My room is quite ready for you to examine."
The room was on the second floor--the top floor at that part of the
building. Some slight confusion of small articles of dress was observable
in parts of the room.
"This, I take it," inquired Hewitt, "is exactly as it was at the time the
brooch was missed?"
"Precisely," Mrs. Cazenove answered. "I have used another room, and put
myself to some other inconveniences, to avoid any disturbance."
Hewitt stood before the dressing-table. "Then this is the used match," he
observed, "exactly where it was found?"
"Yes."
"Where was the brooch?"
"I should say almost on the very same spot. Certainly no more than a very
few inches away."
Hewitt examined the match closely. "It is burned very little," he
remarked. "It would appear to have gone out at once. Could you hear it
struck?"
"I heard nothing whatever; absolutely nothing."
"If you will step into Miss Norris' room now for a moment," Hewitt
suggested, "we will try an experiment. Tell me if you hear matches struck,
and how many. Where is the match-stand?"
The match-stand proved to be empty, but matches were found in Miss Norris'
room, and the test was made.
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