The Crooked House

ange

Tranter!

le and noiseless steps, from the shadow of the adjoining house-a figure almost grotesque and monstrous in the dim light of the

nsieur Dupont?

ed circles with his cou

t, my friend, in the

placed the hat on his hea

ise," Tranter said, turning

reat a moment. It is three hours only since I arriv

nter exclaimed

d himself into the narr

ce," he claimed modestly. "In

id not accord with his expectations of the residence of an English Privy Councillor. Monsieur Dupont sat down on a well-w

ng picture of elephantine geniality. He was so large that his presence seemed to fill half the room. His great face was one tremendous smile. His eyes, though capable of a disconcerti

to London?" Tranter aske

. I have come to use the eyes the good God has given me. And to do so

u require will enable me to make some sor

ved his hands in a

n-it was a privilege for which I, myself, sh

name it," said th

ur Dupont's face. Without the smile i

y," his voice acquired a new sna

er echoed, surpri

I undertook to find the answer. From France the riddle took me far away to another country-and there, a

ter, smiling slightly at the hug

riend, can

service," the

an to reappear on his face in gradual creases. In a momen

ted the crime to be serious. It is a

me to do for you

, as your friend from Paris, to one or two society fu

somewhat t

to fulfill your wishes-you have really asked me a difficult thing. No man

again. "I had imagined I should b

. Where women are concerned I am utterly hopeless. I fly

Dupont, "is the real friend o

attend. However, let me see what can be done for you." Tranter rose, and with a

ed from one article of furniture to another, from the floor to the ceiling, from bookcase to bookcase, from picture to picture. The very plainness of the room s

ver," he said. "But I am afraid I have scarcely anything to offer

to-morrow night, then,

through the

attempts to become unfaithful to her husband, and now reads the Apocrypha all day for stimulation. You could dine with a high-church clergyman who absolves sins, or an actor

d Monsieu

y much more likely to provide answers to riddles. I never accept Copplestone's invitations on principle-although he goe

itude. Tranter replaced the ca

sums of money into the front of the house to gain unquestioned admission to the back. He has an extraordinary taste for fantasy, and is always startling his frie

acquaintances," said Monsieur

lace that no ordinary normal person could possibly live in. And I warn you that you will find nothing ordinary or

an nature," said Monsieur Dupont,

ociety widow, who wants to marry him because of his vices, and one or two other well-known people who owe him money and can't afford to refuse to di

ur Dupont declared, "I g

r me here at eight o'clock, and we wi

helped himself t