"I wonder," said he, "what you would have done in such a search as that. It was no common one, I assure you. There are not many hiding-places between Mother Jane's four walls."
I felt myself begin to tremble, with eagerness, of course.
"I wish I had been given the opportunity," said I—"that is, if anything was to be found there."
He seemed to be in a sympathetic mood toward me, or perhaps—and this is the likelier supposition—he had a minute of leisure and thought he could afford to give himself a little quiet amusement. However that was, he answered me by saying:
"The opportunity is not lost. You have been in her cabin and have noted, I have no doubt, its extreme simplicity. Yet it contains, or rather did contain up till last night, distinct evidences of more than one of the crimes which have been perpetrated in this lane."
"Good! And you want me to guess where you found them? Well, it's not fair."
"Ah, and why not?"
"Because you probably did not find them on your first attempt. You had time to look about. I am asked to guess at once and without second trial what I warrant it took you several trials to determine."
He could not help but laugh. "And why do you think it took me several trials?"
"Because there is more than one thing in that room made up of parts."