The inspector raised the lid and peeped in, the station-master peered over his shoulder, and then both stared at Thorndyke.
"How in the name of goodness did you know that there were whole-meal biscuits in the house, sir?" exclaimed the station-master.
"You'd be disappointed if I told you," replied Thorndyke. "But look at this." He pointed to the hearth, where lay a flattened, half-smoked cigarette and a round wooden vesta. The inspector gazed at these objects in silent wonder, while, as to the station-master, he continued to stare at Thorndyke with what I can only describe as superstitious awe.
"You have the dead man's property with you, I believe?" said my colleague.
"Yes," replied the inspector; "I put the things in my pocket for safety."
"Then," said Thorndyke, picking up the flattened cigarette, "let us have a look at his tobacco-pouch."
As the officer produced and opened the pouch, Thorndyke neatly cut open the cigarette with his sharp pocket-knife. "Now," said he, "what kind of tobacco is in the pouch?"
The inspector took out a pinch, looked at it and smelt it distastefully. "It's one of those stinking tobaccos," he said, "that they put in mixtures—Latakia, I think."
