The Dutch Shoe Mystery

Ellery spread the long roll of paper on the table. It was the blueprint which Superintendent Paradise had brought him in the Hospital. Cigarette drooping from his mouth, he studied the map again for a long time.

Occasionally he scribbled his cryptic notes on the margin of the diagram.

Something seemed to perplex him. He began an endless pacing about the room, smoking innumerable cigarettes. The map lay forgotten on the table. His forehead was damp, white-lined, corrugated.

Djuna stole in shyly. He presented a fearsome aspect. On his black curly hair he sported a glaringly crimson wig. A sandy van dyke beard hung from his chin. A ferocious black mustache trailed beneath his nose. To complete the hirsute decoration of his features, his eyebrows spurted heavy grey patches, not unlike those of the Inspector. Rouge reddened his cheeks; black pencil had rimmed his eyes until they resembled the legendary orbs of Svengali.

He stood hopefully by the table, attempting to catch Ellery’s eye.

Ellery stopped short, a look of utter amazement spreading over his face. The surprise vanished; his face assumed a grave, even apprehensive, expression.

In a slightly quavering voice he asked, “Who are you? How did you get in here?”

Djuna’s eyes popped. “Why — Mr. Ellery — it’s me!”

“What!” Ellery retreated a step. “Get out,” he whispered hoarsely. “You’re fooling me... Djuna — that’s not really you?”

“Sure it’s me!” cried Djuna in triumph. He whipped off the mustache and beard.

“I’ll be eternally switched!” murmured Ellery, and the laughter which had been lurking in his eyes sparkled clear. “Come here, imp!”

He sat down in the Inspector’s big armchair and drew the boy to him. “Djuna,” he said solemnly, “the case is quite solved. All but one thing.”

“Shucks.”

“I echo that delightful sentiment — shucks.” Ellery’s frown crept back. “I could put my hand on the criminal today — the one and only person who could have committed both murders. I have a perfect, an airtight case. But that one stubborn little point...” He was talking to himself more than to Djuna. “One little point. Peculiarly enough, it doesn’t affect the capture in the slightest, and yet I won’t know everything until I learn the answer to...” His voice trailed off startlingly as he sat up with half-closed eyes, pushing Djuna from him.

“By heaven,” he said quietly. “I’ve got it.”

He leaped from the chair and vanished within the bedroom. Djuna followed him quickly.

Ellery tore the telephone from the night-table and rapped a number into the instrument...