The person who did the job brushed a lot of the dust away, so, you see,
he must have worked since the dust fell."
"Did he brush it all away?" asked Jimmie.
"No," Ned replied, pointing, "here is a brace which he touched with his
hands but did not wipe off. In a short time I'll tell you just what
sort of a chap it was that did the trick."
The boy got his camera out of the suitcase and took a picture of the
spot on the machine frame where the print of human fingers showed. The
motorcycle owned by, or in charge of, Jimmie also showed a similar mark,
and this, too, was photographed.
This completed, Ned laid the films aside for a time while he made a
circuit of the old house, walking slowly as if out for chest exercise,
but really seeing every square inch of the earth's surface where he
walked. Once he dropped a pocketknife which he carried in his hand and
stooped over to pick it up.
The boys thought he was a long time in securing the knife, although it
was plainly in sight. When he stood up again and continued his circuit
of the house there was a strange, inscrutable smile on his face.
"What is it?" asked Jack, the instant Ned entered the house.
"We've been blind and deaf since we have boon here," Ned answered.
"Hostile influences have been operating all around us. Now," he
continued, as Frank opened his lips to ask a question, "we'll see what
sort of a tale the camera has to tell."
As he looked at the films his face hardened and his eyes snapped.
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