airway, which he had previously
noted, entered the room through the long window to tell her that he was
going to take a bath in the river, and to get towels. He remained a few
minutes, put two towels in his pocket, and came out, going down the same
stairway, across the garden, and along the main road to the river. (A
track, however, has been found to the river through the large meadow
behind the house.) At the bend where road and river meet, he undressed
himself and took a bath. The disorder in his clothing and his wet cuffs
came from his own awkwardness, as he has but partial use of his right
arm. He then returned by the road as he had come, but he _forgot the
towels_. Probably they would be found on the bank where he left them.

"THE TOWEL.

"No towels were found at the point named. But at the end of the track
through the grass meadow, among the reeds on the shore, a towel _was_
found, and identified as one belonging to the hotel. This towel is
_stained with blood_.

"THE THEORY.

"The theory at Timloesville is that Heathcote had no idea that he would
be seen when he stole up that outside stairway. He knew that the entire
wing was unoccupied: a servant has testified that she told him it was;
and he thought, too, that the maid Bagshot had a room in front, not
commanding the garden. Bagshot says that the room was changed without
his knowledge, while he was absent on his first walk. He supposed, then,
that he would not be seen. He evidently took Mrs. Heathcote's diamond
rings, purse, and watch (they are all missing) in order to turn public
opinion toward the idea that the murder was for the sake of robbery. He
_says_ that a man passed him while he was bathing, and spoke to him;
proof of this would establish something toward the truth of his story.
But, strangely enough, this man can not be found. Yet Timloesville and
its neighborhood are by no means so crowded with inhabitants that the
search should be a difficult one.

"It may be regarded as a direct misfortune in the cause of justice that
the accused heard any of Bagshot's testimony against him before he was
called upon to give his own account of the events of the evening. And
yet his confused, contradictory story is another proof of the incapacity
which the most cunning murderers often display when overtaken by
suspicion; they seem to lose all power to protect themselves. If Captain
Heathcote had denied Bagshot's testimony in toto, had denied having
ascended