r　prayers　are　all　upside　down。　　Very　likely　a　lunatic　would　pray　before　killing　a　man。　　When　I　last　saw　poor　Joe　he　was　with　my　brother。　　My　brother　was　mocking　him。〃　　　　　〃By　Jove！〃　cried　the　doctor；　〃this　is　talking　at　last。　　But　how　do　you　explain〃　　　　　The　Rev。　Wilfred　was　almost　trembling　with　the　excitement　of　his　own　glimpse　of　the　truth。　　〃Don't　you　see；　don't　you　see；〃　he　cried　feverishly；　〃that　is　the　only　theory　that　covers　both　the　queer　things；　that　answers　both　the　riddles。　　The　two　riddles　are　the　little　hammer　and　the　big　blow。　　The　smith　might　have　struck　the　big　blow；　but　would　not　have　chosen　the　little　hammer。　　His　wife　would　have　chosen　the　little　hammer；　but　she　could　not　have　struck　the　big　blow。　　But　the　madman　might　have　done　both。　　As　for　the　little　hammerwhy；　he　was　mad　and　might　have　picked　up　anything。　　And　for　the　big　blow；　have　you　never　heard；　doctor；　that　a　maniac　in　his　paroxysm　may　have　the　strength　of　ten　men？〃　　　　　The　doctor　drew　a　deep　breath　and　then　said；　〃By　golly；　I　believe　you've　got　it。〃　　　　　Father　Brown　had　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　speaker　so　long　and　steadily　as　to　prove　that　his　large　grey；　ox…like　eyes　were　not　quite　so　insignificant　as　the　rest　of　his　face。　　When　silence　had　fallen　he　said　with　marked　respect：　〃Mr。　Bohun；　yours　is　the　only　theory　yet　propounded　which　holds　water　every　way　and　is　essentially　unassailable。　　I　think；　therefore；　that　you　deserve　to　be　told；　on　my　positive　knowledge；　that　it　is　not　the　true　one。〃　And　with　that　the　old　little　man　walked　away　and　stared　again　at　the　hammer。　　　　　〃That　fellow　seems　to　know　more　than　he　ought　to；〃　whispered　the　doctor　peevishly　to　Wilfred。　　〃Those　popish　priests　are　deucedly　sly。〃　　　　　〃No；　no；〃　said　Bohun；　with　a　sort　of　wild　fatigue。　　〃It　was　the　lunatic。　　It　was　the　lunatic。〃　　　　　The　group　of　the　two　clerics　and　the　doctor　had　fallen　away　from　the　more　official　group　containing　the　inspector　and　the　man　he　had　arrested。　　Now；　however；　that　their　own　party　had　broken　up；　they　heard　voices　from　the　others。　　The　priest　looked　up　quietly　and　then　looked　down　again　as　he　heard　the　blacksmith　say　in　a　loud　voice：　　　　　〃I　hope　I've　convinced　you；　Mr。　Inspector。　　I'm　a　strong　man；　as　you　say；　but　I　couldn't　have　flung　my　hammer　bang　here　from　Greenford。　　My　hammer　hasn't　got　wings　that　it　should　come　flying　half　a　mile　over　hedges　and　fields。〃　　　　　The　inspector　laughed　amicably　and　said：　〃No；　I　think　you　can　be　considered　out　of　it；　though　it's　one　of　the　rummiest　coincidences　I　ever　saw。　　I　can　only　ask　you　to　give　us　all　the　assistance　you　can　in　finding　a　man　as　big　and　strong　as　yourself。　By　George！　you　might　be　useful；　if　only　to　hold　him！　　I　suppose　you　yourself　have　no　guess　at　the　man？〃　　　　　〃I　may　have　a　guess；〃　said　the　pale　smith；　〃but　it　is　not　at　a　man。〃　　Then；　seeing　the　scared　eyes　turn　towards　his　wife　on　the　bench；　he　put　his　huge　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　said：　〃Nor　a　woman　either。〃　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　inspector　jocularly。　　〃You　don't　think　cows　use　hammers；　do　you？〃　　　　　〃I　think　no　thing　of　flesh　held　that　hammer；〃　said　the　blacksmith　in　a　stifled　voice；　〃mortally　speaking；　I　think　the　man　died　alone。〃　　　　　Wilfred　made　a　sudden　forward　movement　and　peered　at　him　with　burning　eyes。　　　　　〃Do　you　mean　to　say；　Barnes；〃　came　the　sharp　voice　of　the　cobbler；　〃that　the　hammer　jumped　up　of　itself　and　knocked　the　man　down？〃　　　　　〃Oh；　you　gentlemen　may　stare　and　snigger；〃　cried　Simeon；　〃you　clergymen　who　tell　us　on　Sunday　in　what　a　stillness　the　Lord　smote　Sennacherib。　　I　believe　that　One　who　walks　invisible　in　every　house　defended　the　honour　of　mine；　and　laid　the　defiler　dead　before　the　door　of　it。　　I　believe　the　force　in　that　blow　was　just　the　force　there　is　in　earthquakes；　and　no　force　less。〃　　　　　Wilfred　said；　with　a　voice　utterly　undescribable：　〃I　told　Norman　myself　to　beware　of　the　thunderbolt。〃　　　　　〃That　agent　is　outside　my　jurisdiction；〃　said　the　inspector　with　a　slight　smile。　　　　　〃You　are　not　outside　His；〃　answered　the　smith；　〃see　you　to　it；〃　and；　turning　his　broad　back；　he　went　into　the　house。　　　　　The　shaken　Wilfred　was　led　away　by　Father　Brown；　who　had　an　easy　and　friendly　way　with　him。　　〃Let　us　get　out　of　this　horrid　place；　Mr。　Bohun；〃　he　said。　　〃May　I　look　inside　your　church？　　I　hear　it's　one　of　the　oldest　in　England。　　We　take　some　interest；　you　know；〃　he　added　with　a　comical　grimace；　〃in　old　English　churches。〃　　　　　Wilfred　Bohun　did　not　smile；　for　humour　was　never　his　strong　point。　　But　he　nodded　rather　eagerly；　being　only　too　ready　to　explain　the　Gothic　splendours　to　someone　more　likely　to　be　sympathetic　than　the　Presbyterian　blacksmith　or　the　atheist　cobbler。　　　　　〃By　all　means；〃　he　said；　〃let　us　go　in　at　this　side。〃　　And　he　led　the　way　into　the　high　side　entrance　at　the　top　of　the　flight　of　steps。　　Father　Brown　was　mounting　the　first　step　to　follow　him　when　he　felt　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　turned　to　behold　the　dark；　thin　figure　of　the　doctor；　his　face　darker　yet　with　suspicion。　　　　　〃Sir；〃　said　the　physician　harshly；　〃you　appear　to　know　some　secrets　in　this　black　business。　　May　I　ask　if　you　are　going　to　keep　them　to　yourself？〃　　　　　〃Why；　doctor；〃　answered　the　priest；　smiling　quite　pleasantly；　〃there　is　one　very　good　reason　why　a　man　of　my　trade　should　keep　things　to　himself　when　he　is　not　sure　of　them；　and　that　is　that　it　is　so　constantly　his　duty　to　keep　them　to　himself　when　he　is　sure　of　them。　　But　if　you　think　I　have　been　discourteously　reticent　with　you　or　anyone；　I　will　go　to　the　extreme　limit　of　my　custom。　I　will　give　you　two　very　large　hints。〃　　　　　〃Well；　sir？〃　said　the　doctor　gloomily。　　　　　〃First；〃　said　Father　Brown　quietly；　〃the　thing　is　quite　in　your　own　province。　　It　is　a　matter　of　physical　science。　　The　blacksmith　is　mistaken；　not　perhaps　in　saying　that　the　blow　was　divine；　but　certainly　in　saying　that　it　came　by　a　miracle。　　It　was　no　miracle；　doctor；　except　in　so　far　as　man　is　himself　a　miracle；　with　his　strange　and　wicked　and　yet　half…heroic　heart。　　The　force　that　smashed　that　skull　was　a　force　well　known　to　scientists　one　of　the　most　frequently　debated　of　the　laws　of　nature。〃　　　　　The　doctor；　who　was　looking　at　him　with　frowning　intentness；　only　said：　〃And　the　other　hint？〃　　　　　〃The　other　hint　is　this；〃　said　the　priest。　　〃Do　you　remember　the　blacksmith；　though　he　believes　in　miracles；　talking　scornfully　of　the　impossible　fairy　tale　that　his　hammer　had　wings　and　flew　half　a　mile　across　country？〃　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　remember　that。〃　　　　　〃Well；〃　added　Father　Brown；　with　a　broad　smile；　〃that　fairy　tale　was　the　nearest　thing　to　the　real　truth　that　has　been　said　today。〃　　And　with　that　he　turned　his　back　and　stumped　up　the　steps　after　the　curate。　　　　　The　Reverend　Wilfred；　who　had　been　waiting　for　him；　pale　and　impatient；　as　if　this　little　delay　were　the　last　straw　for　his　nerves；　led　him　immediately　to　his　favourite　corner　of　the　church；　that　part　of　the　gallery　closest　to　the　carved　roof　and　lit　by　the　wonderful　window　with　the　angel。　　The　little　Latin　priest　explored　and　admired　everything　exhaustively；　talking　cheerfully　but　in　a　low　voice　all　the　time。　　When　in　the　course　of　his　investigation　he　found　the　side　exit　and　the　winding　stair　down　which　Wilfred　had　rushed　to　find　his　brother　dead；　Father　Brown　ran　not　down　but　up；　with　the　agility　of　a　monkey；　and　his　clear　voice　came　from　an　outer　platform　above。　　　　　〃Come　up　here；　Mr。　Bohun；〃　he　called。　　〃The　air　will　do　you　good。〃　　　　　Bohun　followed　him；　and　came　out　on　a　kind　of　stone　gallery　or　balcony　outside　the　building；　from　which　one　could　see　the　illimitable　plain　in　which　their　small　hill　stood；　wooded　away　to　the　purple　horizon　and　dotted　with　villages　and　farms。　　Clear　and　square；　but　quite　small　beneath　them；　was　the　blacksmith's　yard；　where　the　inspector　still　stood　taking　notes　and　the　corpse　still　lay　like　a　smashed　fly。　　　　　〃Might　be　the　map　of　the　world；　mightn't　it？〃　said　Father　Brown。　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Bohun　very　gravely；　and　nodded　his　head。　　　　　Immediately　beneath　and　about　them　the　lines　of　the　Gothic　building　plunged　outwards　into　the　void　with　a　sickening　swiftness　akin　to　suicide。　　There　is　that　element　of　Titan　energy　in　the　architecture　of　the　Middle　Ages　that；　from　whatever　aspect　it　be　seen；　it　always　seems　to　be　rushing　away；　like　the　strong　back　of　some　maddened　horse。　　This　church　was　hewn　out　of　ancient　and　silent　stone；　bearded　with　old　fungoids　and　stained　with　the　nests　of　birds。　　And　yet；　when　they　saw　it　from　below；　it　sprang　like　a　fountain　at　the　stars；　and　when　they　saw　it；　as　now；　from　above；　it　poured　like　a　cataract　into　a　voiceless　pit。　　For　these　two　men　on　the　tower　were　left　alone　with　the　most　terrible　aspect　of　Gothic；　the　monstrous　foreshortening　and　disproportion；　the　dizzy　perspectives；　the　glimpses　of　great　things　small　and　small　things　great；　a　topsy…turvydom　of　stone　in　the　mid…air。　　Details　of　stone；　enormous　by　their　proximity；　were　relieved　against　a　pattern　of　fields　and　farms；　pygmy　in　their　distance。　　A　carved　bird　or　beast　at　a　corner　seemed　like　some　vast　walking　or　flying　dragon　wasting　the　pastures　and　villages　below。　　The　whole　atmosphere　was　dizzy　and　dangerous；　as　if　men　were　upheld　in　air　amid　the　gyrating　wings　of　colossal　genii；　and　the　whole　of　that　old　church；　as　tall　and　rich