"Now the series is complete," with satisfaction, and sat down to inspect these things and enjoy them

But his enjoyment was brief He stared considerable time three strips, and seemed stupefied with astonishment At last he put them down and said, " 't make it out at all-- hang it, the baby's don't tally others ! "

He walked the floor for half an hour puzzling over his enigma, then he hunted out the other glass plates

He sat down and puzzled over these things good while, but kept muttering, "It's no use; 't understand it They don't tally right, and yet I'll swear the names and dates are right, and so they OUGHT to tally I never labeled thing carelessly in my life most extraordinary mystery here "

tired out now, brains were beginning to clog sleep himself fresh, and then see what do riddle He slept through troubled and unrestful hour, then unconsciousness began to shred away, and presently he rose drowsily to sitting posture "Now what dream ? " , trying to recall it "What dream ? It seemed to unravel that puz--"

He landed middle floor at bound, without finishing the sentence, and ran and turned up his light and seized his "records " single swift glance at them and cried out:

"It's so ! Heavens, what revelation ! And for twenty-three years no man has ever suspected it ! "

CHAPTER 21

Doom

useless on top ground; he under it, inspiring the cabbages

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

APRIL 1 day upon reminded of what other three hundred and sixty-four

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar

Wilson put on enough clothes for business purposes and went to work under high pressure of steam awake all over All sense of weariness swept away invigorating refreshment great and hopeful discovery which he had made fine and accurate reproductions of number "records," and then enlarged them on scale of ten to one pantograph these pantograph enlargements on sheets of white cardboard, and made each individual line bewildering maze of whorls or curves or loops which consisted "pattern" of "record" stand out bold and black by reinforcing it with ink untrained eye the collection of delicate originals made human finger glass plates looked about alike; but when enlarged ten times they resembled the markings of block of wood that sawed across the grain, dullest eye could detect at glance, and at distance of many feet, that no two patterns were alike When Wilson had at last finished his tedious and difficult work, he arranged his results according to plan progressive order and sequence was principal feature; then he added batch several pantograph enlargements which he had made in bygone years

The night was spent day well advanced now he had snatched trifle of breakfast, nine o'clock, court was ready its sitting place twelve minutes later "records "

Tom Driscoll caught slight glimpse records, and nudged his nearest friend and said, with wink, "Pudd'nhead's got rare eye to business--thinks that as long as 't win his case it's noble good chance to advertise his window palace decorations without any expense " Wilson was informed that his witnesses delayed, but would arrive presently; but he rose and said probably not have occasion use testimony [An amused murmur ran room: "It's clean backdown ! up without hitting lick ! "] Wilson continued: " other testimony-- and better [This compelled interest, and evoked murmurs of surprise that had detectable ingredient of disappointment ] If I springing this evidence court, I offer as my justification , that discover its existence until late last night, and engaged in examining and classifying it , until half an hour ago offer it presently; but first I with few preliminary words

"May it please the court, the claim given the front place, the claim most persistently urged, the claim most strenuously and even say aggressively and defiantly insisted upon prosecution -- person whose hand left the bloodstained fingerprints handle Indian knife person who committed the murder " Wilson paused, during several moments, impressiveness to what about , and then added tranquilly, "WE GRANT THAT CLAIM "

an electrical surprise No one was prepared for such an admission buzz of astonishment rose on all sides, and people were heard to intimate overworked lawyer had lost his mind Even the veteran judge, accustomed as to legal ambushes and masked batteries in criminal procedure, was not sure that his ears deceiving him, and asked counsel what he had said Howard's impassive face betrayed no sign, but his attitude and bearing lost something careless confidence for moment Wilson resumed:

"We grant that claim, but we welcome it and strongly endorse it Leaving that matter , now proceed to consider other points case which we propose to establish by evidence, and shall include that one chain in its proper place "

He had made up his mind few hardy guesses, in mapping out his theory origin and motive murder-- guesses designed up gaps --guesses which could help hit, and would probably do no harm didn't

"To my mind, certain circumstances case court seem to suggest motive homicide quite different one insisted on state my conviction motive was not revenge, but robbery urged presence accused brothers fatal room, just after notification that must life of Judge Driscoll or lose his own the moment the parties should meet, clearly signifies natural of self-preservation moved my clients there secretly and save Count Luigi by destroying his adversary

"Then why did they stay there, deed ? Mrs Pratt had time, although she hear the cry for help, but woke up some moments later, to run room--and there she found these men standing and making no effort to escape were guilty, they been running house same time that she was running room had had such strong instinct toward self-preservation move them to kill that unarmed man, what had become of it now, when it more alert than ever Would any of us have remained there ? not slander our intelligence degree

"Much stress laid fact accused offered very large reward knife this murder ; that no thief came forward to claim that extraordinary reward; latter fact was good circumstantial evidence claim knife stolen was vanity and fraud; details taken in connection memorable and apparently prophetic speech deceased concerning that knife, finally discovery very knife fatal room where no living person was found present slaughtered man but the owner knife brother, form an indestructible chain of evidence which fixed the crime upon those unfortunate strangers