“One of the servants who was left a legacy in the old man’s will?” said Crewe inquiringly.
“That is correct,” replied Gillett. “From the bullet we go to the weapon that fired it. Here it is—an ordinary Webley revolver such as is issued to army officers, Mr. Crewe.”
“Yes, I know a little about them,” said Crewe, as he took it in his hands to look at it.
“And, last of all, here is a pair of glasses which we have ascertained came from the well-known optical firm of Baker & Co., who have branches all over London, and were made for Captain Marsland.”
“Where did you find them?” asked Crewe.
“In the well at the farm.”
“How did they get there?”
“I don’t think it is an unnatural assumption that they were blown off when the wearer was stooping over the well to drop some articles into it. Remember that there was a big storm and a high wind on the night of the murder. The boots and the revolver we also found in the well. Our theory is that the murderer dropped these things into the well in order to get rid of them, and that while he was doing it his glasses were blown into the well. As you know, Marsland wears glasses—he is wearing them now. But Sergeant Westaway will swear that he was not wearing them when he came to the station to report the discovery of the body. We have other interesting evidence in the same direction, but let that go for the present.”
“But the boots,” said Crewe. “You don’t pretend that they belong to Marsland?”
“They probably belonged to the murdered man—that is a point which we have not yet settled.”