The Circular Study

een a solitary man, with no household save his man-of-all-work, the mute. Secondly, he had lived in a portion of the city where no neighbors were possible; and he had even lacke

town. But, then, everything about this man was odd, nor would it have been in keeping with his surrou

was bound to feel in the case, and it was with a feeling of relief that a little before midnight he saw the army of reporters, medical men, officials,

much-needed rest. The first occupied his immediate attention. Passing before a c

want you to go with me to the exact pla

ith sleep, looked ar

pleaded. "She must be done up about me

rs ago. She gave a very good report of you, Jake; says you're

bad-as bad as my father was, if I did not treat her well.

ady," s

ce led the way

presently came, and before the darkened window of one of the lesser shops paused, while Jake pointed out the two stuffed

ugh probably the former would have sworn that his

pretty lady

ed his head in

She had very splendid clothes; oh, gorgeous!" he cr

, and seemed troubled? What! not young, and carrie

en shaking his head

e feeling into her grip than into her voice. She just dragged me to the drug-store, sir. If she hadn't given m

o himself. "Some old flame, then, of Mr. Adams; they're apt to b

he paused. "Show me where s

dentical spot. He seemed

anding there wh

e went away whil

you tell me whether she

to want her to clinch hold on it again. So when she started to go, I took a step nearer, and saw her move towar

. Gryce's eyes perc

driver she hailed. Were there any

d elicit anything more from him. This Mr. Gryce soon saw, and giving him into the charge of one of his assistant

?" he inquired of Style

n; name, Hines. Says

man I want.

parlor

t don't let any one els

ne. Shall I go u

o up. I'll look

airs, up which he presently disappear

telligent eye rose to meet hi

a small side table near the door. But once in, Mr. Gryce approached the larger table in the centre of the room, and placing his hand on one of the buttons before him, asked his companion to be kind enough to blow out the candle. This he did, leaving the room for a moment in total darkness. T

, as you see. This one produces green, this one white, and this a bilious yellow, which is not becoming to e

hole contrivance was the work of an amateur hand, he found no

showed dis

then, himse

se equally unacquainted with

sufficient knowledge can be got from them to enable

r. Gryce had pointed out, and without

n of mind might, by the aid of these, do all

ten wastes much time and money on useless toys only fit for children to play with. Look at that bird cage now. Perched at a height totally beyond the reach of any one without a ladder, it mus

pon another button well hid amid the tapestry on the wall, which, when pressed, caused som

he cage and holding it for a moment in his hand. "An English starli

r an instant, and then subsided into a doze, which may have been real, and may have been assumed under the fascinating eye of the old gentleman who held him. Mr. Gryce placed the cage on the floor, and id

ly made a hurried gesture, directing the attention of the expert to a fact for which neither of them was prepared. The opening which led into the antechamber, and which

deaf servant, no awkward stumbling over rugs to shut it himself. I don't know but I approve of this contrivance, only--" here he caught a rather serious ex

is the strangest thing yet. It begins to look as

upplemented the other. "I do not see

n for that, of course," Mr

failed to

tes of useless search, "I will turn a more cheerful light

e on the other side of this steel plate, w

s contrivance portend? It has a serious look to me, when you consider tha

nsideration I should like a breath of fresh air. I canno

d been made-certainly at great expense-to fit the curve of the walls through which it passed. This was a discovery of some conseque

to the slightly uneasy man beside him. "This slide is very carefully fitted, a

ectricity had led him to attach

ve come acro

d too much of the ord

s only serva

th this silver-mounted alpenstock. Some on

le first; it will be

ore he could draw the attention of Styles, and five hours before an opening could be effected in the wall large enough