Percy James Brebner

Christopher Quarles Percy James Brebner

Book Excerpt: how the facts support my theory, but I cannot always produce the actual proof. In many cases I should be a hindrance rather than a help to you.""It is courteous of you to say so," I returned, wishing to be pleasant."It is quite true, not a compliment," said the girl."First, the dead man," Quarles went on. "Quite a healthy man was the medical opinion--but his eyes. Did you particularly notice his eyes? You look into the brain through the eyes, see into it with great penetration if you have accustomed yourself to such scrutiny as I have done. Mr. Ratcliffe had not been dead long enough for his eyes to lose that last impression received from the brain. They were still looking at something, as it were, and they still had terror in them. Now he was a traveler, one who must have faced danger scores of times; it would take something very unusual to frighten him."I acquiesced with a nod."We may take it, I think, that such a man would not be terrified by burglars."I admClose...