The Red Thumb Mark

Hornby was not. My veneration for that lady's moral qualities was excessive, but her conversa

hook hands. "You have been so sympathetic and human-both you and Dr. Thorndyke-so free from p

of adding "and him," but fortunately a glimmer of s

ou know that he had the impudence t

d got a well-deserved snubbing

ned. Walter simply said 'Transferred to higher court,' which we agreed was t

and that being so, decided that it was essential to keep the prosecution in the dark as to the line of def

ly disappointed. I had hoped that Dr. Thorndyke would

d now that I had to answer it I cleared my t

d bail," I said after

el

en has been-er-det

they have sent him to prison

r, you know. He is merely d

in pr

ed to admit; "in

then, with a sudden catch in her breath, she turned away, and, grasping the edge o

must have been if I could have looked without being deeply moved on the grief, so natural and unselfish, of this strong, brave, loyal-hearted woman. In e

hat and softly withdrew her hand, as

ar I have," she said; "for you are so kind, and I

on," I replied, "and so, I a

ll, so dreadfully suggestive of what may happen. Up to now the whole thing has seemed like a nightmare-terrifying, but yet unreal. But now that he is actually in prison, it

feel sure that he meant all he had said. Doubtless my proper course would have been to keep my own counsel an

hat he is convinced of Reuben's innocence, and is hopeful of being able to make it clear t

softly, "and I than

too much. Try to think of it as of a surgical operation, which is a dreadful thing i

ink of a cultivated gentleman like Reuben, herded with common thieves and murderers,

ame back to me with all their force. But regardless of this I went on: "An acquittal will restore him to his posi

l wipe, and resolutely p

not tell you how I feel your goodness, nor have I any thank-offering to make, ex

e her in my arms. Instead of this I said with conscious feebleness: "I am more than thankful to have been able to give you any encoura

no doubt, your experience has informed you. I think I hear my aunt's voice, so you had better escape before your retreat is cut off. But before you go, you must tell me how and w

ing my good resolutions to the winds, I added: "I shall be

th you? Should I be much in the way? It is rat

e-it is on the way-we can drive to Holloway together. I suppose you are

. What time shall I

lock, if that

ctual; and now you must g

wards the door and, hol

ou half enough and I

e light was failing and the houses dwindling into dim, unreal shapes that vanished at half their height. Nevertheless I stepped out briskly and strode along at a good pace, as a young man is apt to do when his mind is in somew

plain enough; she was wrapped up in Reuben Hornby and I was her very good friend because I was his. But for myself,

dependency, to say nothing of her beauty, fitted her with the necessary weapons for my complete and utter subjugation. And utterly subjugated I was-there was no use in denying the

d could hardly act differently if I wished to. Besides, I was jeopardising no one's happiness but my own, and a

eed, and I wondered what difference it would make in Thorndyke's hypothesis of the crime. What his theory was I had never been able to guess, but

o everyone else but Thorndyke, this fact was final and pointed to a conclusion that was unanswerable. But as I turned the sto

have seen difficulties coming. There, indeed, was the thumb-mark on the leaf which he had torn from h

was in it, and so would have had his attention directed to the importance of finger-prints in identification. He might have kept the marked paper for future use, and, on the occasion of the robbery, pencilled a dated inscription on it, and slipped it in

ffected him. But as I approached the centre of the town the fog grew so dense that all my attention was needed to enable me to thread my way safely through the traffic; while the strange, deceptive aspect that it lent to

eering with anxious face into th

"Detained by the fog, I expect. It

res there were, indeed, to whom the title of "doctor" in a way, appertained; bu

plied, "judging by the

and well-lighted room after my comfortless groping in the murky streets,

xpect?" said he, as he let me in (

he preparations in his deft methodical way, but wi

ome by five," he remarked, as h

," I answered. "We shal

Doctor," pursued Polton. "Keeps his t

atiently, for I wished to be alone that I might think over matters, and Polton's ner

e window, resumed his vigil on the doorstep. From this coign of vantage he returned after a time to take away the tea-things; and thereafter, though it was now dark as well