The Circular Study

dull and superannuated. He was even contemplating resigning his position on the force and retiring to the little farm he had bought for himself in Westchester; and this in itself did not te

feel again in this or any other kind of day. It was sent from Carter's well-known drug store, and was to the effect that a lady had just sent a boy in from the street to say that a strange crime had been committed in --'s mansion round the corner. The boy did not know the lady, and was shy abo

house brought thus unexpectedly to their notice. As it was one of the few remaining landmarks of the preceding century, and had been made conspicuous moreover by the

was nothing the poor waif could add to the story already sent over the telephone. He persisted in saying that a lady (he did not say woman) had come up to him while he was looking at some toys in a window, and, giving him a piece of money, had drawn him along the street as far as the drug store. Here she showed him another coin, promising to add it to the one he had already pocketed if he would

no better than those of most of his class. All he could say was that she was a stunner, and wore shiny clothes and jewels, and Mr. Gryce, recognizing the lad's limitatio

r shielded by closely drawn shades) were eloquent of inner quiet and domestic respectability, while its calm front of brick, with brownston

hat he had been made the victim of a hoax, a movement took place in the area under the stoop, and an officer stepped out, with a countenance expr

ls. Would think the house empty if I had not seen something like a stir in one of the windows overhead. Shal

f their offices, and then break your way into this house by

ckly scented. The opening of the door from the inside speedily put an end to importunities for which he had as yet no reply, and he was enabled to slip within, where he found himself in a place of almost absolute quiet. Before him lay a basement hall leading t

followed the officer upstairs. As they emerged upon the p

ows; a bookworm, I think they call him. He has occupied the house six months, yet they have never seen any

ons, his wealth, and the uncongenial nature of his temperament, which precluded all association with his kind. It was this knowledge which had given zest to this investigation. To enter the house of such a man was an event in itself:

ge of this fact, they entered the nearest, which was nearly opposite the top of the staircase they had just ascended, and found themselves in a room barren as a doctor's outer office. There was nothing here worth their attention, and th

palled. Nothing in their experience (and they had both experienced much) had prepared th

tempt its

have drawn the eye and held the attention, but on the upturned face of a man lying on a bearskin rug with a dagger in his heart and on his breast a cross whose golden lines, sharply outlined against his long, dark, swathing garment, gave him the appearance of a saint prepared in some holy place for burial, save that the da