The House Opposite

ght. The supposition, however, that it was her brother, explained everything satisfactorily. Nothing could be more likely than that this angel of mercy should

I had some difficulty in keeping my elation within bounds. A

given a thought to the mysterious murder, and was consequently very much surpris

you; what can I do for you? Anything wrong with

es are pretty near all right,"

ear it. Won't

d we sat down facing each other. I

r-of-fact voice, "I'd like you to t

earning to control my features, and flatter myself

uestion, and I can only a

t," the detective rejoined,

that," I asserted

he way, I noticed that from your roof I could look directly into their windows. Again, you betrayed great surprise when Miss Derwent lifted her veil. Why did you do so, except that you had previously seen a very different looking person in her apartment? And why did you select the Atkins's two servants out of all the people in the building, to question about a certain noise, but that you yourself had heard a scream coming from their premises? And, lastly, you showed an unexplained interest in the back door of the Rosemere, which is particularly suggestive in view of the fact that this window is exactly

nd gazed at the detective for

ght, what of it? And if I did hear or see anything suspicious, how

erritt, cheerfully. "I ca

f I re

ded, for a skilful lawyer will surely be able to get at many details that would escape me, and I hardly think that you would resort to perju

eme reluctance to further compromise

ell me what you know? I am as anxious to shield the innocent as you can be. By withholding valuable information you may force me to put a y

minute account of all I had seen and heard. When I came to describing the man

ly inquired. "You must have seen him pretty clearly while he wa

e life of me remember; I've tried to; sometimes I think he wa

forgive such aggravating lack of memory. To be given such an opportun

ember how he

retrieve myself, "he had on a white shirt and d

the windows be

ulled down the

w no one in the apartment

I saw was taller and

you mean

ulges away from their faces; but hers lay tight

iss May's prodigal brother, and suggested the possi

ry of the brother, especially. You see, I had already disc

ind that out?"

nt was over yesterday, I made McGorry open the Derwent's apartments for

to get in?" I inquired

one time or another, have had the key of that apartment in their possession, and there are only three people whom we know of as yet who were in a position to have had it. These three are: Miss Derwent, the French butler, and, of course, McGorry. So far I have not been able to connect the latter two, even in the most indirect way, with the catastrophe. Unfortunately, that is

im by the hand. "So am

continued, "and I shall need all t

lly; "anything I can do. But tell me, first, h

only said that I had discovered in the apartment traces of the recent

Especially about his means

to doubt it. I thought it more likely to have been the woman whose existence your behaviour had led me to infer. I next examined the dining-room. A few crumbs showed that it had been used, but I could find no traces of her mysterious companion. The library had not even been entered. On the floor above, the front bedroom alone showed signs of

t was that?" I inq

aintest ghost of an odor,

?" I exclaimed,

through the bars of the iron flooring, I thought I could discern a small brown object, caught in between the slats of the landing below. I climbed down there mighty quick, I can tell you, and in a moment held the butt end of a cigar in my hand. It was, as I had suspected, from the delicate odor it had left behind, one which had cost about fifty cents. I now extended my search downward, and examined every window-sill, every crevice, till I reached the basement, and, as a result of my hunt, I collected

ed glo

building. And I should never have dreamed of her existence if I had not noticed your surprise when Miss Derwent lifted her veil. Now, the first thing to be done is to try and find this strange couple, and we will begin by tracing the man

ching Miss Derwe

ect? I sent one down with h

on fellow dogging May Derwent's footsteps, was quite a shock to me,

her, as she said she would, and since then has ke

the dead man really is?" I

cted Jim to weaken, he seemed so much less positive at first, but whether he has talked himself into the belief that the corpse is that o

man to be Mrs. Atkins's friend, of whose histor

"We have found out that an Allan Brown did en

e little lady's imagination. By the way, it is a strange coinc

lly to both. Mrs. Atkins volunteers the information that Brown was a stranger in the city, and so far I have no reason to doubt it. Now, a man who can afford to wear a dress suit, and who is a friend of a woman like Mrs. Atkins, presumably had fairly decent quarters while he was in town. And yet inquiries have been made at every hotel and boarding-house, from the cheapest to the most expensive, and not one of them knows anything of an Allan Brown, nor do th

in all probability a person of some prominence. He certainly

think that, far from being wealthy, he was, at the time of his death, extreme

!" I ex

y expensive, were all decidedly shabby? That his silk socks

tice something

inded you to everything else, I see,

edged; "they and the slee

ely, we are so promiscuous and casual in adopting any coat-of-arms that happens to strike our fancy that the links become almost valueless as a clue. Still, I have sent one

d, after a mome

ou odd that no hat wa

that. How singular! What

Miss Derwent's visitor and Mrs. Atkins's friend tally on all other points, they differ radically on this one. The former wore a pana

"have you any theory as to

ou had not given it as your opinion that the man met his death while wholly or semi-unconscious, I should have adde

ion, have made a thorough search of her apartment, and have even sent a sleuth to watch her, yet you have shown su

he key cannot so far be connected with her. But, may I ask, who

ly inferred,"

kins. I have even sent a man to Chicago to find out further particulars, although I have a

there anything pe

e eloped with an Eastern man, from whom she was almost immediately divorced. At any rate, she has been known for a good many years as Miss Day, and has lived at home with her father. The memory of her marriage, if indeed she ever was married, has grown so dim that a great many people, among whom may be numbered some of her intimate friends, have never heard of it, and vehemently deny the wh

ied in spite o

ome reconciled to them, and make

they been mar

were not married in Chicago, but in this city. I guess the lady w

her apartment for a possible

e is a shy bird, and I don't want to frighten her till I have a few more facts to go on. If she thinks herself watched sh

h you are unable to trace the possession of the key to Mrs

how the lady could be involved in it. Let us suppose that she did kill the man. Where could she have secreted him during the twenty-four hours that must have elapsed before the body was finally disposed of? The only place

have been committed in the hall, j

tkins is guilty, we must believe her husband to be her accomplice, for who else could have helped her hide her victim? Now, you must know that the Atkins men, both father and son, bear most excellent reputations, especially th

how some emot

he learned that the man was murdered

o you accoun

ou have no idea; neither have I. Why did she show such emotion at the sight of the corpse? I am not prepared to say. Why did she appear so relieved when she heard th

Miss Derwent and Mrs. Atkins both inno

, the only facts we have as yet gathered about this murder are: that the man was young, dissipated, and was stabbed through the heart by some very small instrument or weapon; that his assailant was an inmate of the Rosemere; that the crime was committed on Tuesday night; and, lastly, that whoever placed the body where it was found must, at one time or another, have had the key to the outside door in his or her possession. Whatever else we may think or believe,

!" I ex

y, however. Such a coincidence is almost unheard of. Still it is possible, and that possibility must be reckoned with. Now, I must be off," said Mr. Merritt, rising abruptly from his chair, "and if you hear any more of the young l

ective to be a decent chap, who would keep his mouth shut, but how dreadful to think that her reputation depended on the discretion of any man. Should it become known that she had received one

her, and to prove beyond doubt that he was still alive. I wished that this might be done

admirer of Miss Derwent who resembled the enclosed description, and if either of them did know of such a person, please to telegrap