that he could not leave the place until
nightfall. He therefore ate that meal, carefully avoiding the
marmalade, which he disliked, and subsequently he consumed the
luncheon, and dinner, passed through the wicket."

Malcolm Sage paused to press down the tobacco in his pipe.

"He burned the manuscript, tearing up letters and throwing them into
the waste-paper basket to give the appearance of Professor McMurray
having had a clearing-up. He then destroyed all the test-tubes he
could find. Finally he left the laboratory late on the Wednesday
night, or early Thursday morning."

"But how did you find out all this?" It was Sir John Dene who spoke.

"First of all, Sir Jasper and the murderer smoke the same tobacco,
'Ormonde Mixture.' I verified that by picking Inspector Carfon's
pocket." Taking a tobacco-pouch from a drawer Malcolm Sage handed it
across the table. "You will remember Sir Jasper lent me his pouch. I
had picked up some tobacco on the floor and on the hearth.

"Secondly, the murderer was left-handed, and so is Sir Jasper.

"Thirdly, the murderer does not eat marmalade and Sir Jasper had the
same distaste."

"But how----?" began the inspector.

"I telephoned to his housekeeper in the name of a local grocer and
asked if it would be Sir Jasper who had ordered some marmalade, as
an assistant could not remember the gentleman's name. That grocer, I
suspect, got into trouble, as the housekeeper seemed to expect him
to know that Sir Jasper disliked marmalade."

"Well, you seem to have got the thing pretty well figured out,"
remarked Sir John Dene grimly.

"Another man's life and liberty were at stake," was the calm reply,
"otherwise----" he shrugged his shoulders.

"As Sir Jasper did not come forward I wrote to him yesterday giving
him until noon to-day to make a statement," continued Malcolm Sage,
"otherwise I should have to take steps to save the man condemned."

Then after a short pause he continued: "In Sir Jasper Chambers you
have an illustration of the smallness of a great mind. He has
devoted his vast wealth to philanthropy; yet he was willing to allow
another man to be hanged for his crime."

"And this, I take it," said Sir John Dene, "is his reply," and he
handed a letter across to Malcolm Sage.

"Read it out," he said.

Malcolm Sage glanced swiftly through the pages and then read:--

My Dear Dene,----

By the time you receive this letter I shall be dead. I have just
received a letter from M