Thorndyke hesitated as if he were half inclined to say something more; then, with a slight shrug, he turned over his notes and resumed:

“The next group of new facts is concerned with the signatures of the recent cheques. We have photographed them and placed them together for the purpose of comparison and analysis.”

“I am not prepared to question the signatures,” said Winwood. “We have had a highly expert opinion, which would override ours in a court of law even if we differed from it; which I think we do not.”

“Yes,” said Marchmont; “that is so. I think we must accept the signatures, especially as that of the will has been proved, beyond any question to be authentic.”

“Very well,” agreed Thorndyke; “we will pass over the signatures. Then we have some further evidence in regard to the spectacles, which serves to verify our conclusions respecting them.”