By the way, I thought it best to say nothing while you were talking to Bellingham, but I noticed that, in discussing the possibility of those being the bones of his brother, you made no comment on the absence of the third finger of the left hand.

I am sure you didn't overlook it, but isn't it a point of some importance ?" "As to identification?
Under the present circumstances, I think not.

If there were a man missing who had lost that finger it would, of course, be an important fact.

But I have not heard of any such man.

Or, again, if there were any evidence that the finger had been removed before death, it would be highly important.