But now I come to think of it, he did ask me to let him see the thing." "And did you ?" "Yes; I wanted all the information I could get." "My position exactly.

Let us go to Scotland Yard." The famous Black Museum has so often been the subject of articles in the public press that no detailed description is needed here.

It contains, in glass cases, or hanging on the walls, a weird collection of articles famous in the annals of crime.

It is not open to the public, and Brett, who had not seen the place before, examined its relics with much curiosity.
The detective exhibited a pardonable pride in some of them, but his companion damped his enthusiasm by saying: "This is a depressing sight." "In what way ?" "British rogues are evidently of low intelligence in the average.

A bludgeon and a halter make up their history." "There's more than that in a good many cases." "Ah, I forgot the handcuffs." "Well, here is the Ko-Katana," said Winter shortly.
The barrister took the fateful weapon, not more deadly than a paper-knife in appearance, and scrutinised it closely.
"It has not been cleaned," he said.
"No, it was left untouched after the doctor withdrew it from the poor young fellow's breast." Brett produced a magnifying glass.