The object person house was robbery, not murder true safe was not open, but an ordinary cashbox table, with three thousand dollars easily supposable thief was concealed house; that box, and owner's habit of counting its contents and arranging his accounts at night--if he had that habit, which assert, --that he tried to box while its owner slept, but made noise and was seized, and had to use the knife to save himself from capture; he fled without his booty because he heard help coming

" now done with my theory, and will proceed evidences I propose its soundness " Wilson took up several strips of glass audience recognized these familiar mementos of Pudd'nhead's old time childish "puttering" and folly, the tense and funereal interest vanished out faces, house burst into volleys of relieving and refreshing laughter, and Tom chirked up and joined fun himself; but Wilson was apparently not disturbed He arranged his records table before him, and said:

"I beg the indulgence court while I make few remarks in explanation of some evidence which about to introduce, and which presently ask allowed under oath witness stand Every human being carries cradle grave certain physical marks which change their character, and always be identified-- without shade of doubt or question These marks are his signature, his physiological autograph, so , and this autograph can not be counterfeited, nor can he disguise it or hide it away, nor can it become illegible wear and mutations This signature his face--age can change that beyond recognition; his hair, for fall out; his height, for duplicates exist; his form, for duplicates exist also, whereas this signature is each man's very own-- no duplicate of it swarming populations globe ! [The audience were interested once more ]

"This autograph consists delicate lines or corrugations Nature marks the insides hands soles feet look balls of your fingers-- you very sharp eyesight-- observe dainty curving lines lie close together, like those that indicate the borders of oceans in maps, and form various clearly defined patterns, such as arches, circles, long curves, whorls, etc , and patters differ different fingers [Every man room had his hand light now, head canted to one side, and was minutely scrutinizing the balls fingers; there were whispered ejaculations of "Why, it's so--I never noticed that before ! "] The patterns right hand the same left [Ejaculations of "Why, that's so, too ! "] Taken finger for finger, your patterns differ from your neighbor's [Comparisons were made all over the house--even the judge and jury were absorbed curious work ] The patterns of twin's right hand the same left One twin's patters are never the same as his fellow twin's patters--the jury patterns finger balls twins' hands follow this rule [An examination twins' hands was begun at once ] often heard of twins who were so exactly alike that when dressed alike their own parents tell them apart Yet never twin born in world that carry from birth to death sure identifier mysterious and marvelous natal autograph That once known , his fellow twin could never personate him and deceive you "

Wilson stopped and stood silent Inattention dies quick and sure death when speaker does that The stillness gives warning that something is coming All palms and finger balls went down now, all slouching forms straightened, all heads came up, all eyes were fastened upon Wilson's face He waited yet one, two, three moments, to let his pause complete and perfect its spell house; then, when profound hush hear the ticking clock wall, he put out his hand and took the Indian knife blade and held it aloft where all the sinister spots upon its ivory handle; then , in level and passionless voice:

" haft stands the assassin's natal autograph, written blood helpless and unoffending old man who loved you and whom you all loved but one man whole earth whose hand can duplicate that crimson sign"-- he paused and raised his eyes pendulum swinging back and forth-- "and please God produce that man room clock strikes noon ! "

Stunned, distraught, unconscious own movement, the house half rose, expecting the murderer appear door, and breeze of muttered ejaculations swept the place "Order court ! --sit down ! " This sheriff obeyed, and quiet reigned again Wilson stole glance at Tom, and said to himself, " flying signals of distress now; even people who despise him are pitying him; hard ordeal for young fellow who has lost his benefactor by so cruel stroke--and right " He resumed his speech:

"For more than twenty years amused my compulsory leisure with collecting these curious physical signatures town At my house hundreds upon hundreds Each and is labeled with name and date; not labeled the or even the next hour, but very minute impression was taken When I go witness stand repeat under oath the things which now saying the fingerprints court, the sheriff, and every member jury hardly person room, white or black, whose natal signature produce, and not can so disguise himself that pick him out from multitude fellow creatures and unerringly identify him by his hands And if he and live hundred still [The interest audience was steadily deepening now ]

" studied signatures that them bank cashier knows the autograph oldest customer While I turn my back now, I beg that several persons so good as their fingers through their hair, and then press them upon panes window near the jury, among them the accused may set THEIR finger marks Also, I beg experimenters, or others, will set their fingers upon another pane, and add again the marks accused, but not placing them same order or other signatures as before--for, by one chance in million, person might happen right marks by pure guesswork, ONCE, therefore tested twice "

He turned his back, two panes were quickly covered with delicately lined oval spots, but visible only to such persons as could get dark background --the foliage of tree, outside, for instance Then upon call, Wilson went window, made his examination, and said:

" Count Luigi's right hand; , three signatures below, is his left Count Angelo's right; down his left How other pane: here and here are Count Luigi's, here and here are his brother's " He faced about "Am I right ? "

deafening explosion of applause answer The bench said:

"This certainly approaches the miraculous ! "

Wilson turned window again and remarked, pointing finger:

" signature of Mr Justice Robinson [Applause ] This, of Constable Blake [Applause ] This of John Mason, juryman [Applause ] This, sheriff [Applause ] name the others, but them all at home, named and dated, and could identify them all by my fingerprint records "

He moved place through storm of applause--which the sheriff stopped, and also made the people sit down, for they were all standing and struggling , Court, jury, sheriff, and everybody too absorbed in observing Wilson's performance to attend audience earlier

"Now then," said Wilson, " here the natal autographs two children--thrown ten times the natural size pantograph, anyone who at all can tell the markings apart at glance call the children and B Here are A's finger marks, taken age of five months Here again taken at seven months [Tom started ] alike, Here are B's at five months, and also at seven months They, too, exactly copy , but the patterns are quite different from A's, you observe refer again presently, but turn them face down now