"It is a small thing, but all clews are small things. Now there are many ways in which such a weapon might find its way into the country; but I took the most likely of these as a beginning. Before I dressed for dinner, I ran over a rather complete card-index system which I maintain; and within a few minutes learned that the republic of Bolivia had, within the past year, changed both the rifle and bayonet used by its army."
"Well?" asked Pendleton, with interest.
"When a nation makes such a change, the discarded arms are usually bought up by some large speculator or dealer in such things. And in the course of time they find their way to the military goods dealers who exist all over the world."
Here Fuller entered the room, and Ashton-Kirk turned to him inquiringly.
"Well?"
"In the morning Standard of April 9th," announced the young man, "I find an advertisement of Bernstine Brothers relative to a sale of condemned army equipment."
"Is anything specified?"
"They considered it important that high-power modern rifles were to be sold at a very small price. And they also lay some stress upon the fact that the stuff had been in use by the Bolivian army."
Pendleton saw a look of satisfaction come into his friend's eyes. But there was no other evidence of anything unusual.
"And now," said the investigator, quietly, "with regard to this other matter."