The absence of adipocere therefore proved that the bulk of the flesh had disappeared or been removed from the bones before they were deposited in the pond.

That, in fact, it was not a body, but a skeleton, that had been deposited.
"But what kind of skeleton?
If it was the recent skeleton of a murdered man, then the bones had been carefully stripped of flesh so as to leave the ligaments intact.

But this was highly improbable; for there could be no object in preserving the ligaments.

And the absence of scratches was against this view.
"Then they did not appear to be graveyard bones.

The collection was too complete.