The Mystery of the Hidden Room

ife aroused the public to such a pitch of sensational excitement and furor that the district attorney, an exceedingly clever ma

that he had been Darwin's attorney. Therefore, as I remarked before, I went to the firm of Vaughn and Chase, where I found the senior partner in his of

inative, and he listened to my rather disconnected statements with patient t

e it a practice to take up criminal ca

you have handled her father's business for years, but I certainly won't trouble yo

course we'll take the case," he continued as I resumed my seat, "or rather we shall see to it that she h

now she is incapable of murder, and you have her a

in love and as is only natural you are letting your heart run away with your head. Besides you know nothing of courts an

interrupted wi

mber that a jury of twelve honest, but more or less sto

advise then?"

nge for her defense. I shall also try to make her more comfortable. My ad

myself as I dined that night. But where in Kingdom Come was I going to find it? Over and over I

was offering me. I had caught a glimpse of the headlines. Philip Darwin's life history, his penchant for chorus girls, his wealth, and his prominence, were blazoned forth

interview her. But the only person he saw was the girl's good-natured landlady who declared that Cora Manning had left the house at eleven the night of the murder, carrying her suitcase and that she had told her landlady that she was going on a journey of great importance and not to worry in the least about her. When

he study between the husband and wife. Mrs. Darwin had entered the study and had quarreled with her husband about the letter. Mr. Darwin in anger had torn up his will

rash that has been printed that's about the worst. Does the young idiot think all that could

ns respectfully, as he replenished the f

calling Mr. Vaughn's words I said abruptly, "Jenkins, if you were the jury, know

e was, sir," he replied deferentially, adding before I could speak, "But

a servant, albeit an ultra-intelligent one, was as persuaded as Mr. Vaug

on the liberty of my giving advice, I

. "Who is Mr. Mc

ms of crime. It's a sort of hobby with him, sir," said Jenki

up to snuff and yet every clue that he found had only drawn the net more tightly about Ruth. It was no wonder therefore t

ense of the word. He is what you call an investigator of crime and he only takes ca

Sherlock Holmes, eh

l Sherlock Holmes. He says, sir, that beside Holmes he's only an amat

know so much about him, Jen

t War, and in return I help him wi

ght I employed

ellow's face grew so very mournful at my insinuation that I

was merely wondering why he did

ir. He does not want to b

gentleman will condescend to help

deed, sir, i

ight amidst the Stygian darkness of this horrible

re of i

give me his address. Anything is b

e a folded note. "If you don't mind, sir," he said apologet

ant Square, and far from quieted by the sight of the darky who popped her head out of the front window at my ring. It was a head calculated to frighten away any but the boldest intruder, a h

h an apparition," was my thou

ed after me, parrot-like. "No

, holding out the note; for

o lies, young man," she responde

me?" I continued, too weary to be amused by the incongr

ssuh," and she pulled in her head