-not because it was loud, but because it was more like the
cry of some animal than of a human being. However quietly she might have
behaved in the landlady's previous experience of her, she was beside
herself now. I might have been moved by a natural pity for her, or I
might have been completely upset in my mind--I only know this, I could
not persuade myself that she was guilty. I even said to Mrs. Crosscapel,
"I don't believe she did it."

While I spoke there was a knock at the door. I went downstairs at once,
and admitted (to my great relief) the Inspector, accompanied by one of
our men.

He waited downstairs to hear my report, and he approved of what I had
done. "It looks as if the murder had been committed by somebody in the
house." Saying this, he left the man below, and went up with me to the
second floor.

Before he had been a minute in the room, he discovered an object which
had escaped my observation.

It was the knife that had done the deed.

The doctor had found it left in the body--had withdrawn it to probe the
wound--and had laid it on the bedside table. It was one of those useful
knives which contain a saw, a corkscrew, and other like implements.
The big blade fastened back, when open, with a spring. Except where the
blood was on it, it was as bright as when it had been purchased. A small
metal plate was fastened to the horn handle, containing an inscription,
only partly engraved, which ran thus: "To John Zebedee, from--" There it
stopped, strangely enough.

Who or what had interrupted the engraver's work? It was impossible even
to guess. Nevertheless, the Inspector was encouraged.

"This ought to help us," he said--and then he gave an attentive ear
(looking all the while at the poor creature in the corner) to what Mrs.
Crosscapel had to tell him.

The landlady having done, he said he must now see the lodger who slept
in the next bed-chamber.

Mr. Deluc made his appearance, standing at the door of the room, and
turning away his head with horror from the sight inside.

He was wrapped in a splendid blue dressing-gown, with a golden girdle
and trimmings. His scanty brownish hair curled (whether artificially or
not, I am unable to say) in little ringlets. His complexion was yellow;
his greenish-brown eyes were of the sort called "goggle"--they looked as
if they might drop out of his face, if you held a spoon under them. His
mustache and goat's beard were beautifully oiled; and, to complete his
equ