"The inspector thought it had better be done, as there were footprints."
"I will not trouble you further for the present, Lady Glanedale," said Malcolm Sage, moving towards the door. "I should like to spend a little time in the grounds. Later I may require to interrogate the servants."
Young Glanedale opened the door and his stepmother, followed by
Malcolm Sage, passed out. They descended the stairs together.
"Please don't trouble to come out," said Malcolm Sage. "I shall probably be some little time," this as Lady Glanedale moved towards the hall-door. "By the way," he said, as she turned towards the morning-room where she had received him, "did you happen to notice if the man was wearing boots, or was he in stockinged feet?"
"I think he wore boots, she said, after a momentary pause.
"Thank you," and Malcolm Sage turned towards the door, which was held open by the butler.
Passing down the steps and to the left, he walked round to the side of the house, where the space immediately beneath Lady Glanedale's windows had been roped off.
Stepping over the protecting rope, he examined the ground beneath the window through which the burglar had entered.
Running along the side of the house was a flowerbed some two feet six inches wide, and on its surface was clearly indicated a series of footprints. On the side of the painted water-pipe were scratches such as might have been made by someone climbing up to the window above.
Drawing a spring metal-rule from his pocket, he proceeded to take a series of measurements, which he jotted down in a notebook.