ADVENTURES OF THE PUZZLE CLUB
stabbed to the heart. All the seven gates were promptly closed,
and the footprints in the snow examined. These were fortunately
very distinct, and the police obtained the following facts :
The footprints of Mr. Hastings were very clear, straight from D
to the spot where he was found. There were the footprints of the
Ravensdene butler—who retired to bed five minutes before midnight
—from E to EE. There were the footprints of the gamekeeper
from A to his lodge at A A. Other footprints showed that one
individual had come in at gate B and left at gate BB, while another
had entered by gate C and left at gate CC.
Only these five persons had entered the park since the fall of
snow. Now, it was a very foggy night, and some of these pedes-
trians had consequently taken circuitous routes, but it was particularly
noticed that no track ever crossed another track. Of this the police
were absolutely certain, but they stupidly omitted to make a sketch
of the various routes before the snow had melted and utterly effaced
them.
The mystery was brought before the members of the Puzzle Club,
who at once set themselves the task of solving it. Was it possible
to discover who committed the crime ? Was it the Butler ? Or
the gamekeeper ? Or the man who came in at B and went out at
BB ? Or the man who went in at C and left at CC
}
They pro-
vided themselves with diagrams—sketch-plans, like the one we have
reproduced, which simplified the real form of Ravensdene Park
without destroying the necessary conditions of the pr >blem.
Our friends then proceeded to trace out the route of each person,
77
