hole. Now the dummy screw and the reverse thread of the real bolt is a puzzle for a grave-robber, and anyway he couldn't solve it without one of my own tools." [Pg 42] Mr. Barnes reflected deeply upon this as a most [Pg 43] important statement. If Mr. Quadrant's coffin was thus fastened, no one could have opened it without the necessary knowledge and the special screw-driver. He recalled that the butler had told him that one of Mr. Berial's men had been at the house after the departure of the others. This man was therefore in the position to have opened the coffin, supposing that he had had one of the screw-drivers. Of this it would be well to learn. [Pg 43] "I suppose," said Mr. Barnes, "that the coffin in which you placed Mr. Quadrant was fastened in this fashion?" "Yes; and I put the lid on and fastened it myself." "What, then, did you do with the screw-driver? You might have left it at the house." "I might have, but I didn't. No; I'm not getting up a combination and then leaving the key around loose. No, sir; there's only one of those screw-drivers, and I take care of it myself. I'll show it to you." The old man went to a drawer, which he unlocked, and brought back the tool. "You see what it is," he continued—"double-ended. This end is just the common every-day screw-driver. That is for the dummies that fill up the hollow ends after the bolts are sent home. The other end, you see, looks just like an ordinary screw with straight sides. There's a shoulder to keep it from jamming. Now that's the only one of those, and I keep it locked in that drawer with a Yale lock, [Pg 44] and the key is always in my pocket. No; I guess that coffin wasn't opened after I shut it." [Pg 44] Mr. Barnes examined the tool closely, and formed his own conclusions, which he thought best to keep to himself. "Yes," said he aloud; "it does seem as though the mistake must be in the identification." "What did I tell you?" exclaimed Mr. Berial, delighted at thinking that he had convinced the detective. "Oh, I guess I
Prev.
Back
Top