of it very lately; that is because it has been cleaned. But now,
observe the face of the cylinder: what do you see there?"

"I see a faint line of smut near one of the chambers."

"Just so; show it to the gentlemen."

It was immediately handed down.

"That faint line of smut, on the edge of one of the chambers, is
the telltale, sirs. A bullet passing out always leaves smut behind. The
man who fired this, remembering the fact, cleaned the barrel, but
forgot the cylinder." And stepping aside he folded his arms.

"Jerusalem!" spoke out a rough, hearty voice, "isn't that
wonderful!" This exclamation came from a countryman who had stepped in
from the street, and now stood agape in the doorway.

It was a rude but not altogether unwelcome interruption. A smile
passed round the room, and both men and women breathed more easily.
Order being at last restored, the officer was requested to describe the
position of the stand, and its distance from the library table.

"The library table is in one room, and the stand in another. To
reach the former from the latter, one would be obliged to cross Mr.
Leavenworth's bedroom in a diagonal direction, pass through the
passageway separating that one apartment from the other, and----"

"Wait a moment; how does this table stand in regard to the door
which leads from the bedroom into the hall?"