'Well, I call that suggestive,' observed Mr. Cupples mildly. 'You might infer,
perhaps, that when he got up he hurried over his dressing.'

'Yes, but did he? The manager said just what you say. "He was always a bit of
a swell in his dress," he told me, and he drew the inference that when
Manderson got up in that mysterious way, before the house was stirring, and
went out into the grounds, he was in a great hurry. "Look at his shoes," he
said to me: "Mr. Manderson was always specially neat about his footwear. But
those shoe-laces were tied in a hurry." I agreed. "And he left his false teeth
in his room," said the manager. "Doesn't that prove he was flustered and
hurried?" I allowed that it looked like it. But I said, "Look here: if he was
so very much pressed, why did he part his hair so carefully? That parting is a
work of art. Why did he put on so much? for he had on a complete outfit of
underclothing, studs in his shirt, sock-suspenders, a watch and chain, money
and keys and things in his pockets." That's what I said to the manager. He
couldn't find an explanation. Can you?"

Mr. Cupples considered. 'Those facts might suggest that he was hurried only at
the end of his dressing. Coat and shoes would come last.'

'But not false teeth. You ask anybody who wears them. And besides, I'm told he
hadn't washed at all on getting up, which in a neat man looks like his being
in a violent hurry from the beginning. And here's another thing. One of his
waistcoat pockets was lined with wash-leather for the reception of his gold
watch. But he had put his watch into the pocket on the other side. Anybody who
has settled habits can see how odd that is. The fact is, there are signs of
great agitation and haste, and there are signs of exactly the opposite. For
the present I am not guessing. I must reconnoitre the ground first, if I can
manage to get the right side of the people of the house.' Trent applied
himself again to his breakfast.