we have three important facts. One is that the spectacles
found by us at Kennington Lane were undoubtedly Jeffrey's; for it is as
unlikely that there exists another pair of spectacles exactly identical
with those as that there exists another face exactly like Jeffrey's
face. The second fact is that the description of Jeffrey tallies
completely with that of the sick man, Graves, as given by Dr. Jervis;
and the third is that when Jeffrey was seen by Mr. Hindley, there was no
sign of his being addicted to the taking of morphine. The first and
second facts, you will agree, constitute complete identification."

"Yes," said Marchmont; "I think we must admit the identification as
being quite conclusive, though the evidence is of a kind that is more
striking to the medical than to the legal mind."

"You will not have that complaint to make against the next item of
evidence," said Thorndyke. "It is after the lawyer's own heart, as you
shall hear. A few days ago I wrote to Mr. Stephen asking him if he
possessed a recent photograph of his uncle Jeffrey. He had one, and he
sent it to me by return. This portrait I showed to Dr. Jervis and asked
him if he had ever seen the person it represented. After examining it
attentively, without any hint whatever from me, he identified it as the
portrait of the sick man, Graves."

"Indeed!" exclaimed Marchmont. "This is most important. Are you prepared
to swear to the identity, Dr. Jervis?"

"I have not the slightest doubt," I replied, "that the portrait is that
of Mr. Graves."

"Excellent!" said Marchmont, rubbing his hands gleefully; "this will be
much more convincing to a jury. Pray go on, Dr. Thorndyke."

"That," said Thorndyke, "completes the first part of my investigation.
We had now reached a definite, demonstrable fact; and that fact, as you
see, disposed at once of the main question--the genuineness of the will.
For if the man at Kennington Lane was Jeffrey Blackmore, then the man at
New Inn was not. But it was the latter who had signed the will.
Therefore the will was not signed by Jeffrey Blackmore; that is to say,
it was a forgery. The case was complete for the purposes of the civil
proceedings; the rest of my investigations had reference to the criminal
prosecution that was inevitable. Shall I proceed, or is your interest
confined to the will?"

"Hang the will!" exclaimed Stephen. "I want to hear how you propose to
lay hands on the villain who murdered poor old uncle Jeffrey