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have both perused the same volume。 This never happened by chance。
Clearly； they are acquaintances； and are working together toward
some common end。 I should think it very likely； judging from their
interest in cancers and toxicology； that they were medical students。
Numbers four and five don't exactly seem to strengthen my medical
hypothesis； but they are only two out of the ten。 That's about all
I can make out of it；〃 and I returned the list to him。
〃Your views in the matter；〃 replied Maitland； 〃are precisely those
which first occurred to me； and I am not sure but I should still
hold them； had I been obliged to decide solely from the evidence I
have submitted to you。 It was clear to my mind from the first that
some common purpose actuated both Weltz and Rizzi。 With a view to
ascertaining where they lived as a preparatory step toward learning
more of them； I consulted a Boston directory； only to learn that it
contained no such names。 I was about to examine some of the
directories of neighbouring towns when it occurred to me that the
easiest way to find their places of residence would be to consult
the green slips upon which they had procured their books； and I
accordingly asked the attendant to kindly let me look at them。
While she was collecting the slips I re…examined the list of books
taken by Weltz and Rizzi； especially those which had been taken by
both men。 One thing at once struck my attention； and that was that
most of these latter were large books which would take a long time
to peruse and would require to be borrowed several times for hall
use； were they to be examined with any care。 I put this fact down
for future reference and gave my attention to the green slips； the
whole twenty of which the attendant now placed before me。 The
residence of Weltz was given as No。 15 Staniford Place； Boston；
while that of Rizzi was No。 5 Oak Street； Boston。 I was about to
walk over to Oak Street to see if Rizzi were still there when； in
returning the slips to the attendant； I noticed a peculiarity
in Weltz's 'z' which I had thought I had seen in Rizzi's signature。
I immediately compared the slips。 There was the same oddly shaped
'z' in both。 It was made like this〃 … and he handed us a slip of
paper with this z* upon it。
〃You see；〃 he continued； 〃it is so unusual a way of making the
letter that it at once attracted my attention； notwithstanding the
fact that Rizzi wrote with his left hand。 Closer examination
revealed other peculiarities； as in the r*'s； common to both hands。
Well； to make a long story short； I satisfied myself that the same
person wrote the whole twenty slips and was； moreover； ambidextrous。
This I considered as a very promising discovery； so much so； indeed；
that I gave up an engagement I had for the evening and decided to
camp right there until the Library closed。 Happily the books I had
been consulting were still on the table。 I picked out those borrowed
under the names of Weltz and Rizzi； and began a most careful
examination of them。 I had been working about two hours when I
discovered something that fairly took my breath away。 I was not
sure that I was right； but I knew that； if my microscope bore me out；
I would be able to stake my life that the murderer of John Darrow
had read that book。 I was aware； however； that even then I should
not be able to name the man who had put his mark upon the book； but
I could take oath that the record was made by the same hand that
committed the murder。
___________________________________________________________________
transcriber's note： the symbols designated z* and r* are shown as
script which is not reproducible here。
___________________________________________________________________
〃I was too excited to do more till this had been settled； so I
besought the official in charge to let me take all the books home
with me； if only for a day； explaining to him the vital importance
of my request。 He readily consented and I hastened home with the
whole lot。 You may imagine with what interest I put the page I
wished to examine under my microscope and laid beside it the piece
of glass which； you will perhaps remember； I cut from a window of
the room in which the murder was committed。 I believe I have never
yet explained to Miss Darrow why I preserved that bit of glass。
There were two reasons for it。 The house had been primed that day
and there were two smutches of paint upon the glass and two almost
identical smutches upon the sill。 One was a sinuous line； as if
the glass had been struck with a short bit of rope； … or possibly
rubber tubing since no rope…like texture was visible； … which had
previously been soiled with the paint from the sill。 The other mark
was that of a human thumb。 I had seen at the World's Fair an exhibit
of these thumbmarks collected by a Frenchman who has made an
exhaustive study of the subject； and had learned there for the first
time that no two thumbs in the world can make the same mark。 I knew；
therefore； that this slip of glass would at any time tell me whether
or not a suspected man were guilty。 I had not failed to get the
thumb…marks of the men who painted the house on that day； as well
as those of every other person known to be about the place。 The
marks upon the glass could not； by any possibility； have been made
by any of them。 The deduction was inevitable。 They were made by
the man who stood by the window when the murder was committed。
〃You will be surprised when I tell you it was some moments before
I could summon up courage to look through my microscope upon the
page beneath it。 You see； I had been seized by an unaccountable
conviction that I had at last found a real clue to the murderer；
and I dreaded lest the first glance should show this to have been
an idle delusion。 At length I looked。 The thumb that had pressed
the paper was the thumb that had pressed the glass！ There was not
a doubt of it。 My suspicions were confirmed。 Everything now
regarding this book was of immense importance。 The page upon which
the mark was found … well； I think you would open your eyes if I
were to read it to you。 I will defer this pleasure； however； till
I see if my suspicions are correct。 The thumb…mark is upon page
469 of 'Poisons； Their Effects and Detection；' by Alexander Wynter
Blyth。
〃No sooner had I made sure of my discovery than I set out for No。 5
Oak Street； the address given by Rizzi。 There was no such person
there； nor had there been anyone of that name in the house during
the three years of the present tenant's occupancy。 I went to 15
Staniford Place with the same result。 A young woman about
twenty…five years of age came to the door。 She informed me that
she had been born in the house and had always lived there。 She had
never known anyone by the name of Weltz。 This was just what I had
expected。 The man for whom we are searching is shrewd almost beyond
belief； and if we succeed in finding him it will not； we may be
assured； be the result of any bungling on his part。
〃I have now told you all I have learned； or rather all that is
sufficiently definite to communicate … it is not much； yet i