The House Opposite

ight and rang a bell on our right. The door was opened by a n

t home?" inquire

he is having

ever, it can't be helped. Will you please tell your master that tw

was not the scene of last night's drama, but a smaller room adjoining the other. My observations were almost imme

iliatory smile. Mr. Atkins nodded curtly. "It is my painful duty," continued the de

ace to a look of concern. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, in

going through the formality of asking every one in the building to take a look at the corpse, hoping to discover somebody who knew the dead man, or at any rate can give us s

, but I have a most important engagement down town which it is impossible for me to postpone. My wife is not up yet, and I really can't wait for her to get ready; but I can go wit

h a wave of his hand in my direction, "will stay here, and escort Mrs. A

an. "I am glad Dr. Fortescue will wait and go down with her-if

on Mr. Merritt. "I shall be delighted to return for Mrs.

teps at a time. How I longed to pierce the ceiling, and hear how he broke the news to his wife, and above all to observe how she took it. He returned in a few minutes, and, snatching his hat from the hall-table, prepared

deceased?" the C

Then, looking at the corpse more closely he exclaimed:

ble to, so far," r

the accid

s murd

in horror.-"Murdered, and

the night

ithdrawing his eyes from the corpse with obvious difficulty, said, in a hearty, matter-of-fact voice: "Gentlemen, I regret that I have

Mr. Atkins departed, and was escorted down-stairs by the detective, whose excessive politeness s

just going to ask who the Frenchman was, and why he should be suspected, when Mr. Merritt stepped out of the elevator and rang the bell of the opposite apartment. Miss Derwent had evidently not been far off, for the door was opened almost

ident has occurred in the building." She inclined her head slowly. "As we have been unable to identify the corpse"-her

ag. Stepping out on to the landing she shut and locked the door behind her with apparent composure. As

the dead lay. I hastily stepped back and resumed my former position at the foot of the c

he Coroner inquired, in his suav

hair! Where were the raven locks I had seen only a few hours before? Had I dreamed them? But no, my memory was too clear on this point. My surprise was so great that I am afraid I showed it, for I caught Mr. Merritt looking at me with one of his enigmatic

ever seen

answered

en told that a gentleman closely resembling the deceased called on yo

, and then she grew so ghastly pale that I

ve to ask Miss Derwent be put to her somewhere else?

replied, with un

. She was trembling so violently that she would have fallen if I had not done so, and I coul

you feel well enough, will you

es not resemble the dead man, except in so fa

leave you on Tuesday evening

visitors or myself should be pried into," sh

ncriminate you, but," he continued with a smile, "it is hardly possible that anything could do that. On the other hand, it is our duty to

irl repeated, as

before yesterday. I do not doubt that he was mistaken,-in fact, I am sure of it; but as no one saw your friend leave the building, it becomes incumbent on us to ma

ut now dropped them, and lifting her head,

y way, however indirectly, be connected with this tragedy. But I see that it is useless to refuse to answer your questions. It will only make you believe that

you say here shall be heard beyond these walls unless the cause of justice demands it." The Coroner s

rl, "I will answer your questi

us how you came to spend two ni

bitterly, "that I arrived here unexpectedly on Tues

ee the train steam away, with my maid hanging distractedly out of a window." She paused a moment. "A gentleman happened to be with me," she continued with downcast eyes, "so we consulted together as to what I had better do. On looking up the trains I found that I could not get back to my mother's country place till nine o'clock that evening, and then should have to leave home again at a frightfully early hour so as to catch the m

on after your arrival, did

end" (she hesitated slightly over the last word) "had little difficulty in

return to the Ros

es

he leave

son again suffused her cheek, and she added almost apologetically: "It was all so unconventional that I d

frightened glance in his direction, evidently startled at being caught

s as to put an end to your frie

tly, while an angry li

gentleman leave you?

ate;-after ele

ot seen him aga

y not," s

first intention of leaving the

at the moment, and besides I had not enough money to carry me as far as Bar Harbor. My maid had

glance of admiration at the beautiful girl, who was fretting under

pset by-by what had occurred the night before and felt the need of a day to myself. Besides, I ha

tily; "your explanations are perfectly satisfactory. O

out who this unknown man is. There must be hundreds of people in this city w

ed decision; "once convinced that the dead man and her friend are not

" the Coroner rather

now?" sh

he Coroner, cordial

y forward, and possessed himself of the young lady's bag. With a distant bow,

her apartment? Why had no mention been made of them? No matter; I felt my belief in the young girl's innocence and goodness rise superior to mere facts, and then and there vowed to become her champion should she ever need one, which I very much feared she might. I was