Mr. Barlow is also short, thin, and
fair, but wears a wig, a board, and spectacles, and always wears a glove
on his left hand. I have seen the handwriting of both these gentlemen,
and should say that it would be difficult to distinguish one from the
other."
"That's good enough for me," said the inspector. "Give me his address,
and I'll have Miss Curtis released at once."
* * * * *
The same night Leonard Wolfe was arrested at Eltham, in the very act of
burying in his garden a large and powerful compressed-air rifle. He was
never brought to trial, however, for he had in his pocket a more
portable weapon--a large-bore Derringer pistol--with which he managed
to terminate an exceedingly ill-spent life.
"And, after all," was Thorndyke's comment, when he heard of the event,
"he had his uses. He has relieved society of two very bad men, and he
has given us a most instructive case. He has shown us how a clever and
ingenious criminal may take endless pains to mislead and delude the
police, and yet, by inattention to trivial details, may scatter clues
broadcast. We can only say to the criminal class generally, in both
respects, 'Go thou and do likewise.
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