THE ADVENTURES OF THE PUZZLE
CLUB
62.—
The Ambiguous Photograph.
One by one the members of the Club succeeded in discovering
the key to the mystery of the Ambiguous Photograph, except
Churton, who was at length persuaded to "give it up." Herbert
Baynes then pointed out to him that the coat that Lord Marksford
was carrying over his arm was a lady's coat, because the buttons
are on the left side, whereas a man's coat always has the buttons on
the right-hand side. Lord Marksford would not be likely to walk
about the streets of Paris with a lady's coat over his arm unless he
was accompanying the owner. He was therefore walking with the
lady.
As they were talking a waiter brought a telegram to Baynes.
"Here you are," he said, after reading the message. " A wire
from Dovey : ' Don't bother about photo. Find lady was the
gentleman's sister, passing through Paris.' That settles it. You
might notice that the lady was lightly clad, and therefore the coat
might well be hers. But it is clear that the rain was only a
sudden shower, and no doubt they were close to their destination,
and she did not think it worth while to put the coat on."
63.—
The Cornish Cliff Mystery.
Melville's explanation of the Cornish Cliff Mystery was very
simple when he gave it. Yet it was an ingenious trick that the two
criminals adopted, and it would have completely succeeded had not
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