The Circular Study

ard to understand. He found it hard to understand himself, perhaps because he had never before seen

! What does this

triumphant. The gray parasol you have been good enough to send to my house is not mine, but I was in the room where you picked

hair up to Miss Butterworth's side and sat down. "You were there!"

ch more expense; but it would have involved me in less humiliation and possible publicity. Mr. Gryce, I never meant to be mixed up with another murder case. I have shown my aptitude for detective work and received, ere now, certain marks of your approval; but my head was not turned by them-at least I thought not-and I was tolerably sincere in my determination to keep to my own metier in future and not suffer myself to be allured by any inducements you might offer into the exercise of gifts which may have brought me praise in the past, but certainly have not brought me happiness. But the temptation came, not through you, or I

of a woman's presence, heard what the boy had to say of the well-dressed lady who had sent him into the drug-store with a message to the police, and drew the conclusion-I may admit it to you-that it was this woman who had wielded the assassin'

ent, regarded by a whole city full of people as the cause or motive of a terrible murder, especially when you have spent some time, as I have, in the study of crime and the pursuit of criminals. I own I don't enjoy the experience. But I have brought it on myself. If I had not been so curious-But it was not curiosity I felt. I will never own that I am subject to mere curiosity; it was the look on th

e half-dozen questions I long to ask have not yet left my lips, and

not a simple one, Mr. Gryce; it has complications-I recognized that at once, and that is why-but I won't waste another moment in apologies. You have a right to any little fact I may have picked up in my unfortunate visit, and there is one which I fai

iss Butterworth. What first dre

nstant the inner door of the vestibule burst open, and a young man appeared in the hall, carrying a young woman in his arms. He seemed to be in a state of intense excitement, and she in a dead faint; but before they had attracted the attention of the crowd, he had placed her on her feet, and, taking her on his arm, dragged her down the stoop and into the crowd of passers-by, among whom they presently disappeared. I, as you may believe, stood rooted to the ground in my astonishment, and not only endeavored to see in what

ther with a sharp remembrance of the wandering eye and drawn countenance of the young man whom I had seen stagger hence a moment before, with an almost fainting woman in his arms, drew me on in spite of my feminine instincts; and before I knew it, I was in the circular study and before the prostrate form of a seemingly dying man. He w

d you encounter him close

the most heart-rending tragedy, a greater accumulation of mortal passion struggling with the imperative necessity for restraint. The young girl whose blond head lay on his shoulder looked like a saint in the clutch of a demon. She had seen death, but he-But I prefer not to be

Didn't you encounter the butler? Haven't you some definite knowledge to

nd did not come into it during my presence there. Yet it was his cry that led me to the spot; or do you th

"Its call is very clear, and it seems strangely int

ovely Eva, maddening Eva

it 'Evelyn? P

carried out. It was an unpleasant experience, hearing this bird sh

mply stand over that man. You kn

ee of the cross. Naturally I would not stand stock s

d you do? You wen

ent to th

ed the i

and, but very carefully

efore you took it up: the square made by its base in the dust of t

sses and I not. I endeavored to set it down

t up at all? What w

king for clews. I moved several things. I was hunting for

ne of w

e young girl said as she slipped

you any such clew as that? Miss Butterw

oquent, but Miss Butterworth, with a

the way when they passed, nor cou

, madam? Did she

ehind!' I did not attach much importance to these words then, but when I came upon the dying man, so evidentl

worth? I am ready, as you see, fo

explaining this tragedy, I should have felt bound to have called the

nce in regard to the fact of two persons having left that house

e without my help. I sincerely wished to keep my name out of this inquiry. Yet I feel a decided reli

el

le false scents were being followed and delicate clews overlooked or discarded without proper attention. I

, ma

opinion of any one else as to my ability or discretion; but I should like to make you forget my last despicable failur

g man with the tell-tale face guilty of Mr. Adams's death. Well, it is very poss

ng man is I saw leaving

ld. You are the first to

girl with the

st I have hear

rose leaves that were

e probably wore a b

, though I did lose a good, stout,

; I have no

the time during which the gentlemen conversed together, p

tain

evil, for she was smoothing h

am, I fol

arried out of th

ha

n Mr. Adams's breast. That w

a layman's breast was a mystery to me, and is still, I must

y mysteries in thi

mber as I ever

e to a

oth

rns the o

you did n

m in the room whe

here,

m, and not being able to rouse any one below, I crept upstairs, and so came upon this poor wre

very. I imagine you did

ed one as yet unsolved enigma with me. How came I to hear this man's cries in Mr. Adams's study, and yet find him on t

ur ears played you false. The cries came

to play me tricks. You mus

the house; there a

study does not com

d his voice i

ain

ve given me a

If, on the contrary, he was simply the witness of another man's blow-a blow which horrified him so much that it unseated his reason-how comes it that he was a

d, or, rather, may have been such b

Mr. Adams fell where he was struck, the assailant must have had that door d

state of mind. The condition in which they issued from the house proves this. They probably did

city of ours with no other clew than five spangles, dropped from her

, with no other aid than is given by this parasol. New York is a big place, ma'am, a big place. Do you know how Sweetwater came to find you? Through your virtues, ma'am; through your neat and methodical habits. Had you been of a careless turn of mind and not given to mending your dresses when yo

of the skilfulness of this new pupil of yours. You will discover by some means the lady

gies to work in that direction.

may hav

ou

unsolved mystery was ever before me. Thoughts would come; possibilities would

-called secrets do you know? You

with a red light

he buttons arranged

sely feminine, sir, in all my instincts, and mechanisms of any kind alarm me. To all such things I give a wide

ht another light upon the scene, you might have been blessed with an idea

the one topic, we may both feel like turning on the fresh lights you speak of. Mr. Gryce, on what does thi

ll, it is a good point to start from. B

w that any importance might be attached to a morsel

for a known clew, but for an unknown one. It seemed necessary in the first place to learn who this man was. His paper

on? You had his pockets

ways searched, madam. I leave no stone

not escape Mr. Gryce's eye, though that member was fixed, according to his old habit,

an the surprise or anguish following a mortal blow? A look of determination, arguing some superhuman resolve taken at the moment of death,

s not a common one. But I

hat you said? Sweetwater has not been admitted to the room of death? Well, well, I shall have to make my own suggestion, then. I shall have to part with an idea that may be totally

into his ear which made him start and regard her wi

idea, whether valueless or not, is one which is worthy of the acute lady who proffers it. We w

her bow, he l