Shortly afterward, they were in a room alone, and Nick took the parcel.
Unfolding the paper with which it was wrapped, he found a photograph.
It was a clean-cut picture of Reverend Mr. Judson’s fall from the hotel window.
Nick looked earnestly at the picture.
“How did you happen to get this?” he asked.
“I am an amateur photographer,” was the reply. “I work in the office at the top of the building just across the street from the hotel. Yesterday I got hold of some new plates that a friend had advised me to use, but I had no time to try them till this afternoon.”
“And you tried them on this scene?” asked Nick quickly.
“Without meaning to, yes. You see, I knew it would be Sunday before I would have time to take any pictures that I cared about, but I wanted to be sure that the plates were all right.
“So, when there was a dull time in the office work, I got out my camera, which I had with me, and went to the window.
“There isn’t much of a view from here, but I thought I’d take a couple of shots at the roofs, just to test the plates.