# IV explained — Tracks in the Snow > Chapter companion for Tracks in the Snow by Godfrey R. Benson. ## What happens The narrator describes the topography of Long Wilton and the layout of Peters' property. Callaghan and the Superintendent follow footprints in the snow from the house to a fir plantation, across a field, and into a lane near Trethewy's cottage. They discover a pair of boots in a ditch, which Callaghan identifies as Trethewy's based on the nail pattern. Trethewy and his wife claim the boots are his but lost. The narrator learns the ladder used in the crime was kept in a locked pump-house, for which Trethewy had the key. ## Themes in this chapter ### Crime and Detection The chapter focuses on the meticulous tracking of footprints and the discovery of evidence (boots, ladder) that points to Trethewy as the murderer. ### Guilt and Innocence Callaghan is convinced of Trethewy's guilt based on the boot prints, while Trethewy and his wife offer weak denials, raising questions about their truthfulness. ### Memory and Perception The Superintendent's sharp observation of footprints and Callaghan's recall of a previous snow print highlight how perception and memory are used to reconstruct events. ## Character check-ins ### James Callaghan Leads the tracking of footprints, identifies the boots as Trethewy's by the nail pattern, and insists on Trethewy's guilt. ### Eustace Peters The murder victim; his study and bedroom are described in the layout of the house. ### William Vane-Cartwright Stays at the house reading gloomily while the others track footprints; the narrator arranges his removal to the Rectory. ### Reuben Trethewy Confronted by the Superintendent about the boots; claims they look like his but does not know where they were found. ### Mrs. Trethewy Intervenes to claim the boots are her husband's and that they were lost three days ago, in a tone Callaghan finds unconvincing. ### Sergeant Speke Chastised by the Superintendent for not finding the footprint trail earlier; looks like a detected criminal. ## Key lines > “Odd they are so full of snow,” said Callaghan; “he did not lace them or they were much too big for him. But what possessed him to throw them away, anyhow?” Callaghan notes the boots are filled with snow, unlaced, and too large, questioning why anyone would discard them. _Callaghan's observation suggests the boots were deliberately abandoned to avoid detection._ > “Oh,” said the Superintendent, “they mostly have plenty of half-clever ideas. It takes a stupid one to escape me, sir,” The Superintendent remarks that criminals often have half-baked clever ideas, but only a truly stupid one could evade him. _The Superintendent's confidence in his investigative skills._ > “You never saw it in any footprint before, but I did, and it is the pattern I saw in Trethewy’s footmark not a fortnight ago when last there was snow.” Callaghan claims the nail pattern in the footprint is unique and matches one he saw in Trethewy's footprint two weeks earlier. _Callaghan uses his memory of a previous snow to identify Trethewy as the culprit._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tracks_in_the_snow_se/chapters/iv - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tracks_in_the_snow_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tracks_in_the_snow_se/chapters