The Red Thumb Mark

by R. Austin Freeman

  CHAPTER V

  THE 'THUMBOGRAPH'

  "So your net has been sweeping the quiet and pleasant waters of feminineconversation," remarked Thorndyke when we met at the dinner table and Igave him an outline of my afternoon's adventures.

  "Yes," I answered, "and here is the catch cleaned and ready for theconsumer."

  I laid on the table two of my notebooks in which I had entered suchfacts as I had been able to extract from my talk with Miss Gibson.

  "You made your entries as soon as possible after your return, Isuppose?" said Thorndyke--"while the matter was still fresh?"

  "I wrote down my notes as I sat on a seat in Kensington Gardens withinfive minutes after leaving Miss Gibson."

  "Good!" said Thorndyke. "And now let us see what you have collected."

  He glanced quickly through the entries in the two books, referring backonce or twice, and stood for a few moments silent and abstracted. Thenhe laid the little books down on the table with a satisfied nod.

  "Our information, then," he said, "amounts to this: Reuben is anindustrious worker at his business and, in his leisure, a student ofancient and medieval art; possibly a babbling fool and a cad or, on theother hand, a maligned and much-abused man. "Walter Hornby isobviously a sneak and possibly a liar; a keen man of business, perhaps aflutterer round the financial candle that burns in Throgmorton Street;an expert photographer and a competent worker of the collotype process.You have done a very excellent day's work, Jervis. I wonder if you seethe bearing of the facts that you have collected."

  "I think I see the bearing of some of them," I answered; "at least, Ihave formed certain opinions."

  "Then keep them to yourself, _mon ami_, so that I need not feel as if Iought to unbosom myself of my own views."

  "I should be very much surprised if you did, Thorndyke," I replied, "andshould have none the better opinion of you. I realise fully that youropinions and theories are the property of your client and not to be usedfor the entertainment of your friends."

  Thorndyke patted me on the back playfully, but he looked uncommonlypleased, and said, with evident sincerity, "I am really grateful to youfor saying that, for I have felt a little awkward in being so reticentwith you who know so much of this case. But you are quite right, and Iam delighted to find you so discerning and sympathetic. The least I cando under the circumstances is to uncork a bottle of Pommard, and drinkthe health of so loyal and helpful a colleague. Ah! Praise the gods!here is Polton, like a sacrificial priest accompanied by a sweet savourof roasted flesh. Rump steak I ween," he added, sniffing, "food meet forthe mighty Shamash (that pun was fortuitous, I need not say) or aravenous medical jurist. Can you explain to me, Polton, how it is thatyour rump steak is better than any other steak? Is it that you havecommand of a special brand of ox?"

  The little man's dry countenance wrinkled with pleasure until it was asfull of lines as a ground-plan of Clapham Junction.

  "Perhaps it is the special treatment it gets, sir," he replied. "Iusually bruise it in the mortar before cooking, without breaking up thefibre too much, and then I heat up the little cupel furnace to about 600C, and put the steak in on a tripod."

  Thorndyke laughed outright. "The cupel furnace, too," he exclaimed."Well, well, 'to what base uses'--but I don't know that it is a base useafter all. Anyhow, Polton, open a bottle of Pommard and put a couple often by eight 'process' plates in your dark slides. I am expecting twoladies here this evening with a document."

  "Shall you bring them upstairs, sir?" inquired Polton, with an alarmedexpression.

  "I expect I shall have to," answered Thorndyke.

  "Then I shall just smarten the laboratory up a bit," said Polton, whoevidently appreciated the difference between the masculine and feminineview as to the proper appearance of working premises.

  "And so Miss Gibson wanted to know our private views on the case?" saidThorndyke, when his voracity had become somewhat appeased.

  "Yes," I answered; and then I repeated our conversation as nearly as Icould remember it.

  "Your answer was very discreet and diplomatic," Thorndyke remarked, "andit was very necessary that it should be, for it is essential that weshow the backs of our cards to Scotland Yard; and if to Scotland Yard,then to the whole world. We know what their trump card is and canarrange our play accordingly, so long as we do not show our hand."

  "You speak of the police as your antagonists; I noticed that at the'Yard' this morning, and was surprised to find that they accepted theposition. But surely their business is to discover the actual offender,not to fix the crime on some particular person."

  "That would seem to be so," replied Thorndyke, "but in practice it isotherwise. When the police have made an arrest they work for aconviction. If the man is innocent, that is his business, not theirs; itis for him to prove it. The system is a pernicious one--especially sincethe efficiency of a police officer is, in consequence, apt to beestimated by the number of convictions he has secured, and an inducementis thus held out to him to obtain a conviction, if possible; but it isof a piece with legislative procedure in general. Lawyers are notengaged in academic discussions or in the pursuit of truth, but each istrying, by hook or by crook, to make out a particular case withoutregard to its actual truth or even to the lawyer's own belief on thesubject. That is what produces so much friction between lawyers andscientific witnesses; neither can understand the point of view of theother. But we must not sit over the table chattering like this; it hasgone half-past seven, and Polton will be wanting to make this roompresentable."

  "I notice you don't use your office much," I remarked.

  "Hardly at all, excepting as a repository for documents and stationery.It is very cheerless to talk in an office, and nearly all my business istransacted with solicitors and counsel who are known to me, so there isno need for such formalities. All right, Polton; we shall be ready foryou in five minutes."

  The Temple bell was striking eight as, at Thorndyke's request, I threwopen the iron-bound "oak"; and even as I did so the sound of footstepscame up from the stairs below. I waited on the landing for our twovisitors, and led them into the room.

  "I am so glad to make your acquaintance," said Mrs. Hornby, when I haddone the honours of introduction; "I have heard so much about you fromJuliet--"

  "Really, my dear aunt," protested Miss Gibson, as she caught my eye witha look of comical alarm, "you will give Dr. Thorndyke a most erroneousimpression. I merely mentioned that I had intruded on him without noticeand had been received with undeserved indulgence and consideration."

  "You didn't put it quite in that way, my dear," said Mrs. Hornby, "but Isuppose it doesn't matter."

  "We are highly gratified by Miss Gibson's favourable report of us,whatever may have been the actual form of expression," said Thorndyke,with a momentary glance at the younger lady which covered her withsmiling confusion, "and we are deeply indebted to you for taking so muchtrouble to help us."

  "It is no trouble at all, but a great pleasure," replied Mrs. Hornby;and she proceeded to enlarge on the matter until her remarks threatened,like the rippling circles produced by a falling stone, to spread outinto infinity. In the midst of this discourse Thorndyke placed chairsfor the two ladies, and, leaning against the mantelpiece, fixed a stonygaze upon the small handbag that hung from Mrs. Hornby's wrist.

  "Is the 'Thumbograph' in your bag?" interrupted Miss Gibson, in responseto this mute appeal.

  "Of course it is, my dear Juliet," replied the elder lady. "You saw meput it in yourself. What an odd girl you are. Did you think I shouldhave taken it out and put it somewhere else? Not that these handbags arereally very secure, you know, although I daresay they are safer thanpockets, especially now that it is the fashion to have the pocket at theback. Still, I have often thought how easy it would be for a thief or apickpocket or some other dreadful creature of that kind, don't you know,to make a snatch and--in fact, the thing has actually happened. Why, Iknew a lady--Mrs. Moggridge, you know, Juliet--no, it wasn't Mrs.Moggridge, that was
another affair, it was Mrs.--Mrs.--dear me, howsilly of me!--now, what was her name? Can't you help me, Juliet? Youmust surely remember the woman. She used to visit a good deal at theHawley-Johnsons'--I think it was the Hawley-Johnsons', or else it wasthose people, you know--"

  "Hadn't you better give Dr. Thorndyke the 'Thumbograph'?" interruptedMiss Gibson.

  "Why, of course, Juliet, dear. What else did we come here for?" With aslightly injured expression, Mrs. Hornby opened the little bag andcommenced, with the utmost deliberation, to turn out its contents on tothe table. These included a laced handkerchief, a purse, a card-case, avisiting list, a packet of _papier poudre_, and when she had laid thelast-mentioned article on the table, she paused abruptly and gazed intoMiss Gibson's face with the air of one who has made a startlingdiscovery.

  "I remember the woman's name," she said in an impressive voice. "It wasGudge--Mrs. Gudge, the sister-in-law of--"

  Here Miss Gibson made an unceremonious dive into the open bag and fishedout a tiny parcel wrapped in notepaper and secured with a silk thread.

  "Thank you," said Thorndyke, taking it from her hand just as Mrs. Hornbywas reaching out to intercept it. He cut the thread and drew from itswrappings a little book bound in red cloth, with the word "Thumbograph"stamped upon the cover, and was beginning to inspect it when Mrs. Hornbyrose and stood beside him.

  "That," said she, as she opened the book at the first page, "is thethumb-mark of a Miss Colley. She is no connection of ours. You see it isa little smeared--she said Reuben jogged her elbow, but I don't think hedid; at any rate he assured me he did not, and, you know--"

  "Ah! Here is one we are looking for," interrupted Thorndyke, who hadbeen turning the leaves of the book regardless of Mrs. Hornby's ramblingcomments; "a very good impression, too, considering the rather roughmethod of producing it."

  He reached out for the reading lens that hung from its nail above themantelpiece, and I could tell by the eagerness with which he peeredthrough it at the thumb-print that he was looking for something. Amoment later I felt sure that he had found that something which he hadsought, for, though he replaced the lens upon its nail with a quiet andcomposed air and made no remark, there was a sparkle of the eye and ascarcely perceptible flush of suppressed excitement and triumph which Ihad begun to recognise beneath the impassive mask that he presented tothe world.

  "I shall ask you to leave this little book with me, Mrs. Hornby," hesaid, breaking in upon that lady's inconsequent babblings, "and, as Imay possibly put it in evidence, it would be a wise precaution for youand Miss Gibson to sign your names--as small as possible--on the pagewhich bears Mr. Reuben's thumb-mark. That will anticipate any suggestionthat the book has been tampered with after leaving your hands."

  "It would be a great impertinence for anyone to make any suchsuggestion," Mrs. Hornby began; but on Thorndyke's placing his fountainpen in her hand, she wrote her signature in the place indicated andhanded the pen to Miss Gibson, who signed underneath.

  "And now," said Thorndyke, "we will take an enlarged photograph of thispage with the thumb-mark; not that it is necessary that it should bedone now, as you are leaving the book in my possession; but thephotograph will be wanted, and as my man is expecting us and has theapparatus ready, we may as well despatch the business at once."

  To this both the ladies readily agreed (being, in fact, devoured bycuriosity with regard to my colleague's premises), and we accordinglyproceeded to invade the set of rooms on the floor above, over which theingenious Polton was accustomed to reign in solitary grandeur.

  It was my first visit to these mysterious regions, and I looked about mewith as much curiosity as did the two ladies. The first room that weentered was apparently the workshop, for it contained a smallwoodworker's bench, a lathe, a bench for metal work and a number ofmechanical appliances which I was not then able to examine; but Inoticed that the entire place presented to the eye a most unworkmanlikeneatness, a circumstance that did not escape Thorndyke's observation,for his face relaxed into a grim smile as his eye travelled over thebare benches and the clean-swept floor.

  From this room we entered the laboratory, a large apartment, one side ofwhich was given up to chemical research, as was shown by the shelves ofreagents that covered the wall, and the flasks, retorts and otherapparatus that were arranged on the bench, like ornaments on adrawing-room mantelpiece. On the opposite side of the room was a large,massively-constructed copying camera, the front of which, carrying thelens, was fixed, and an easel or copyholder travelled on parallel guidestowards, or away, from it, on a long stand.

  This apparatus Thorndyke proceeded to explain to our visitors whilePolton was fixing the "Thumbograph" in a holder attached to the easel.

  "You see," he said, in answer to a question from Miss Gibson, "I have agood deal to do with signatures, cheques and disputed documents ofvarious kinds. Now a skilled eye, aided by a pocket-lens, can make outvery minute details on a cheque or bank-note; but it is not possible tolend one's skilled eye to a judge or juryman, so that it is often veryconvenient to be able to hand them a photograph in which themagnification is already done, which they can compare with the original.Small things, when magnified, develop quite unexpected characters; forinstance, you have handled a good many postage stamps, I suppose, buthave you ever noticed the little white spots in the upper corner of apenny stamp, or even the difference in the foliage on the two sides ofthe wreath?"

  Miss Gibson admitted that she had not.

  "Very few people have, I suppose, excepting stamp-collectors," continuedThorndyke; "but now just glance at this and you will find theseunnoticed details forced upon your attention." As he spoke, he handedher a photograph, which he had taken from a drawer, showing a pennystamp enlarged to a length of eight inches.

  While the ladies were marvelling over this production, Polton proceededwith his work. The "Thumbograph" having been fixed in position, thelight from a powerful incandescent gas lamp, fitted with a parabolicreflector, was concentrated on it, and the camera racked out to itsproper distance.

  "What are those figures intended to show?" inquired Miss Gibson,indicating the graduation on the side of one of the guides.

  "They show the amount of magnification or reduction," Thorndykeexplained. "When the pointer is opposite 0, the photograph is the samesize as the object photographed; when it points to, say, x 4, thephotograph will be four times the width and length of the object, whileif it should point to, say, / 4, the photograph will be one-fourth thelength of the object. It is now, you see, pointing to x 8, so thephotograph will be eight times the diameter of the original thumb-mark."

  By this time Polton had brought the camera to an accurate focus and,when we had all been gratified by a glimpse of the enlarged image on thefocussing screen, we withdrew to a smaller room which was devoted tobacteriology and microscopical research, while the exposure was made andthe plate developed. Here, after an interval, we were joined by Polton,who bore with infinite tenderness the dripping negative on which couldbe seen the grotesque transparency of a colossal thumb-mark.

  This Thorndyke scrutinised eagerly, and having pronounced itsatisfactory, informed Mrs. Hornby that the object of her visit wasattained, and thanked her for the trouble she had taken.

  "I am very glad we came," said Miss Gibson to me, as a little later wewalked slowly up Mitre Court in the wake of Mrs. Hornby and Thorndyke;"and I am glad to have seen these wonderful instruments, too. It hasmade me realise that something is being done and that Dr. Thorndykereally has some object in view. It has really encouraged me immensely."

  "And very properly so," I replied. "I, too, although I really knownothing of what my colleague is doing, feel very strongly that he wouldnot take all this trouble and give up so much valuable time if he hadnot some very definite purpose and some substantial reasons for takinga hopeful view."

  "Thank you for saying that," she rejoined warmly; "and you will let mehave a crumb of comfort when you can, won't you?" She looked in my faceso wistfully as she made this appeal tha
t I was quite moved; and,indeed, I am not sure that my state of mind at that moment did not fullyjustify my colleague's reticence towards me.

  However, I, fortunately, had nothing to tell, and so, when we emergedinto Fleet Street to find Mrs. Hornby already ensconced in a hansom, Icould only promise, as I grasped the hand that she offered to me, to seeher again at the earliest opportunity--a promise which my innerconsciousness assured me would be strictly fulfilled.

  "You seem to be on quite confidential terms with our fair friend,"Thorndyke remarked, as we strolled back towards his chambers. "You arean insinuating dog, Jervis."

  "She is very frank and easy to get on with," I replied.

  "Yes. A good girl and a clever girl, and comely to look upon withal. Isuppose it would be superfluous for me to suggest that you mind youreye?"

  "I shouldn't, in any case, try to cut out a man who is under a cloud," Ireplied sulkily.

  "Of course you wouldn't; hence the need of attention to the ophthalmicmember. Have you ascertained what Miss Gibson's actual relation is toReuben Hornby?"

  "No," I answered.

  "It might be worth while to find out," said Thorndyke; and then herelapsed into silence.