identity than is disguised handwriting. It does not afford the
effective protection to the criminal that is supposed. On the
contrary, the typewriting of a fraudulent document may be the
direct means by which it can be traced to its source. First we
have to determine what kind of machine a certain piece of writing
was done with, then what particular machine."

He paused and indicated a number of little instruments on the
table.

"For example," he resumed, "the Lovibond tintometer tells me its
story of the colour of the ink used in the ribbon of the machine
that wrote this note as well as several standard specimens which I
have been able to obtain from three machines on which it might
have been written.

"That leads me to speak of the quality of the paper in this half-
sheet that was found on Mr. Maitland. Sometimes such a half-sheet
may be mated with the other half from which it was torn as
accurately as if the act were performed before your eyes. There
was no such good fortune in this case, but by measurements made by
the vernier micrometer caliper I have found the precise thickness
of several samples of paper as compared to that of the suicide
note. I need hardly add that in thickness and quality, as well as
in the tint of the ribbon, the note points to person as the
author."

No one moved.

"And there are other proofs--unescapable," Kennedy hurried on.