These facts make it clear that the murder was committed between eleven and half-past, but the pool of water near the window enables us to fix the time more accurately still, and say that he entered the room during the time the rain was at its heaviest--that is, between ten minutes past and half-past eleven." "I'm hanged if I see how you fix it so definitely," said the superintendent, who had been following the other's deductions with interest.

"The pool of water may have collected at any time, once the window was open." "My dear Galloway, you are working on the rule-of-thumb deduction that the rain blew in the open window and formed the pool.

As a matter of fact, it did nothing of the kind.

The wind was blowing the other way, and _away_ from that side of the house.

Furthermore, the hill on that side of the inn acts as a natural barrier against rain and weather." "Then how the deuce do you account for the water in the room ?" "Surely you have not forgotten the piece of black material we found sticking on the nail outside the window ?" "I have not forgotten it, but I do not see how you connect it with the pool of water." "Because it is a piece of umbrella silk.