which the Duke had set on the top of the footprint again, to
preserve it; and he measured, pacing it, the distance between the
footprint and the window.

The result of this measuring did not appear to cause him any
satisfaction, for he frowned, measured the distance again, and then
stared out of the window with a perplexed air, thinking hard. It was
curious that, when he concentrated himself on a process of
reasoning, his eves seemed to lose something of their sharp
brightness and grew a little dim.

At last he seemed to come to some conclusion. He turned away from
the window, drew a small magnifying-glass from his pocket, dropped
on his hands and knees, and began to examine the surface of the
carpet with the most minute care.

He examined a space of it nearly six feet square, stopped, and gazed
round the room. His eyes rested on the fireplace, which he could see
under the bottom of the big tapestried fire-screen which was raised
on legs about a foot high, fitted with big casters. His eyes filled
with interest; without rising, he crawled quickly across the room,
peeped round the edge of the screen and rose, smiling.

He went on to the further drawing-room and made the same careful
examination of it, again examining a part of the surface of the
carpet with his magnifying-glass. He came back to the window to
which the ladder had been raised and examined very carefully the
broken shutter. He whistled softly to himself, lighted a cigarette,
and leant against the side of the window. He looked out of it, with
dull eyes which saw nothing, the while his mind worked upon the