Part 18 (2/2)
”Partly to avoid discussion with the caretaker,” he replied; ”but princ.i.p.ally because I thought it likely that a constable would pa.s.s the house and, seeing the light, come in to make inquiries.”
”And then?”
”Then I should have had to hand over the object to him.”
”And why not? Is the object a specially interesting one?”
”It is highly interesting to me at the present moment,” replied Thornd.y.k.e, with a chuckle, ”because I have not examined it. I have a theory as to its nature, which theory I should like to test before taking the police into my confidence.”
”Are you going to take me into your confidence?” I asked.
”When we get home, if you are not too sleepy,” he replied.
On our arrival at his chambers, Thornd.y.k.e desired me to light up and clear one end of the table while he went up to the workshop to fetch some tools. I turned back the table cover, and, having adjusted the gas so as to light this part of the table, waited in some impatience for my colleague's return. In a few minutes he re-entered bearing a small vice, a metal saw and a wide-mouthed bottle.
”What have you got in that bottle?” I asked, perceiving a metal object inside it.
”That is the projectile, which I have thought fit to rinse in distilled water, for reasons that will presently appear.”
He agitated the bottle gently for a minute or so, and then, with a pair of dissecting forceps, lifted out the object and held it above the surface of the water to drain, after which he laid it carefully on a piece of blotting-paper.
I stooped over the projectile and examined it with great curiosity, while Thornd.y.k.e stood by regarding me with almost equal interest.
”Well,” he said, after watching me in silence for some time, ”what do you see?”
”I see a small bra.s.s cylinder,” I answered, ”about two inches long and rather thicker than an ordinary lead pencil. One end is conical, and there is a small hole at the apex which seems to contain a steel point; the other end is flat, but has in the centre a small square projection such as might fit a watch-key. I notice also a small hole in the side of the cylinder close to the flat end. The thing looks like a miniature sh.e.l.l, and appears to be hollow.”
”It is hollow,” said Thornd.y.k.e. ”You must have observed that, when I held it up to drain, the water trickled out through the hole at the pointed end.”
”Yes, I noticed that.”
”Now take it up and shake it.”
I did so and felt some heavy object rattle inside it.
”There is some loose body inside it,” I said, ”which fits it pretty closely, as it moves only in the long diameter.”
”Quite so; your description is excellent. And now, what is the nature of this projectile?”
”I should say it is a miniature sh.e.l.l or explosive bullet.”
”Wrong!” said Thornd.y.k.e. ”A very natural inference, but a wrong one.”
”Then what is the thing?” I demanded, my curiosity still further aroused.
”I will show you,” he replied. ”It is something much more subtle than an explosive bullet-which would really be a rather crude appliance-admirably thought out and thoroughly well executed. We have to deal with a most ingenious and capable man.”
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