"Any finger-prints?" asked the Chief in the hall.
"Oh, no," he said, "Barney's far too old a hand for that sort o'
thing!"
The landing proved to be a small space, covered with oilcloth and
raised by a step from the bend made by the staircase leading to
the first story. On the left-hand side was a window looking on a
narrow passage separating the Mackwayte house from its neighbors
and leading to the back-door. By the window stood a small
wicker-work table with a plant on it. At the back of the landing
was a partition, glazed half-way up and a door--obviously the
bath-room.
The curtain had been looped right over its brass rod. The body
lay on its back at the foot of the table, arms flung outward, one
leg doubled up, the other with the foot just jutting out over the
step leading down to the staircase. The head pointed towards the
bath-room door. Over the right eye the skin of the face was
blackened in a great patch and there was a large blue swelling,
like a bruise, in the centre. There was a good deal of blood on
the face which obscured the hole made by the entrance of the
bullet. The eyes were half-closed. A big camera, pointed
downwards, was mounted on a high double ladder straddling the
body and was operated by a young man in a bowler hat who went on
with his work without taking the slightest notice of the
detective and his companions.
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