et in the corner of my
room, until next morning I brought it forth, and placing it upon a
newspaper powdered it well with the pale green chalk which revealed at
once a number of finger-marks--mine, Bain's, and Phrida's.

I am something of a photographer, as everybody is in these days of photo
competitions. Therefore, I brought out my Kodak with its anastigmat
lens,--a camera which I had carried for some years up and down Europe,
and after considerable arrangement of the light, succeeded in taking a
number of pictures. It occupied me all the morning, and even then I was
not satisfied with the result. My films might, for aught I know, be
hopelessly fogged.

Therefore, with infinite care, I took the glass to a professional
photographer I knew in Bond Street, and he also made a number of
pictures, which were duly developed and enlarged some hours later, and
showed the distinctive lines and curves of each finger-print.

Not until the morning of the day following was I able to take these
latter to Edwards, and then a great difficulty presented itself. How was
I to explain how I had obtained the prints?

I sat for an hour smoking cigarettes furiously and thinking deeply.

At last a plan presented itself, and taking a taxi I went down to
Scotland Yard, where I had no difficulty in obtaining an interview in his
airy, barely-furnished business-like room.

"Hulloa, Mr. Royle!" he exclaimed cheerily as I entered. "Sit down--well,
do you know anything more of that mysterious friend of yours--eh?"

I did not reply. Why should I lie? Instead, I said:

"I've been doing some amateur detective work. Have you the photographs of
those finger-prints found on the specimen-table in Sir Digby's room?"

"Yes, of course," was his prompt reply, and going over to a cupboard he
brought out a pile of papers concerning the case, and from it produced a
number of photographic prints.

My heart stood still when I saw them. Were either of them exactly similar
to any of those I carried with me? I almost feared to allow comparison to
be made.

Edwards, noticing my hesitation, asked in what quarter my efforts had
been directed.

"I've been getting some finger-prints, that's all," I blurted forth, and
from my pocket drew the large envelope containing the prints.

The detective took them across to the window and regarded them very
closely for some time, while I looked eagerly over his shoulder.

The curves and lines were extremely puzzling to