Ralph nor any one else could have worn them that evening, since they were

downstairs being cleaned. According to the police theory, Ralph was wearing

another pair of the same kind, and I found out that it was true that he had two

pairs. Now for my theory to be proved correct it was necessary for the murderer

to have worn Ralph’s shoes that evening—in which case Ralph must have been

wearing yet a _third_ pair of footwear of some kind.

 

I could hardly suppose that he would bring three pairs of shoes all alike—the

third pair of footwear were more likely to be boots. I got your sister to make

inquiries on this point—laying some stress on the color, in order—I admit it

frankly—to obscure the real reason for my asking.

 

“You know the result of her investigations. Ralph Paton _had_ had a pair of

boots with him. The first question I asked him when he came to my house

yesterday morning was what he was wearing on his feet on the fatal night. He

replied at once that he had worn _boots_—he was still wearing them, in

fact—having nothing else to put on.

 

“So we get a step further in our description of the murderer—a person who had

the opportunity to take these shoes of Ralph Paton’s from the Three Boars that

day.”

 

He paused, and then said, with a slightly raised voice:—

 

“There is one further point. The murderer must have been a person who had the