Short Stories
"When I approached your room, I examined the window.
You amused me by supposing that I was contemplating the pos-
sibility of someone having in broad daylight, under the eyes of
all these opposite rooms, forced himself through it. Such an idea
was absurd. I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in
order to see, as he passed, what papers were on the central table.
I am six feet high, and I could do it with an effort. No one less
than that would have a chance. Already you see I had reason to
think that, if one of your three students was a man of unusual
height, he was the most worth watching of the three.
"I entered, and I took you into my confidence as to the sug-
gestions of the side table. Of the centre table I could make noth-
ing, until in your description of Gilchrist you mentioned that he
was a long-distance jumper. Then the whole thing came to me in
an instant, and I only needed certain corroborative proofs, which
I speedily obtained.
"What happened with{sic} this: This young fellow had em-
ployed his afternoon at the athletic grounds, where he had been
practising the jump. He returned carrying his jumping-shoes,
which are provided, as you are aware, with several sharp spikes.
As he passed your window he saw, by means of his great height,
these proofs upon your table, and conjectured what they were.
No harm would have been done had it not been that, as he
passed your door, he perceived the key which had been left by
the carelessness of your servant. A sudden impulse came over
him to enter, and see if they were indeed the proofs. It was not a
dangerous exploit for he could always pretend that he had simp-
ly looked in to ask a question.
"Well, when he saw that they were indeed the proofs, it was
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