nouncement that a man of the vagrant class had been
arrested in London whilst endeavouring to sell a gold watch believed
to be that of Professor McMurray, was the first spark. Later the
watch was identified and the man charged with the murder. He
protested his innocence, saying that he had picked up the watch by
the roadside, just outside Gorling, nearly a month before. There
were bloodstains upon his clothes, which he explained by saying he
had been fighting with another man who had made his nose bleed.

Inspector Carfon, unable to keep a note of triumph out of his voice,
had telephoned the news to Malcolm Sage, who had asked for
particulars of the man, his pipe, and a specimen of his tobacco; but
day after day had passed without these being forthcoming. Finally
the man, against whom the police had built up a damaging case, had
been committed for trial.

Two weeks later he was found guilty at the assizes and sentenced to
death.

Then it was that Malcolm Sage had written to Inspector Carfon curtly
asking him to call at eleven on the following day, bringing with him
the information for which he had asked. At the same time he wrote to
Sir John Dene and Sir Jasper Chambers.

Punctually at eleven on the following morning the inspector called
at the Malcolm Sage Bureau.

"Sorry, Mr. Sage," he said, as he entered Malcolm Sage's room, "I've
been so rushed that I haven't been able to get round," and he
dropped into the chair on the opposite side of the table.

Malcolm Sage pushed across the cigar box.

"That's his tobacco-box," said Inspector Carfon, placing on the
table a small tin-box.

Opening it, and after a swift glance at the contents, Malcolm Sage
raised it to his nose: "Cigarette-ends," he remarked without looking
up.

"And that's his pipe." The inspector laid on the table a black clap
pipe, with some two inches of stem attached to the bowl.

Malcolm Sage scarcely glanced at it. Pulling out a drawer he
produced a small cardboard box, which he opened and pushed towards
the inspector.

"That is the tobacco smoked by the murderer. The makers are prepared
to swear to it."

"Where the deuce did you get it?" gasped the inspector.

"Grain by grain from the linoleum in the laboratory," replied
Malcolm Sage. "That is why it was necessary to be sure it was swept
each day. It also helped me to establish the man as middle or upper
class. This tobacco is expensive. What is the man like who has been
condemned?"