The detective visited the spot and turned over the pile of cement,
which revealed nothing. Then, having himself searched the workmen's
shed without discovering any clue, he strolled in the immediate
neighbourhood of the bungalow and examined the adjacent entrance to
the quarries. Not the least spark of light rewarded the search. He
came back presently out of the rain which had now begun to fall
steadily--but not before he had strolled as far as the fishing pools
and seen clear marks of naked, adult feet on the sandy brink.

Inspector Halfyard, who had remained in the bungalow, joined him
while he examined the other five chambers with close attention. In
the apartment destined for a sitting-room, which faced out upon the
great view to the southwest, Brendon found a cigar half smoked. It
had evidently been flung down alight and had smouldered for some
time, scorching the wooden floor before it went out. He found also
the end of a broken, brown boot lace with a brass tag. The lace had
evidently frayed away and probably had broken when being tied. But
he attached not the least importance to either fragment. Nothing
that he regarded as of value resulted from inspection of the
remaining rooms and Brendon presently decided that he would return
to Princetown. He showed Halfyard the footprints by the water and
had them protected with a tarpaulin.

"Something tells me that this is a pretty simple business all the
same," he said. "We need waste no more time here, inspector--at any
rate until we have got back to the telephone and heard the latest."

"What's your idea?"