Through the Wall

fired within a few hours. Which, with the evidence of the seamstress and the dog, gave a strong probability that the instrument of the crime had been found. If

er Seven, he could not and did not go into the corridor, for the corridor door was locked. But the billiard player was in Number Six, he was shot in Number Six, and he died in Numb

d forth examining the carpet, examining the walls, examining the furniture, but paying little heed to the body. He went to the open window and looked out, he went to the yel

hat was kind! This was something like it! And, piling up cushions in the sofa corner, Coquenil settled back comfortably to think and dream. This was the time he loved best, these precious silen

good nature, persuade the walls or, chairs to give up their secret. Presently he took off his glasses and, leaning farther back against the cushions, closed his eyes in pleasant medita

sitting up, his elbow resting against the s

that?" He pointed to a Japanese print in a bla

gnol, "I-I don't th

cture," smiled the other

nd a red fish-it looks crazy

judgment. "All the same, it has

abl

pa Tignol," he said seriously, "I have come to a conclusion about this crime,

a-a

lly whether my mind has grown

o a plain man can understa

don't we? But the man who shot him was in this room, the little hair-brushing old maid saw the pistol thrown from this window, the dog found footprints coming from this ro

corridor and locked the doo

me in here, it was locked on the inside. No, sir, that door to the corridor has not been used this evening. The mur

in Heaven

believe I have solved it. Listen. Between these rooms is a solid wooden partition with no door in it-no passageway of any kind.

. Tignol, half fascinated, stared at the same spot, and then, as a new idea

e any ot

along his illuminated nose. "But there i

nd between the two, I conclude that the

hat sideboard," ventur

ed with plates and glasses. Besides, if the sideboard had been moved, there would be marks o

t, then checked himself

, you've looked be

not been near the picture, I know nothing about the p

f ever I saw a man lie on a sofa and blow blue circles in the air

n wh

f was to reach over and-and lif

the suspense. Half the charm of life is in suspense, Papa Tigno

cond bidding, he stepped forward

e cried. "It's true!

diameter and something less than three inches apart. Around the left hole, which was close

om from the other side. Poor chap! That's how he was shot in the eye." And producing a magnifying glass, the de

e old man. "For half an hour we were in that roo

vered by the

against them, we did everything but look behi

hing on the floor th

hat wa

f coarse brownish powder. "You see there are only board partitions between these rooms, the boards are

cour

st. The woman probably threw

wom

helped Martinez whil

You think Martinez bored those

holes show plainly that the boring was done from Number Si

now more about auger holes than you do. I say you can't be sure which side of the wall this hole was bored from. You talk about spirals, but there's no sense in that. They're the same

sented Coquenil, and they w

fact, the same holes. "You see," he went on, "the edges are clean, without a sign of chip

e knelt down by it, and using his glass, proce

you a reason. Take this piece of white paper and make me prints of his boot heels." He pointed to the body. "Take the whole heel carefully, then the other one, get the nail marks, everythin

examined the sofa seat, which was cov

magician!" he cried

know that a man cannot work an auger at that height without standing on something. And here was the very thing for him to stand on, a sofa just in place. So, if

all," admitted Tignol admiringl

el

hy Martine

that's the question. We'll know

d eagerly: "Why do you th

ere, somebody held back those hangings while he wor

: "Hah! I see! The sofa hangings were held back when the s

eplied the det

ted that picture from its nail before shooting

away on a new line of thought, while the othe

"He must have been waiting in Number Seven, he must have stood there with his pistol ready while the holes were coming through,

oquenil, paying attention. "He c

le while Martinez was boring the second. I suppose you can t

h of thought, and then, with sudd

?" gasped

d one when you're in Number Seven. As you say, the murderer looked through the first hole while he waited for the

ifference does it make which hole the man fired t

, by firing through the left-hand hole, he h

ow

ther. The first hole is finished. You see the point of the auger as it comes through the second, now the wood breaks and a length of turning steel shoves toward you. You grip your pistol and look through the left-hand hole, you see the woman holding back the curtains, you see

nol, "it's awkward aiming t

detective. "Why

oard. I can't get my eye there t

n your r

cour

et your left

e I'd have to fire with my left hand

steadily. "You could if yo

say-" The o

the sideboard when he might just as well have fired through the other hole away from the

man, "we've got to look for a le

hink?" smiled

mical seriousness: "I think, if I were this man, I'd