“You will not have that complaint to make against the next item of evidence,” said Thorndyke. “It is after the lawyer’s own heart, as you shall hear. A few days ago I wrote to Mr. Stephen asking him if he possessed a recent photograph of his uncle Jeffrey. He had one, and he sent it to me by return. This portrait I showed to Dr. Jervis and asked him if he had ever seen the person it represented. After examining it attentively, without any hint whatever from me, he identified it as the portrait of the sick man, Graves.”

“Indeed!” exclaimed Marchmont. “This is most important. Are you prepared to swear to the identity, Dr. Jervis?”

“I have not the slightest doubt,” I replied, “that the portrait is that of Mr. Graves.”