"The person who was responsible for the execution of the defective will was Mr. Jellicoe.
"Then as to the remains. They were apparently not those of John Bellingham, but parts of a particular kind of body. But the only person who was known to have had such a body in his possession was Mr. Jellicoe.
"The only person who could have had any motive for substituting those remains for the remains of the deceased was Mr. Jellicoe.
"Finally, the person who caused the discovery of those remains at that singularly opportune moment was Mr. Jellicoe.
"This was the sum of the evidence that was in my possession up to the time of the hearing, and, indeed, for some time after, and it was not enough to act upon. But when the case had been heard in Court, it was evident either that the proceedings would be abandoned--which was unlikely--or that there would be new developments.
"I watched the progress of events with profound interest. An attempt had been made (by Mr. Jellicoe or some other person) to get the will administered without producing the body of John Bellingham; and that attempt had failed. The coroner's jury had refused to identify the remains; the Probate Court had refused to presume the death of the testator. As affairs stood, the will could not be administered.
"What would be the next move?
"It was virtually certain that it would consist in the production of something which would identify the unrecognised remains as those of the testator.
"But what would that something be?
"The answer to that question would contain the answer to another question: Was my solution of the mystery the true solution?
"If I was wrong, it was possible that some of the undoubtedly genuine bones of John Bellingham might presently be discovered; for instance, the skull, the knee-cap, or the left fibula, by any of which the remains could be positively identified.
"If I was right, only one thing could possibly happen. Mr. Jellicoe would have to play the trump card that he had been holding back in case the Court should refuse the application; a card that he was evidently reluctant to play.
"He would have to produce the bones of the mummy's finger, together with John Bellingham's ring. No other course was possible.
"But not only would the bones and the ring have to be found together. They would have to be found in a place which was accessible to Mr. Jellicoe, and so far under his control that he could determine the exact time when the discovery should be made.
"I waited patiently for the answer to my question. Was I right or was I wrong?