Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/44

20 "In fact, you are a little curious, eh? I am not sure that I should be justified in allowing you to make experiments at prisoners' expense. I don't know why they want this man Solly's likeness at Scotland Yard. It is his first offence, he is a good-conduct man, and I don't know that I am entitled to allow you to put him to unnecessary inconvenience."

"But, to put it on no other grounds, the likeness might be very easily improved."

Dr. Livermore had just come in from his rounds. He stretched out his hand to the governor.

"Let me look at it," he said.

Mr. Paley handed him the photograph. The doctor examined it

"Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Dodsworth, that there was nothing behind the man when you exposed this plate?"

"I do. Ask Mr. Murray; he was present at the time." Chief Warder Murray, standing by, corroborated Mr. Dodsworth's word.

"Then what have you done to the plate since you exposed it? You know, Mr, Dodsworth, this looks to me very much like one of those so-called spirit photographs—you know what I mean—printed from two exposures, and that kind of thing."

"I know what you mean. But I assure you, doctor, that that is a print from an ordinary development of the plate which I exposed in Mr. Murray's presence. It seems to me to be rather a curious thing. How did that veiled figure get upon that plate?"