He counted twenty-eight butts and they were from the particular kind of Egyptian cigarettes which he knew Mason always smoked. He counted them so carefully, because twenty-one of them were clean, firm butts from cigarettes undoubtedly smoked through a holder, as Mason always did, and the other seven were the stained and shapeless butts as of a man who had used no holder and sucked them down to the last draw.
“And that's how Todhunter always smokes his horrible fags,” he exclaimed breathlessly, “down to the last eighth of an inch and slobbering the nicotine all over his dirty fingers.” He clenched his hands tightly. “I'm certain he was here that night, and if he smoked seven cigarettes his visit was not a short one.” He shook his head and added slowly, “But how to prove it will be a diffic
