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Rh stairs I saw that it had all been carefully removed except a few flecks, and I started on a still hunt to find out what had been done with it. I discovered the ashes as you know in Gene Chalmers's fireplace, but I wasn't satisfied. Wood-ashes smudge, but paper ashes form just a fluff; and the grate was too clean. That's why I set Taylor the task of examining the fireplaces in the other rooms; but he found no trace.

"It's evident that whoever wanted to get rid of them had to do it in a hurry, and for some reason couldn't or didn't dare use a grate. There is none in the hunchback's room; but there was that metal tray in the bottom of the parrot's cage, which could be and undoubtedly was used to burn the sawdust on.

"The proceeding was so hurried, however, that the sawdust was not entirely burned. The tray wasn't cleaned, and it was returned to the cage so hot that it blistered the parrot's feet. Then the ashes of the sawdust were dumped in Gene's grate."

"Exactly. To throw suspicion upon him," the captain commented. "So that's the case against the hunchback as far as it goes?"

"I'm not so sure," Odell demurred thoughtfully. "You've heard of what these criminologist sharks on the other side call the elementary and secondary mind, haven't you, Captain?"

His superior grunted.

"You know what I think of all that bunk," he said noncommittally.

"Well, those are only terms used to classify the different degrees of cleverness on the part of the criminal, anyway."