I dismissed that.
The man who entered knew that the papers were there. How did
he know?
"When I approached your room I examined the window. You amused
me by supposing that I was contemplating the possibility of
someone having in broad daylight, under the eyes of all these
opposite rooms, forced himself through it. Such an idea was
absurd. I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in order
to see as he passed what papers were on the central table. I am
six feet high, and I could do it with an effort. No one less
than that would have a chance. Already you see I had reason to
think that if one of your three students was a man of unusual
height he was the most worth watching of the three.
"I entered and I took you into my confidence as to the
suggestions of the side table. Of the centre table I could make
nothing, until in your description of Gilchrist you mentioned
that he was a long-distance jumper. Then the whole thing came to
me in an instant, and I only needed certain corroborative proofs,
which I speedily obtained.
"What happened was this. This young fellow had employed his
afternoon at the athletic grounds, where he had been practising
the jump.
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