average ability. If there had been toe marks on the dagger handle, now, that

would have been quite a different thing. I would then have registered any amount

of surprise and awe.

 

I think the inspector was annoyed with me for declining to get thrilled. He

picked up the china mug and invited me to accompany him to the billiard room.

 

“I want to see if Mr. Raymond can tell us anything about this dagger,” he

explained.

 

Locking the outer door behind us again, we made our way to the billiard room,

where we found Geoffrey Raymond. The inspector held up his exhibit.

 

“Ever seen this before, Mr. Raymond?”

 

“Why—I believe—I’m almost sure that is a curio given to Mr. Ackroyd by Major

Blunt. It comes from Morocco—no, Tunis. So the crime was committed with that?

What an extraordinary thing. It seems almost impossible, and yet there could

hardly be two daggers the same. May I fetch Major Blunt?”

 

Without waiting for an answer, he hurried off.

 

“Nice young fellow that,” said the inspector. “Something honest and ingenuous

about him.”