Людина-невидимка
The Wicksteed Murder
Ofcourse,hemusthavedraggedthisrodoutofthefencingbeforehemethisvictim—hemusthavebeencarryingitreadyinhishand. Onlytwodetailsbeyondwhathasalreadybeenstatedseemtobearonthematter. OneisthecircumstancethatthegravelpitwasnotinMr.Wicksteed'sdirectpathhome,butnearlyacoupleofhundredyardsoutofhisway. Theotheristheassertionofalittlegirltotheeffectthat,goingtoherafternoonschool,shesawthemurderedman"trotting"inapeculiarmanneracrossafieldtowardsthegravelpit. Herpantomimeofhisactionsuggestsamanpursuingsomethingonthegroundbeforehimandstrikingatiteverandagainwithhiswalking-stick. Shewasthelastpersontoseehimalive. Hepassedoutofhersighttohisdeath,thestrugglebeinghiddenfromheronlybyaclumpofbeechtreesandaslightdepressionintheground.
Nowthis,tothepresentwriter'smindatleast,liftsthemurderoutoftherealmoftheabsolutelywanton. WemayimaginethatGriffinhadtakentherodasaweaponindeed,butwithoutanydeliberateintentionofusingitinmurder. Wicksteedmaythenhavecomebyandnoticedthisrodinexplicablymovingthroughtheair. WithoutanythoughtoftheInvisibleMan—forPortBurdockistenmilesaway—hemayhavepursuedit.ItisquiteconceivablethathemaynotevenhaveheardoftheInvisibleMan.
