It never entered his head that he held in his hands almost the whole solution of the mystery which was puzzling him.
No man knows how inspiration comes to him, and Brereton never knew how it was that suddenly, in the flash of an eye, in the swiftness of thought, he knew that he had found what he wanted.

Suggestion might have had something to do with it.

Kitely had written the word _Scrap-book_ on the first blank page.

Afterwards, at the tops of pages, he had filled in dates in big figures--for reference--1875--1879--1887--and so on.

And Brereton suddenly saw, and understood, and realized.