"The thief had not brought a parcel with him; he had made one here--a parcel with the stolen objects, no doubt; and he put it in this corner intending to take it away when the moment came for him to make his escape.

He had also placed his heavy boots beside the parcel,--for, see--there are no marks of steps leading to the marks left by the boots, which were placed side by side.

That accounts for the fact that the murderer left no trace of his steps when he fled from The Yellow Room, nor any in the laboratory, nor in the vestibule.

After entering The Yellow Room in his boots, he took them off, finding them troublesome, or because he wished to make as little noise as possible.

The marks made by him in going through the vestibule and the laboratory were subsequently washed out by Daddy Jacques.