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"Let ABC be an isosceles triangle" How many schoolboys, faced by the ill-omened Asses' Bridge, have hopefully written down this hypothesis, then got no further, for all their frowns and pen -chewing ? Similarly, many a criminal investigator has not progressed beyond, "Let X be the Murderer" Inspector Charlton is made of sterner stuff, although this new problem taxes even his exceptional powers. On the scene right from the very beginning, when murder, as said De Quincey, « is not done, not even being done, but only going to be done," he has to stand helplessly by while the mysterious "X" strikes down his victim in the night. This is a nasty blow to Charlton, but before the case is ended, he is not the only one to get an unpleasant shock. It is confidently predicted that the denouement to this exciting and tautly written tale will cause the reader as great, if not nearly so painful, a surprise. |