"You had better patronize Simpkins yourself for a little while," I
suggested; and by the arch glance with which my words were received,
I perceived that my meaning was fully understood.
Experiencing from this moment an increased confidence, not only in
the powers of my little friend, but in the line of investigation
thus happily established, I cast about for means of settling the
one great question which was a necessary preliminary to all future
action: Whether the marks detected by me in the dust of the mantel
in the southwest chamber had been made by the hand of him who had
lately felt the need of candles, albeit his house appeared to be
fully lighted by gas?
The subterfuge by which, notwithstanding my many disadvantages, I
was finally enabled to obtain unmistakable answer to this query was
the fruit of much hard thought. Perhaps I was too proud of it.
Perhaps I should have mistrusted myself more from the start. But
I was a great egotist in those days, and reckoned quite above their
inherent worth any bright ideas which I could safely call my own.
The point aimed at was this: to obtain without Moore's knowledge an
accurate impression of his finger-tips.
The task presented difficulties, but these served duly to increase
my ardor.
Confiding to the lieutenant of the precinct my great interest in
the mysterious house with whose suggestive interior I had made
myself acquainted under such tragic circumstances, I asked him as
a personal favor to obtain for me an opportunity of spending another
night there.
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