Pendleton did so; and while he was gone, Ashton-Kirk placed the red fragment carefully in his card-case.  When the other re-entered with Paulson at his heels, he asked: 

“Have any of the policemen detailed here been out of town recently?”

“No,” replied Paulson.  “There have been five besides myself, and they have been on duty every day.”

“Thank you,” said the investigator.  And as the policeman went out, he made his way into the kitchen.  Here, however, his examination was brief, as was that of the bedroom also.  At length he paused, his hands in his pockets, his head thrown back, satisfaction lighting his dark, keen face.

“That is all, I think,” said he.  “There have only been a few pages, but the print has been exceedingly good and the matter of much interest.”  He looked at a clock that ticked solemnly upon a shelf.  “We have half an hour to reach my place and dress,” he said.  “I’m afraid that we’ll be late, and that Edouard will be annoyed.  His cookery is so exquisitely timed that it is scarcely the better for delay.”

“Wait a minute,” said Pendleton, grasping his friend’s arm.  “What part did Edyth—­Miss Vale—­play in all this?  I can see you have formed in your mind some sort of completed action.  Where does she come into it?”

“Completed!” Ashton-Kirk smiled into the pale, set face of his friend.  “You give me too much credit, old chap.  I have some undoubted scenes from the drama; but most of the remainder are merely detached lines and bits of stage business.  As to Miss Vale,” here the smile vanished, “I have been unable to make up my mind just how far she is concerned, if at all.  However, perhaps twenty-four hours will make it all clear enough.  In the meantime I will say this to you:  Don’t jump to harsh conclusions, Pen.  You know this young lady well.  How far do you suppose she would go to the perpetrating of a downright crime?”

“Not a step!” answered Pendleton, promptly.

“Then,” said Ashton-Kirk, “until we know positively that she has done so, stick to that.”

CHAPTER VII

THE SCHWARTZ-MICHAEL BAYONET

As Ashton-Kirk and Pendleton sat in the former’s library that evening after dinner, there came a knock upon the door and Fuller entered briskly.  In his hand he carried a paper parcel which he laid upon a stand at the investigator’s elbow.

“This is the bayonet, sir,” said he.  “Mr. Stillman, the coroner, objected to letting me have it at first, but changed his mind after I had talked to him for a while.”

“Did you take the photograph to Berg in Christie Place?”

“Yes, sir.  He recognized it at once as that of the person in question.”

“And you made inquiries upon the other point?”

“I did.  Neither Mr. Stillman nor any of the men who removed the body of Hume have been out of town within a week.  I also questioned Mr. Osborne; his answer was the same.  Brolatsky’s reply was similar; and he also said that Hume had not ridden on a railroad in years.”