I saw the book--a curious old binding and queer old copper-plates.

The man may have picked it up for that reason--I've bought old books myself for less." "All the same," retorted Campany, "I should make inquiry at Barthorpe.
You've got to go on probabilities.

The probabilities in this case are that the man was interested in the book because it dealt with his own town." Bryce turned away towards a wall on which hung a number of charts and plans of Wrychester Cathedral and its precincts--it was to inspect one of these that he had come to the Library.

But suddenly remembering that there was a question which he could ask without exciting any suspicion or surmise, he faced round again on the librarian.
"Isn't there a register of burials within the Cathedral ?" he inquired.
"Some book in which they're put down?
I was looking in the Memorials of Wrychester the other day, and I saw some names I want to trace." Campany lifted his quill pen and pointed to a case of big leather-bound volumes in a far corner of the room.
"Third shelf from the bottom, doctor," he replied.

"You'll see two books there--one's the register of all burials within the Cathedral itself up to date: the other's the register of those in Paradise and the cloisters.