I meant, rather, the very interesting general truth that is contained
in Britton's statement; that physiognomy is not a mere matter of facial
character. A man carries his personal trademark, not in his face only,
but in his nervous system and muscles--giving rise to characteristic
movements and gait; in his larynx--producing an individual voice; and
even in his mouth, as shown by individual peculiarities of speech and
accent. And the individual nervous system, by means of these
characteristic movements, transfers its peculiarities to inanimate
objects that are the products of such movements; as we see in pictures,
in carving, in musical execution and in handwriting. No one has ever
painted quite like Reynolds or Romney; no one has ever played exactly
like Liszt or Paganini; the pictures or the sounds produced by them,
were, so to speak, an extension of the physiognomy of the artist. And so
with handwriting. A particular specimen is the product of a particular
set of motor centres in an individual brain."

"These are very interesting considerations, Thorndyke," I remarked; "but
I don't quite see their present application. Do you mean them to bear in
any special way on the Blackmore case?"

"I think they do bear on it very directly. I thought so while Mr.
Britton was making his very illuminating remarks."

"I don't see how. In fact I cannot see why you are going into the
question of the signatures at all. The signature on the will is
admittedly genuine, and that seems to me to dispose of the whole
affair."

"My dear Jervis," said he, "you and Marchmont are allowing yourselves to
be obsessed by a particular fact--a very striking and weighty fact, I
will admit, but still, only an isolated fact. Jeffrey Blackmore executed
his will in a regular manner, complying with all the necessary
formalities and conditions. In the face of that single circumstance you
and Marchmont would 'chuck up the sponge,' as the old pugilists
expressed it. Now that is a great mistake. You should never allow
yourself to be bullied and browbeaten by a single fact."

"But, my dear Thorndyke!" I protested, "this fact seems to be final. It
covers all possibilities---unless you can suggest any other that would
cancel it."

"I could suggest a dozen," he replied. "Let us take an instance.
Supposing Jeffrey executed this will for a wager; that he immediately
revoked it and made a fresh will, that he placed the latter in the
custody of some person