The Silent House

wonder is scarcely marvelled at the same number of minutes. Yet in certain cases episodes of a mysterious or unexpected nature

aordinary circumstances of the case became known, much curiosity was manifested regard

ctim; so here the authorities were confronted with a three-fold problem. They had first to discover the name of the dead man; second, to learn

that the deceased had been violently done to death by some person or persons unknown, the twelve good men and true stated the full extent of knowledge gained by Justice in her futile scramble after clues. Berwin-so called-was dead, h

deceased sitting over the fire at eight o'clock on Christmas Eve, and that he had then been fairly well, though far from enjoying the best of health. When she returned, shortly after nine, on Christmas morning, the man was dead and cold. Medical aid was called in

he had entered the house. The doors were all locked, the windows were all barred, and neither at the back nor in

e had passed in from their Christmas marketings, yet no stranger had entered. The policeman knew every one, even to the errand-boys of the neighbourhood, who brought parcels of Christmas goods,

t of No. 13, and had tried every door, also including that of No. 13, only to find that all was safe. Blinders declared on oath that he had

ely to throw light on the identity of the victim, but in vain. No letters or telegrams, or even writing of any kind

any terms, he had not insisted upon having them. The deceased, said the landlord, had paid a month's rent in advance in ready money, and at the end of every month he had discharged

ad ordered the furniture, and had paid for it in gold. Altogether, in spite of every effort, the police were obliged to declare themselves beaten. Th

ich showed that Berwin certainly had some enemy whom he dreaded, there

he obtainable evidence went, was an end to the strange tenant of the Silent House. Gord

's past," said he to the barrister. "We are as ignor

there is no cl

eapon with which the crime w

searched t

of the case are most mysterious. If we do not identify the dead we cannot hope to

were in the habit of entering the house, and Berwin knew as much; not only t

e follow you,

ies of flesh and blood. Therefore, two people must have been in Berwin's sitting-room on that night; yet when I met Berwin who was absent at the time-he denied tha

h you

with an air of conviction, "however the ma

same way; but where that way can be, or ho

rd know of any s

ouses nowadays were not built with secret passages. When Berwin

eemed to b

d you he ha

ad. From the way he spoke and the language he used I am sa

ising his eyebrows. "Is not th

come to certain conclusions. Firstly, that Berwin was in hiding; secondly, that he saw people secretly who entered in some wa

the point whence we started," retorted L

he is, and what i

considering the meagre material upon which we have

vertis

rtise

ses. Advertise a full description of the man who called himself Berwin, note his physical pe

, as his professional pride was touched by the fact

"What you suggest has already been done. There are handbills descri

?" asked Lucian, nettled

is not n

your handbills. I don't pretend to advise, Mr. Link," he added in soothin

ink, too jealous of his di

astily. "You know your own business best. But if you

keenly at th

to know about the

se is so mysterious that I shoul

fied by this tribute to his pow

peculiarities of the deceased, with special mention of the loss of the left hand's little finger, and the strange cicatrice on the right cheek.

received a visit

more use than the handbills. Yesterday I received a letter from a lady who is coming to see me

ll things," said Lucian e

n, who write

dentify th

l she sees the body. Going by the description, however," added