I keep the boards standing, just to let people know that the ground is to letthough, as I say, it wont be for another twenty years, when itll be for the erection of highclass mansions only, same as there is in Grosvenor Squareno shops or public houses, and none of your shanties. I live in this place just to keep an eye upon the propertyand as for the house over the way, Ive never tried to let it, and it never has been let, not until a month ago, when, one morning, I had this letter. You can see it if you like. She handed me a greasy envelope which she ferreted out of a capacious pocket which was suspended from her waist, and which she had to lift up her skirt to reach. The envelope was addressed, in unformed characters, Miss Louisa Coleman, The Rhododendrons, Convolvulus Avenue, High Oaks Park, West Kensington.I felt, if the writer had not been of a humorous turn of mind, and drawn on his imagination, and this really was the ladys correct address, then there must be something in a name. The letter within was written in the same straggling, characterless calligraphyI should have said, had I been asked offhand, that the whole thing was the composition of a servant girl. The composition was about on a par with the writing. The undersigned would be oblidged if Miss Coleman would let her emptey house. I do not know the rent but send fifty pounds. If more will send. Please address, Mohamed el Kheir, Post Office, Sligo Street, London. It struck me as being as singular an application for a tenancy as I remembered to have encountered. When I passed it on to Lessingham, he seemed to think so too. This is a curious letter, Miss Coleman. So I thoughtand still more so when I found the fifty pounds inside. There were five tenpound notes, all loose, and the letter not even registered. If I had been asked what was the rent of the house, I should have said, at the most, not more than twenty poundsbecause, between you and me, it wants a good bit of doing up, and is hardly fit to live in as it stands. I had had sufficient evidence of the truth of this altogether apart from the landladys frank admission. Why, for all he could have done to help himself I might have kept the money, and only sent him a receipt for a quarter. And some folks would have donebut Im not one of that sort myself, and shouldnt care to be. So I sent this here partyI never could pronounce his name, and never shalla receipt for a year. Miss Coleman paused to smooth her apron, and consider. Well, the receipt should have reached this here party on the Thursday morning, as it wereI posted it on the Wednesday night, and on the Thursday, after breakfast, I thought Id go over the way to see if there was any little thing I could dobecause there wasnt hardly a whole pane of glass in the placewhen I all but went all of a heap. When I looked across the road, blessed it the party wasnt in alreadyat least as much as he ever was in, which, so far as I can make out, never has been anything particularthough how he had got in, unless it was through a window in the middle of the night, is more than I should care to saythere was nobody in the house when I went to bed, that I could pretty nearly take my Bible oathyet there was the blind up at the parlour, and, whats more, it was down, and its been down pretty nearly ever since.  Well, I says to myself, for right down imperence this beats anythingwhy hes in the place before he knows if Ill let him have it. Perhaps he thinks I havent got a word to say in the matterfifty pounds or no fifty pounds, Ill soon show him. So I slips on my bonnet, and I walks over the road, and I hammers at the door. Well, I have seen people hammering since then, many a one, and how theyve kept it up has puzzled mefor an hour, some of thembut I was the first one as begun it. I hammers, and I hammers, and I kept on hammering, but it wasnt no more use than if Id been hammering at a tombstone. So I starts rapping at the window, but that wasnt no use neither. So I goes round behind, and I hammers at the back doorbut there, I couldnt make anyone hear nohow. So I says to myself, Perhaps the party as is in, aint in, in a manner of speaking; but Ill keep an eye on the house, and when he is in Ill take care that he aint out again before Ive had a word to say. So I come back home, and as I said I would, I kept an eye on the house the whole of that livelong day, but never a soul went either out or in. But the next day, which it was a Friday, I got out of bed about five oclock, to see if it was raining, through my having an idea of taking a little excursion if the weather was fine, when I see a party coming down the road. He had on one of them dirtycoloured bedcover sort of things, and it was wrapped all over his head and round his body, like, as I have been told, them there Arabs wearand, indeed, Ive seen them in them myself at West Brompton, when they was in the exhibition there. It was quite fine, and broad day, and I see him as plainly as I see youhe comes skimming along at a tear of a pace, pulls up at the house over the way, opens the front door, and lets himself in.  So, I says to myself, there you are. Well, Mr. Arab, or whatever, or whoever, you may be, Ill take good care that you dont go out again before youve had a word from me. Ill show you that landladies have their rights, like other Christians, in this country, however it may be in yours. So I kept an eye on the house, to see that he didnt go out again, and nobody never didnt, and between seven and eight I goes and I knocks at the doorbecause I thought to myself that the earlier I was the better it might be. If youll believe me, no more notice was taken of me than if I was one of the dead. I hammers, and I hammers, till my wrist was aching, I daresay I hammered twenty timesand then I went round to the back door, and I hammers at thatbut it wasnt the least good in the world. I was that provoked to think I should be treated as if I was nothing and nobody, by a dirty foreigner, who went about in a bedgown through the public streets, that it was all I could do to hold myself. I comes round to the front again, and I starts hammering at the window, with every knuckle on my hands, and I calls out, Im Miss Louisa Coleman, and Im the owner of this house, and you cant deceive meI saw you come in, and youre in now, and if you dont come and speak to me this moment Ill have the police. All of a sudden, when I was least expecting it, and was hammering my very hardest at the pane, up goes the blind, and up goes the window too, and the most awfullooking creature ever I heard of, not to mention seeing, puts his head right into my facehe was more like a hideous baboon than anything else, let alone a man. I was struck all of a heap, and plumps down on the little wall, and all but tumbles head over heels backwards, And he starts shrieking, in a sort of a kind of English, and in such a voice as Id never heard the likeit was like a rusty steam engine.  Go away! go away! I dont want you! I will not have younever! You have your fifty poundsyou have your moneythat is the whole of youthat is all you want! You come to me no more!never!never no more!or you be sorry!Go away! I did go away, and that as fast as ever my legs would carry mewhat with his looks, and what with his voice, and what with the way that he went on, I was nothing but a mass of trembling. As for answering him back, or giving him a piece of my mind, as I had meant to, I wouldnt have done it not for a thousand pounds. I dont mind confessing, between you and me, that I had to swallow four cups of tea, right straight away, before my nerves was steady.  Well, I says to myself, when I did feel, as it might be, a little more easy, you never have let that house before, and now youve let it with a vengeanceso you have. If that there new tenant of yours isnt the greatest villain that ever went unhung it must be because hes got near relations whats as bad as himselfbecause two families like his Im sure there cant be. A nice sort of Arab party to have sleeping over the road he is! But after a time I cools down, as it werebecause Im one of them sort as likes to see on both sides of a question. After all, I says to myself, he has paid his rent, and fifty pounds is fifty poundsI doubt if the whole house is worth much more, and he cant do much damage to it whatever he does. I shouldnt have minded, so far as that went, if hed set fire to the place, for, between ourselves, its insured for a good bit over its value. So I decided that Id let things be as they were, and see how they went on. But from that hour to this Ive never spoken to the man, and never wanted to, and wouldnt, not of my own free will, not for a shilling a timethat face of his will haunt me if I live till Noah, as the saying is. Ive seen him going in and out at all hours of the day and nightthat Arab partys a mystery if ever there was onehe always goes tearing along as if hes flying for his life. Lots of people have come to the house, all sorts and kinds, men and womentheyve been mostly women, and even little children. Ive seen them hammer and hammer at that front door, but never a one have I seen let inor yet seen taken any notice of, and I think I may say, and yet tell no lie, that Ive scarcely took my eye off the house since hes been inside it, over and over again in the middle of the night have I got up to have a look, so that Ive not missed much that has took place. Whats puzzled me is the noises thats come from the house. Sometimes for days together theres not been a sound, it might have been a house of the dead; and then, all through the night, thereve been yells and screeches, squawks and screamsI never heard nothing like it. I have thought, and more than once, that the devil himself must be in that front room, let alone all the rest of his demons. And as for cats!where theyve come from I cant think. I didnt use to notice hardly a cat in the neighbourhood till that there Arab party camethere isnt much to attract them; but since he came theres been regiments. Sometimes at night theres been troops about the place, screeching like madIve wished them farther, I can tell you. That Arab party must be fond of em. Ive seen them inside the house, at the windows, upstairs and downstairs, as it seemed to me, a dozen at a time. XL. What Miss Coleman Saw Through the Window As Miss Coleman had paused, as if her narrative was approaching a conclusion, I judged it expedient to make an attempt to bring the record as quickly as possible up to date. I take it, Miss Coleman, that you have observed what has occurred in the house today. She tightened her nutcracker jaws and glared at me disdainfullyher dignity was ruffled. Im coming to it, arent I?if youll let me. If youve got no manners Ill learn you some. One doesnt like to be hurried at my time of life, young man. I was meekly silent;plainly, if she was to talk, everyone else must listen. During the last few days there have been some queer goings on over the roadout of the common queer, I mean, for goodness knows that they always have been queer enough. That Arab party has been flitting about like a creature possessedIve seen him going in and out twenty times a day. This morning She pausedto fix her eyes on Lessingham. She apparently observed his growing interest as she approached the subject which had brought us thereand resented it. Dont look at me like that, young man, because I wont have it. And as for questions, I may answer questions when Im done, but dont you dare to ask me one before, because I wont be interrupted. Up to then Lessingham had not spoken a wordbut it seemed as if she was endowed with the faculty of perceiving the huge volume of the words which he had left unuttered. This morningas Ive said already she glanced at Lessingham as if she defied his contradictionwhen that Arab party came home it was just on the stroke of seven. I know what was the exact time because, when I went to the door to the milkman, my clock was striking the half hour, and I always keep it thirty minutes fast. As I was taking the milk, the man said to me, Hollo, Miss Coleman, heres your friend coming along. What friend? I saysfor I aint got no friends, as I know, round here, nor yet, I hope no enemies neither. And I looks round, and there was the Arab party coming tearing down the road, his bedcover thing all flying in the wind, and his arms straight out in front of himI never did see anyone go at such a pace. My goodness, I says, I wonder he dont do himself an injury. I wonder someone else dont do him an injury, says the milkman. The very sight of him is enough to make my milk go sour. And he picked up his pail and went away quite grumpythough what that Arab partys done to him is more than I can say.I have always noticed that milkmans tempers short like his measure. I wasnt best pleased with him for speaking of that Arab party as my friend, which he never has been, and never wont be, and never could be neither. Five persons went to the house after the milkman was gone, and that there Arab party was safe insidethree of them was commercials, that I know, because afterwards they came to me. But of course they none of them got no chance with that there Arab party except of hammering at his front door, which aint what you might call a paying game, nor nice for the temper but for that I dont blame him, for if once those commercials do begin talking theyll talk forever. Now Im coming to this afternoon. I thought it was about timethough for the life of me, I did not dare to hint as much. Well, it might have been three, or it might have been half past, anyhow it was thereabouts, when up there comes two men and a woman, which one of the men was that young man whats a friend of yours. Oh, I says to myself, heres something new in callers, I wonder what it is theyre wanting. That young man what was a friend of yours, he starts hammering, and hammering, as the custom was with everyone who came, and, as usual, no more notice was taken of him than nothingthough I knew that all the time the Arab party was indoors. At this point I felt that at all hazards I must interpose a question. You are sure he was indoors? She took it better than I feared she might. Of course Im surehadnt I seen him come in at seven, and he never hadnt gone out since, for I dont believe that Id taken my eyes off the place not for two minutes together, and Id never had a sight of him. If he wasnt indoors, where was he then? For the moment, so far as I was concerned, the query was unanswerable. She triumphantly continued Instead of doing what most did, when theyd had enough of hammering, and going away, these three they went round to the back, and Im blessed if they mustnt have got through the kitchen window, woman and all, for all of a sudden the blind in the front room was pulled not up, but downdragged down it was, and there was that young man whats a friend of yours standing with it in his hand.  Well, I says to myself, if that aint cool I should like to know what is. If, when you aint let in, you can let yourself in, and that without so much as saying by your leave, or with your leave, things is coming to a pretty pass. Wherever can that Arab party be, and whatever can he be thinking of, to let them go on like that because that hes the sort to allow a liberty to be took with him, and say nothing, I dont believe. Every moment I expects to hear a noise and see a row begin, but, so far as I could make out, all was quiet and there wasnt nothing of the kind. So I says to myself, Theres more in this than meets the eye, and them three parties must have right upon their side, or they wouldnt be doing what they are doing in the way they are, thered be a shindy. Presently, in about five minutes, the front door opens, and a young mannot the one whats your friend, but the othercomes sailing out, and through the gate, and down the road, as stiff and upright as a grenadierI never see anyone walk more upright, and few as fast. At his heels comes the young man what is your friend, and it seems to me that he couldnt make out what this other was adoing of. I says to myself, Theres been a quarrel between them two, and him as has gone has hooked it. This young man what is your friend he stood at the gate, all of a fidget, staring after the other with all his eyes, as if he couldnt think what to make of him, and the young woman, she stood on the doorstep, staring after him too. As the young man what had hooked it turned the corner, and was out of sight, all at once your friend he seemed to make up his mind, and he started off running as hard as he could peltand the young woman was left alone. I expected, every minute, to see him come back with the other young man, and the young woman, by the way she hung about the gate, she seemed to expect it too. But no, nothing of the kind. So when, as I expect, shed had enough of waiting, she went into the house again, and I see her pass the front room window. After a while, back she comes to the gate, and stands looking and looking, but nothing was to be seen of either of them young men. When shed been at the gate, I daresay five minutes, back she goes into the houseand I never saw nothing of her again. You never saw anything of her again?Are you sure she went back into the house? As sure as I am that I see you. I suppose that you didnt keep a constant watch upon the premises? But thats just what I did do. I felt something queer was going on, and I made up my mind to see it through. And when I make up my mind to a thing like that Im not easy to turn aside. I never moved off the chair at my bedroom window, and I never took my eyes off the house, not till you come knocking at my front door. But, since the young lady is certainly not in the house at present, she must have eluded your observation, and, in some manner, have left it without your seeing her. I dont believe she did, I dont see how she could have donetheres something queer about that house, since that Arab partys been inside it. But though I didnt see her, I did see someone else. Who was that? A young man. A young man? Yes, a young man, and thats what puzzled me, and whats been puzzling me ever since, for see him go in I never did do. Can you describe him? Not as to the face, for he wore a dirty cloth cap pulled down right over it, and he walked so quickly that I never had a proper look. But I should know him anywhere if I saw him, if only because of his clothes and his walk. What was there peculiar about his clothes and his walk? Why, his clothes were that old, and torn, and dirty, that a ragman wouldnt have given a thank you for themand as for fitthere wasnt none, they hung upon him like a scarecrowhe was a regular figure of fun; I should think the boys would call after him if they saw him in the street. As for his walk, he walked off just like the first young man had done, he strutted along with his shoulders back, and his head in the air, and that stiff and straight that my kitchen poker would have looked crooked beside of him. Did nothing happen to attract your attention between the young ladys going back into the house and the coming out of this young man? Miss Coleman cogitated. Now you mention it there didthough I should have forgotten all about it if you hadnt asked methat comes of your not letting me tell the tale in my own way. About twenty minutes after the young woman had gone in someone put up the blind in the front room, which that young man had dragged right down, I couldnt see who it was for the blind was between us, and it was about ten minutes after that that young man came marching out. And then what followed? Why, in about another ten minutes that Arab party himself comes scooting through the door. The Arab party? Yes, the Arab party! The sight of him took me clean aback. Where hed been, and what hed been doing with himself while them there people played hispyhi about his premises Id have given a shilling out of my pocket to have known, but there he was, as large as life, and carrying a bundle. A bundle? A bundle, on his head, like a muffinman carries his tray. It was a great thing, you never would have thought he could have carried it, and it was easy to see that it was as much as he could manage; it bent him nearly double, and he went crawling along like a snailit took him quite a time to get to the end of the road. Mr. Lessingham leaped up from his seat, crying, Marjorie was in that bundle! I doubt it, I said. He moved about the room distractedly, wringing his hands. She was! she must have been! God help us all! I repeat that I doubt it. If you will be advised by me you will wait awhile before you arrive at any such conclusion. All at once there was a tapping at the window pane. Atherton was staring at us from without. He shouted through the glass, Come out of that, you fossils!Ive news for you! XLI. The ConstableHis Clueand the Cab Miss Coleman, getting up in a fluster, went hurrying to the door. I wont have that young man in my house. I wont have him! Dont let him dare to put his nose across my doorstep. I endeavoured to appease her perturbation. I promise you that he shall not come in, Miss Coleman. My friend here, and I, will go and speak to him outside. She held the front door open just wide enough to enable Lessingham and me to slip through, then she shut it after us with a bang. She evidently had a strong objection to any intrusion on Sydneys part. Standing just without the gate he saluted us with a characteristic vigour which was scarcely flattering to our late hostess. Behind him was a constable. I hope you two have been mewed in with that old pussy long enough. While youve been tittletattling Ive been doinglisten to what this bobbys got to say. The constable, his thumbs thrust inside his belt, wore an indulgent smile upon his countenance. He seemed to find Sydney amusing. He spoke in a deep bass voiceas if it issued from his boots. I dont know that Ive got anything to say. It was plain that Sydney thought otherwise. You wait till Ive given this pretty pair of gossips a lead, officer, then Ill trot you out. He turned to us. After Id poked my nose into every dashed hole in that infernal den, and been rewarded with nothing but a pain in the back for my trouble, I stood cooling my heels on the doorstep, wondering if I should fight the cabman, or get him to fight me, just to pass the time awayfor he says he can box, and he looks itwhen who should come strolling along but this magnificent example of the metropolitan constabulary. He waved his hand towards the policeman, whose grin grew wider. I looked at him, and he looked at me, and then when wed had enough of admiring each others fine features and striking proportions, he said to me, Has he gone? I said, Who?Baxter?or Bob Brown? He said, No, the Arab. I said, What do you know about any Arab? He said, Well, I saw him in the Broadway about threequarters of an hour ago, and then, seeing you here, and the house all open, I wondered if he had gone for good. With that I almost jumped out of my skin, though you can bet your life I never showed it. I said, How do you know it was he? He said, It was him right enough, theres no doubt about that. If youve seen him once, youre not likely to forget him. Where was he going? He was talking to a cabmanfourwheeler. Hed got a great bundle on his headwanted to take it inside with him. Cabman didnt seem to see it. That was enough for meI picked this most deserving officer up in my arms, and carried him across the road to you two fellows like a flash of lightning. Since the policeman was six feet three or four, and more than sufficiently broad in proportion, his scarcely seemed the kind of figure to be picked up in anybodys arms and carried like a flash of lightning, whichas his smile grew more indulgent, he himself appeared to think. Still, even allowing for Athertons exaggeration, the news which he had brought was sufficiently important. I questioned the constable upon my own account. There is my card, officer, probably, before the day is over, a charge of a very serious character will be preferred against the person who has been residing in the house over the way. In the meantime it is of the utmost importance that a watch should be kept upon his movements. I suppose you have no sort of doubt that the person you saw in the Broadway was the one in question? Not a morsel. I know him as well as I do my own brotherwe all do upon this beat. Hes known amongst us as the Arab. Ive had my eye on him ever since he came to the place. A queer fish he is. I always have said that hes up to some game or other. I never came across one like him for flying about in all sorts of weather, at all hours of the night, always tearing along as if for his life. As I was telling this gentleman I saw him in the Broadwaywell, now its about an hour since, perhaps a little more. I was coming on duty when I saw a crowd in front of the District Railway Stationand there was the Arab, having a sort of argument with the cabman. He had a great bundle on his head, five or six feet long, perhaps longer. He wanted to take this great bundle with him into the cab, and the cabman, he didnt see it. You didnt wait to see him drive off. NoI hadnt time. I was due at the stationI was cutting it pretty fine as it was. You didnt speak to himor to the cabman? No, it wasnt any business of mine you understand. The whole thing just caught my eye as I was passing. And you didnt take the cabmans number? No, well, as far as that goes it wasnt needful. I know the cabman, his name and all about him, his stables in Bradmore. I whipped out my notebook. Give me his address. I dont know what his Christian name is, Tom, I believe, but Im not sure. Anyhow his surnames Ellis and his address is Church Mews, St. Johns Road, BradmoreI dont know his number, but anyone will tell you which is his place, if you ask for FourWheel Ellisthats the name hes known by among his pals because of his driving a fourwheeler. Thank you, officer. I am obliged to you. Two halfcrowns changed hands. If you will keep an eye on the house and advise me at the address which you will find on my card, of anything which takes place there during the next few days, you will do me a service. We had clambered back into the hansom, the driver was just about to start, when the constable was struck by a sudden thought. One moment, sirblessed if I wasnt going to forget the most important bit of all. I did hear him tell Ellis where to drive him tohe kept saying it over and over again, in that queer lingo of his. Waterloo Railway Station, Waterloo Railway Station. All right, said Ellis, Ill drive you to Waterloo Railway Station right enough, only Im not going to have that bundle of yours inside my cab. There isnt room for it, so you put it on the roof. To Waterloo Railway Station, said the Arab, I take my bundle with me to Waterloo Railway StationI take it with me. Who says you dont take it with you? said Ellis. You can take it, and twenty more besides, for all I care, only you dont take it inside my cabput it on the roof. I take it with me to Waterloo Railway Station, said the Arab, and there they were, wrangling and jangling, and neither seeming to be able to make out what the other was after, and the people all laughing. Waterloo Railway Stationyou are sure that was what he said? Ill take my oath to it, because I said to myself, when I heard it, I wonder what youll have to pay for that little lot, for the District Railway Stations outside the fourmile radius.  As we drove off I was inclined to ask myself, a little bitterlyand perhaps unjustlyif it were not characteristic of the average London policeman to almost forget the most important part of his informationat any rate to leave it to the last and only to bring it to the front on having his palm crossed with silver. As the hansom bowled along we three had what occasionally approached a warm discussion. Marjorie was in that bundle, began Lessingham, in the most lugubrious of tones, and with the most woebegone of faces. I doubt it, I observed. She wasI feel itI know it. She was either dead and mutilated, or gagged and drugged and helpless. All that remains is vengeance. I repeat that I doubt it. Atherton struck in. I am bound to say, with the best will in the world to think otherwise, that I agree with Lessingham. You are wrong. Its all very well for you to talk in that cocksure way, but its easier for you to say Im wrong than to prove it. If I am wrong, and if Lessinghams wrong, how do you explain his extraordinary insistance on taking it inside the cab with him, which the bobby describes? If there wasnt something horrible, awful in that bundle of his, of which he feared the discovery, why was he so reluctant to have it placed upon the roof? There probably was something in it which he was particularly anxious should not be discovered, but I doubt if it was anything of the kind which you suggest. Here is Marjorie in a house alonenothing has been seen of her sinceher clothing, her hair, is found hidden away under the floor. This scoundrel sallies forth with a huge bundle on his headthe bobby speaks of it being five or six feet long, or longera bundle which he regards with so much solicitude that he insists on never allowing it to go, for a single instant, out of his sight and reach. What is in the thing? dont all the facts most unfortunately point in one direction? Mr. Lessingham covered his face with his hands, and groaned. I fear that Mr. Atherton is right. I differ from you both. Sydney at once became heated. Then perhaps you can tell us what was in the bundle? I fancy I could make a guess at the contents. Oh you could, could you, then, perhaps, for our sakes, youll make itand not play the oracular owl!Lessingham and I are interested in this business, after all. It contained the bearers personal property that, and nothing more. Stay! before you jeer at me, suffer me to finish. If I am not mistaken as to the identity of the person whom the constable describes as the Arab, I apprehend that the contents of that bundle were of much more importance to him than if they had consisted of Miss Lindon, either dead or living. More. I am inclined to suspect that if the bundle was placed on the roof of the cab, and if the driver did meddle with it, and did find out the contents, and understand them, he would have been driven, out of hand, stark staring mad. Sydney was silent, as if he reflected. I imagine he perceived there was something in what I said. But what has become of Miss Lindon? I fancy that Miss Lindon, at this moment, issomewhere; I dont, just now, know exactly where, but I hope very shortly to be able to give you a clearer notionattired in a rotten, dirty pair of boots; a filthy, tattered pair of trousers; a ragged, unwashed apology for a shirt; a greasy, ancient, shapeless coat; and a frowsy peaked cloth cap. They stared at me, openedeyed. Atherton was the first to speak. What on earth do you mean? I mean that it seems to me that the facts point in the direction of my conclusions rather than yoursand that very strongly too. Miss Coleman asserts that she saw Miss London return into the house; that within a few minutes the blind was replaced at the front window; and that shortly after a young man, attired in the costume I have described, came walking out of the front door. I believe that young man was Miss Marjorie Lindon. Lessingham and Atherton both broke out into interrogations, with Sydney, as usual, loudest. Butman alive! what on earth should make her do a thing like that? Marjorie, the most retiring, modest girl on all Gods earth, walk about in broad daylight, in such a costume, and for no reason at all! my dear Champnell, you are suggesting that she first of all went mad. She was in a state of trance. Good God!Champnell! Well? Then you think thatjuggling villain did get hold of her? Undoubtedly.


Here is my view of the case, mind it is only a hypothesis and you must take it for what it is worth. It seems to me quite clear that the Arab, as we will call the person for the sake of identification, was somewhere about the premises when you thought he wasnt. Butwhere? We looked upstairs, and downstairs, and everywherewhere could he have been? That, as at present advised, I am not prepared to say, but I think you may take it for granted that he was there. He hypnotised the man Holt, and sent him away, intending you to go after him, and so being rid of you both The deuce he did, Champnell! You write me down an ass! As soon as the coast was clear he discovered himself to Miss Lindon, who, I expect, was disagreeably surprised, and hypnotised her. The hound! The devil! The first exclamation was Lessinghams, the second Sydneys. He then constrained her to strip herself to the skin The wretch! The fiend! He cut off her hair; he hid it and her clothes under the floor where we found themwhere I think it probable that he had already some ancient masculine garments concealed By Jove! I shouldnt be surprised if they were Holts. I remember the man saying that that nice joker stripped him of his dudsand certainly when I saw himand when Marjorie found him!he had absolutely nothing on but a queer sort of cloak. Can it be possible that that humorous professor of hankeypankeymay all the maledictions of the accursed alight upon his head!can have sent Marjorie Lindon, the daintiest damsel in the land!into the streets of London rigged out in Holts old togs! As to that, I am not able to give an authoritative opinion, but, if I understand you aright, it at least is possible. Anyhow I am disposed to think that he sent Miss Lindon after the man Holt, taking it for granted that he had eluded you. Thats it. Write me down an ass again! That he did elude you, you have yourself admitted. Thats because I stopped talking with that muttonheaded bobbyId have followed the man to the ends of the earth if it hadnt been for that. Precisely; the reason is immaterial, it is the fact with which we are immediately concerned. He did elude you. And I think you will find that Miss Lindon and Mr. Holt are together at this moment. In mens clothing? Both in mens clothing, or, rather, Miss Lindon is in a mans rags. Great Potiphar! To think of Marjorie like that! And where they are, the Arab is not very far off either. Lessingham caught me by the arm. And what diabolical mischief do you imagine that he proposes to do to her? I shirked the question. Whatever it is, it is our business to prevent his doing it. And where do you think they have been taken? That it will be our immediate business to endeavour to discoverand here, at any rate, we are at Waterloo. XLII. The Quarry Doubles I turned towards the bookingoffice on the main departure platform. As I went, the chief platform inspector, George Bellingham, with whom I had some acquaintance, came out of his office. I stopped him. Mr. Bellingham, will you be so good as to step with me to the bookingoffice, and instruct the clerk in charge to answer one or two questions which I wish to put to him. I will explain to you afterwards what is their exact import, but you know me sufficiently to be able to believe me when I say that they refer to a matter in which every moment is of the first importance. He turned and accompanied us into the interior of the bookingcase. To which of the clerks, Mr. Champnell, do you wish to put your questions? To the one who issues thirdclass tickets to Southampton. Bellingham beckoned to a man who was counting a heap of money, and apparently seeking to make it tally with the entries in a huge ledger which lay open before himhe was a short, slightlybuilt young fellow, with a pleasant face and smiling eyes. Mr. Stone, this gentleman wishes to ask you one or two questions. I am at his service. I put my questions. I want to know, Mr. Stone, if, in the course of the day, you have issued any tickets to a person dressed in Arab costume? His reply was prompt. I haveby the last train, the 725three singles. Three singles! Then my instinct had told me rightly. Can you describe the person? Mr. Stones eyes twinkled. I dont know that I can, except in a general wayhe was uncommonly old and uncommonly ugly, and he had a pair of the most extraordinary eyes I ever sawthey gave me a sort of alloverish feeling when I saw them glaring at me through the pigeon hole. But I can tell you one thing about him, he had a great bundle on his head, which he steadied with one hand, and as it bulged out in all directions its presence didnt make him popular with other people who wanted tickets too. Undoubtedly this was our man. You are sure he asked for three tickets? Certain. He said three tickets to Southampton; laid down the exact farenineteen and sixand held up three fingerslike that. Three nasty looking fingers they were, with nails as long as talons. You didnt see who were his companions? I didntI didnt try to look. I gave him his tickets and off he wentwith the people grumbling at him because that bundle of his kept getting in their way. Bellingham touched me on the arm. I can tell you about the Arab of whom Mr. Stone speaks. My attention was called to him by his insisting on taking his bundle with him into the carriageit was an enormous thing, he could hardly squeeze it through the door; it occupied the entire seat. But as there werent as many passengers as usual, and he wouldnt or couldnt be made to understand that his precious bundle would be safe in the luggage van along with the rest of the luggage, and as he wasnt the sort of person you could argue with to any advantage, I had him put into an empty compartment, bundle and all. Was he alone then? I thought so at the time, he said nothing about having more than one ticket, or any companions, but just before the train started two other menEnglish mengot into his compartment; and as I came down the platform, the ticket inspector at the barrier informed me that these two men were with him, because he held tickets for the three, which, as he was a foreigner, and they seemed English, struck the inspector as odd. Could you describe the two men? I couldnt, not particularly, but the man who had charge of the barrier might. I was at the other end of the train when they got in. All I noticed was that one seemed to be a commonplace looking individual and that the other was dressed like a tramp, all rags and tatters, a disreputable looking object he appeared to be. That, I said to myself, was Miss Marjorie Lindon, the lovely daughter of a famous house; the wifeelect of a coming statesman. To Bellingham I remarked aloud I want you to strain a point, Mr. Bellingham, and to do me a service which I assure you you shall never have any cause to regret. I want you to wire instructions down the line to detain this Arab and his companions and to keep them in custody until the receipt of further instructions. They are not wanted by the police as yet, but they will be as soon as I am able to give certain information to the authorities at Scotland Yardand wanted very badly. But, as you will perceive for yourself, until I am able to give that information every moment is important.Wheres the Station Superintendent? Hes gone. At present Im in charge. Then will you do this for me? I repeat that you shall never have any reason to regret it. I will if youll accept all responsibility. Ill do that with the greatest pleasure. Bellingham looked at his watch. Its about twenty minutes to nine. The trains scheduled for Basingstoke at 906. If we wire to Basingstoke at once they ought to be ready for them when they come. Good! The wire was sent. We were shown into Bellinghams office to await results Lessingham paced agitatedly to and fro; he seemed to have reached the limits of his selfcontrol, and to be in a condition in which movement of some sort was an absolute necessity. The mercurial Sydney, on the contrary, leaned back in a chair, his legs stretched out in front of him, his hands thrust deep into his trouser pockets, and stared at Lessingham, as if he found relief to his feelings in watching his companions restlessness. I, for my part, drew up as full a prcis of the case as I deemed advisable, and as time permitted, which I despatched by one of the companys police to Scotland Yard. Then I turned to my associates. Now, gentlemen, its past dinner time. We may have a journey in front of us. If you take my advice youll have something to eat. Lessingham shook his head. I want nothing. Nor I, echoed Sydney. I started up. You must pardon my saying nonsense, but surely you of all men, Mr. Lessingham, should be aware that you will not improve the situation by rendering yourself incapable of seeing it through. Come and dine. I haled them off with me, willy nilly, to the refreshment room. I dinedafter a fashion; Mr. Lessingham swallowed with difficulty, a plate of soup; Sydney nibbled at a plate of the most unpromising looking chicken and ham,he proved, indeed, more intractable than Lessingham, and was not to be persuaded to tackle anything easier of digestion. I was just about to take cheese after chop when Bellingham came hastening in, in his hand an open telegram. The birds have flown, he cried. Flown!How? In reply he gave me the telegram. I glanced at it. It ran Persons described not in the train. Guard says they got out at Vauxhall. Have wired Vauxhall to advise you. Thats a levelheaded chap, said Bellingham. The man who sent that telegram. His wiring to Vauxhall should save us a lot of timewe ought to hear from there directly. Hollo! whats this? I shouldnt be surprised if this is it. As he spoke a porter enteredhe handed an envelope to Bellingham. We all three kept our eyes fixed on the inspectors face as he opened it. When he perceived the contents he gave an exclamation of surprise. This Arab of yours, and his two friends, seem rather a curious lot, Mr. Champnell. He passed the paper on to me. It took the form of a report. Lessingham and Sydney, regardless of forms and ceremonies, leaned over my shoulder as I read it. Passengers by 730 Southampton, on arrival of train, complained of noises coming from a compartment in coach 8964. Stated that there had been shrieks and yells ever since the train left Waterloo, as if someone was being murdered. An Arab and two Englishmen got out of the compartment in question, apparently the party referred to in wire just to hand from Basingstoke. All three declared that there was nothing the matter. That they had been shouting for fun. Arab gave up three third singles for Southampton, saying, in reply to questions, that they had changed their minds, and did not want to go any farther. As there were no signs of a struggle or of violence, nor, apparently, any definite cause for detention, they were allowed to pass. They took a fourwheeler, No. 09435. The Arab and one man went inside, and the other man on the box. They asked to be driven to Commercial Road, Limehouse. The cab has since returned. Driver says he put the three men down, at their request, in Commercial Road, at the corner of Sutcliffe Street, near the East India Docks. They walked up Sutcliffe Street, the Englishmen in front, and the Arab behind, took the first turning to the right, and after that he saw nothing of them. The driver further states that all the way the Englishman inside, who was so ragged and dirty that he was reluctant to carry him, kept up a sort of wailing noise which so attracted his attention that he twice got off his box to see what was the matter, and each time he said it was nothing. The cabman is of opinion that both the Englishmen were of weak intellect. We were of the same impression here. They said nothing, except at the seeming instigation of the Arab, but when spoken to stared and gaped like lunatics. It may be mentioned that the Arab had with him an enormous bundle, which he persisted, in spite of all remonstrances, on taking with him inside the cab. As soon as I had mastered the contents of the report, and perceived what I believed to beunknown to the writer himselfits hideous inner meaning, I turned to Bellingham. With your permission, Mr. Bellingham, I will keep this communicationit will be safe in my hands, you will be able to get a copy, and it may be necessary that I should have the original to show to the police. If any inquiries are made for me from Scotland Yard, tell them that I have gone to the Commercial Road, and that I will report my movements from Limehouse Police Station. In another minute we were once more traversing the streets of Londonthree in a hansom cab. XLIII. The Murder at Mrs. Endersons It is something of a drive from Waterloo to Limehouseit seems longer when all your nerves are tingling with anxiety to reach your journeys end; and the cab I had hit upon proved to be not the fastest I might have chosen. For some time after our start, we were silent. Each was occupied with his own thoughts. Then Lessingham, who was sitting at my side, said to me, Mr. Champnell, you have that report. I have. Will you let me see it once more? I gave it to him. He read it once, twiceand I fancy yet again. I purposely avoided looking at him as he did so. Yet all the while I was conscious of his pallid cheeks, the twitched muscles of his mouth, the feverish glitter of his eyesthis Leader of Men, whose predominate characteristic in the House of Commons was immobility, was rapidly approximating to the condition of a hysterical woman. The mental strain which he had been recently undergoing was proving too much for his physical strength. This disappearance of the woman he loved bade fair to be the final straw. I felt convinced that unless something was done quickly to relieve the strain upon his mind he was nearer to a state of complete mental and moral collapse than he himself imagined. Had he been under my orders I should have commanded him to at once return home, and not to think; but conscious that, as things were, such a direction would be simply futile, I decided to do something else instead. Feeling that suspense was for him the worst possible form of suffering I resolved to explain, so far as I was able, precisely what it was I feared, and how I proposed to prevent it. Presently there came the question for which I had been waiting, in a harsh, broken voice which no one who had heard him speak on a public platform, or in the House of Commons, would have recognised as his. Mr. Champnellwho do you think this person is of whom the report from Vauxhall Station speaks as being all in rags and tatters? He knew perfectly wellbut I understood the mental attitude which induced him to prefer that the information should seem to come from me. I hope that it will prove to be Miss Lindon. Hope! He gave a sort of gasp. Yes, hopebecause if it is I think it possible, nay probable, that within a few hours you will have her again enfolded in your arms. Pray God that it may be so! pray God!pray the good God! I did not dare to look round for, from the tremor which was in his tone, I was persuaded that in the speakers eyes were tears. Atherton continued silent. He was leaning half out of the cab, staring straight ahead, as if he saw in front a young girls face, from which he could not remove his glance, and which beckoned him on. After a while Lessingham spoke again, as if half to himself and half to me. This mention of the shrieks on the railway, and of the wailing noise in the cabwhat must this wretch have done to her? How my darling must have suffered! That was a theme on which I myself scarcely ventured to allow my thoughts to rest. The notion of a gentlynurtured girl being at the mercy of that fiend incarnate, possessedas I believed that socalled Arab to be possessedof all the paraphernalia of horror and of dread, was one which caused me tangible shrinkings of the body. Whence had come those shrieks and yells, of which the writer of the report spoke, which had caused the Arabs fellowpassengers to think that murder was being done? What unimaginable agony had caused them? what speechless torture? And the wailing noise, which had induced the prosaic, indurated London cabman to get twice off his box to see what was the matter, what anguish had been provocative of that? The helpless girl who had already endured so much, endured, perhaps, that to which death would have been preferred!shut up in that rattling, jolting box on wheels, alone with that diabolical Asiatic, with the enormous bundle, which was but the lurking place of nameless terrorswhat might she not, while being borne through the heart of civilised London, have been made to suffer? What had she not been made to suffer to have kept up that continued wailing noise? It was not a theme on which it was wise to permit ones thoughts to lingerand particularly was it clear that it was one from which Lessinghams thoughts should have been kept as far as possible away. Come, Mr. Lessingham, neither you nor I will do himself any good by permitting his reflections to flow in a morbid channel. Let us talk of something else. By the way, werent you due to speak in the House tonight? Due!Yes, I was duebut what does it matter? But have you acquainted no one with the cause of your nonattendance? Acquaint!whom should I acquaint? My good sir! Listen to me, Mr. Lessingham. Let me entreat you very earnestly, to follow my advice. Call another cabor take this! and go at once to the House. It is not too late. Play the man, deliver the speech you have undertaken to deliver, perform your political duties. By coming with me you will be a hindrance rather than a help, and you may do your reputation an injury from which it never may recover. Do as I counsel you, and I will undertake to do my very utmost to let you have good news by the time your speech is finished. He turned on me with a bitterness for which I was unprepared. If I were to go down to the House, and try to speak in the state in which I am now, they would laugh at me, I should be ruined. Do you not run an equally great risk of being ruined by staying away? He gripped me by the arm. Mr. Champnell, do you know that I am on the verge of madness? Do you know that as I am sitting here by your side I am living in a dual world? I am going on and on to catch thatthat fiend, and I am back again in that Egyptian den, upon that couch of rugs, with the Woman of the Songs beside me, and Marjorie is being torn and tortured, and burnt before my eyes! God help me! Her shrieks are ringing in my ears! He did not speak loudly, but his voice was none the less impressive on that account. I endeavoured my hardest to be stern. I confess that you disappoint me, Mr. Lessingham. I have always understood that you were a man of unusual strength; you appear instead, to be a man of extraordinary weakness; with an imagination so illgoverned that its ebullitions remind me of nothing so much as feminine hysterics. Your wild language is not warranted by circumstances. I repeat that I think it quite possible that by tomorrow morning she will be returned to you. Yesbut how? as the Marjorie I have known, as I saw her lastor how? That was the question which I had already asked myself, in what condition would she be when we had succeeded in snatching her from her captors grip? It was a question to which I had refused to supply an answer. To him I lied by implication. Let us hope that, with the exception of being a trifle scared, she will be as sound and hale and hearty as even in her life. Do you yourself believe that shell be like thatuntouched, unchanged, unstained? Then I lied right outit seemed to me necessary to calm his growing excitement. I do. You dont! Mr. Lessingham! Do you think that I cant see your face and read in it the same thoughts which trouble me? As a man of honour do you care to deny that when Marjorie Lindon is restored to meif she ever is!you fear she will be but the mere soiled husk of the Marjorie whom I knew and loved? Even supposing that there may be a modicum of truth in what you saywhich I am far from being disposed to admitwhat good purpose do you propose to serve by talking in such a strain? Noneno good purposeunless it be the desire of looking the truth in the face. For, Mr. Champnell, you must not seek to play with me the hypocrite, nor try to hide things from me as if I were a child. If my life is ruinedit is ruinedlet me know it, and look the knowledge in the face. That, to me, is to play the man. I was silent. The wild tale he had told me of that Cairene inferno, oddly enoughyet why oddly, for the world is all coincidence!had thrown a flood of light on certain events which had happened some three years previously and which ever since had remained shrouded in mystery. The conduct of the business afterwards came into my handsand briefly, what had occurred was this Three personstwo sisters and their brother, who was younger than themselves, members of a decent English family, were going on a trip round the world. They were young, adventurous, andnot to put too fine a point on itfoolhardy. The evening after their arrival in Cairo, by way of what is called a lark, in spite of the protestations of people who were better informed than themselves, they insisted on going, alone, for a ramble through the native quarter. They wentbut they never returned. Or, rather the two girls never returned. After an interval the young man was found againwhat was left of him. A fuss was made when there were no signs of their reappearance, but as there were no relations, nor even friends of theirs, but only casual acquaintances on board the ship by which they had travelled, perhaps not so great a fuss as might have been was made. Anyhow, nothing was discovered. Their widowed mother, alone in England, wondering how it was that beyond the receipt of a brief wire, acquainting her with their arrival at Cairo, she had heard nothing further of their wanderings, placed herself in communication with the diplomatic people over thereto learn that, to all appearances, her three children had vanished from off the face of the earth. Then a fuss was madewith a vengeance. So far as one can judge the whole town and neighbourhood was turned pretty well upside down. But nothing came of itso far as any results were concerned, the authorities might just as well have left the mystery of their vanishment alone. It continued where it was in spite of them. However, some three months afterwards a youth was brought to the British Embassy by a party of friendly Arabs who asserted that they had found him naked and nearly dying in some remote spot in the Wady Haifa desert. It was the brother of the two lost girls. He was as nearly dying as he very well could be without being actually dead when they brought him to the Embassyand in a state of indescribable mutilation. He seemed to rally for a time under careful treatment, but he never again uttered a coherent word. It was only from his delirious ravings that any idea was formed of what had really occurred. Shorthand notes were taken of some of the utterances of his delirium. Afterwards they were submitted to me. I remembered the substance of them quite well, and when Mr. Lessingham began to tell me of his own hideous experiences they came back to me more clearly still. Had I laid those notes before him I have little doubt but that he would have immediately perceived that seventeen years after the adventure which had left such an indelible scar upon his own life, this youthhe was little more than a boyhad seen the things which he had seen, and suffered the nameless agonies and degradations which he had suffered. The young man was perpetually raving about some indescribable den of horror which was own brother to Lessinghams temple and about some female monster, whom he regarded with such fear and horror that every allusion he made to her was followed by a convulsive paroxysm which taxed all the ingenuity of his medical attendants to bring him out of. He frequently called upon his sisters by name, speaking of them in a manner which inevitably suggested that he had been an unwilling and helpless witness of hideous tortures which they had undergone; and then he would rise in bed, screaming, Theyre burning them! theyre burning them! Devils! devils! And at those times it required all the strength of those who were in attendance to restrain his maddened frenzy. The youth died in one of these fits of great preternatural excitement, without, as I have previously written, having given utterance to one single coherent word, and by some of those who were best able to judge it was held to have been a mercy that he did die without having been restored to consciousness. And, presently, tales began to be whispered, about some idolatrous sect, which was stated to have its headquarters somewhere in the interior of the countrysome located it in this neighbourhood, and some in thatwhich was stated to still practise, and to always have practised, in unbroken historical continuity, the debased, unclean, mystic, and bloody rites, of a form of idolatry which had had its birth in a period of the worlds story which was so remote, that to all intents and purposes it might be described as prehistoric. While the ferment was still at its height, a man came to the British Embassy who said that he was a member of a tribe which had its habitat on the banks of the White Nile. He asserted that he was in association with this very idolatrous sectthough he denied that he was one of the actual sectaries. He did admit, however, that he had assisted more than once at their orgies, and declared that it was their constant practice to offer young women as sacrificespreferably white Christian women, with a special preference, if they could get them, to young English women. He vowed that he himself had seen with his own eyes, English girls burnt alive. The description which he gave of what preceded and followed these foul murders appalled those who listened. He finally wound up by offering, on payment of a stipulated sum of money, to guide a troop of soldiers to this den of demons, so that they should arrive there at a moment when it was filled with worshippers, who were preparing to participate in an orgie which was to take place during the next few days. His offer was conditionally accepted. He was confined in an apartment with one man on guard inside and another on guard outside the room. That night the sentinel without was startled by hearing a great noise and frightful screams issuing from the chamber in which the native was interned. He summoned assistance. The door was opened. The soldier on guard within was stark, staring madhe died within a few months, a gibbering maniac to the end. The native was dead. The window, which was a very small one, was securely fastened inside and strongly barred without. There was nothing to show by what means entry had been gained. Yet it was the general opinion of those who saw the corpse that the man had been destroyed by some wild beast. A photograph was taken of the body after death, a copy of which is still in my possession. In it are distinctly shown lacerations about the neck and the lower portion of the abdomen, as if they had been produced by the claws of some huge and ferocious animal. The skull is splintered in halfadozen places, and the face is torn to rags. That was more than three years ago. The whole business has remained as great a mystery as ever. But my attention has once or twice been caught by trifling incidents, which have caused me to more than suspect that the wild tale told by that murdered native had in it at least the elements of truth; and which have even led me to wonder if the trade in kidnapping was not being carried on to this very hour, and if women of my own flesh and blood were not still being offered up on that infernal altar. And now, here was Paul Lessingham, a man of worldwide reputation, of great intellect, of undoubted honour, who had come to me with a wholly unconscious verification of all my worst suspicions! That the creature spoken of as an Araband who was probably no more an Arab than I was, and whose name was certainly not Mohamed el Kheir!was an emissary from that den of demons, I had no doubt. What was the exact purport of the creatures presence in England was another question, Possibly part of the intention was the destruction of Paul Lessingham, body, soul and spirit; possibly another part was the procuration of fresh victims for that longdrawnout holocaust. That this latter object explained the disappearance of Miss Lindon I felt persuaded. That she was designed by the personification of evil who was her captor, to suffer all the horrors at which the stories pointed, and then to be burned alive, amidst the triumphant yells of the attendant demons, I was certain. That the wretch, aware that the pursuit was in full cry, was tearing, twisting, doubling, and would stick at nothing which would facilitate the smuggling of the victim out of England, was clear. My interest in the quest was already far other than a merely professional one. The blood in my veins tingled at the thought of such a woman as Miss Lindon being in the power of such a monster. I may assuredly claim that throughout the whole business I was urged forward by no thought of fee or of reward. To have had a share in rescuing that unfortunate girl, and in the destruction of her noxious persecutor, would have been reward enough for me. One is not always, even in strictly professional matters, influenced by strictly professional instincts. The cab slowed. A voice descended through the trap door. This is Commercial Road, sirwhat part of it do you want? Drive me to Limehouse Police Station. We were driven there. I made my way to the usual inspector behind the usual pigeonhole. My name is Champnell. Have you received any communication from Scotland Yard tonight having reference to a matter in which I am interested? Do you mean about the Arab? We received a telephonic message about half an hour ago. Since communicating with Scotland Yard this has come to hand from the authorities at Vauxhall Station. Can you tell me if anything has been seen of the person in question by the men of your division? I handed the Inspector the report. His reply was laconic. I will inquire. He passed through a door into an inner room and the report went with him. Beg pardon, sir, but was that a Harab you was atalking about to the Hinspector? The speaker was a gentleman unmistakably of the guttersnipe class. He was seated on a form. Close at hand hovered a policeman whose special duty it seemed to be to keep an eye upon his movements. Why do you ask? I beg your pardon, sir, but I saw a Harab myself about a hour agoleastways he looked like as if he was a Harab. What sort of a looking person was he? I cant ardly tell you that, sir, because I didnt never have a proper look at himbut I know he had a bloomin great bundle on is ead.  It was like this, ere. I was comin round the corner, as he was passin, I never see im till I was right atop of im, so that I haccidentally run agin immy heye! didnt e give me a downer! I was down on the back of my ead in the middle of the road before I knew where I was and e was at the other end of the street. If e adnt knocked me moren arf silly Id been after im, sharpI tell you! and hasked im what e thought e was adoin of, but afore my senses was back agin e was out o sightclean! You are sure he had a bundle on his head? I noticed it most particular. How long ago do you say this was? and where? About a hour agoperhaps more, perhaps less. Was he alone? It seemed to me as if a cove was a follerin im, leastways there was a bloke as was akeepin close at is eelsthough I dont know what is little game was, Im sure. Ask the pleesmanhe knows, he knows everything the pleesman do. I turned to the pleesman.


Who is this man? The pleesman put his hands behind his back, and threw out his chest. His manner was distinctly affable. Wellhes being detained upon suspicion. Hes given us an address at which to make inquiries, and inquiries are being made. I shouldnt pay too much attention to what he says if I were you. I dont suppose hed be particular about a lie or two. This frank expression of opinion rearoused the indignation of the gentleman on the form. There you hare! at it again! Thats just like you peelersyoure all the same! What do you know about me?Nuffink! This genleman aint got no call to believe me, not as I knows onits all the same to me if e do or dont, but its trewth what Im sayin, all the same. At this point the Inspector reappeared at the pigeonhole. He cut short the flow of eloquence. Now then, not so much noise outside there! He addressed me. None of our men have seen anything of the person youre inquiring for, so far as were aware. But, if you like, I will place a man at your disposal, and he will go round with you, and you will be able to make your own inquiries. A capless, wildly excited young ragamuffin came dashing in at the street door. He gasped out, as clearly as he could for the speed which he had made Theres been murder done, Mr. Pleesmana Harabs killed a bloke. Mr. Pleesman gripped him by the shoulder. Whats that? The youngster put up his arm, and ducked his head, instinctively, as if to ward off a blow. Leave me alone! I dont want none of your andling!I aint done nuffink to you! I tell you e as! The Inspector spoke through the pigeonhole. He has what, my lad? What do you say has happened? Theres been murder doneits right enough!there as!up at Mrs. Endersons, in Paradise Placea Harabs been and killed a bloke! XLIV. The Man Who Was Murdered The Inspector spoke to me. If what the boy says is correct it sounds as if the person whom you are seeking may have had a finger in the pie. I was of the same opinion, as, apparently, were Lessingham and Sidney. Atherton collared the youth by the shoulder which Mr. Pleesman had left disengaged. What sort of looking bloke is it whos been murdered? I dunno! I avent seen im! Mrs. Enderson, she says to me!  Gustus Barley, she says, a blokes been murdered. That there Harab what I chucked out alf a hour ago been and murdered im, and left im behind up in my back room. You run as ard as you can tear and tell them there dratted pleese whats so fond of shovin their dirty noses into respectable peoples ouses. So I comes and tells yer. Thats all I knows about it. We went four in the hansom which had been waiting in the street to Mrs. Hendersons in Paradise Placethe Inspector and we three. Mr. Pleesman and  Gustus Barley followed on foot. The Inspector was explanatory. Mrs. Henderson keeps a sort of lodginghousea Sailors Home she calls it, but no one could call it sweet. It doesnt bear the best of characters, and if you asked me what I thought of it, I should say in plain English that it was a disorderly house. Paradise Place proved to be within three or four hundred yards of the Station House. So far as could be seen in the dark it consisted of a row of houses of considerable dimensionsand also of considerable antiquity. They opened on to two or three stone steps which led directly into the street. At one of the doors stood an old lady with a shawl drawn over her head. This was Mrs. Henderson. She greeted us with garrulous volubility. So you ave come, ave you? I thought you never was acomin that I did. She recognised the Inspector. Its you, Mr. Phillips, is it? Perceiving us, she drew a little back Whos them ere parties? They aint coppers? Mr. Phillips dismissed her inquiry, curtly. Never you mind who they are. Whats this about someone being murdered. Ssh! The old lady glanced round. Dont you speak so loud, Mr. Phillips. No one dont know nothing about it as yet. The parties whats in my ouse is most respectablemost! and they couldnt abide the notion of there being police about the place. We quite believe that, Mrs. Henderson. The Inspectors tone was grim. Mrs. Henderson led the way up a staircase which would have been distinctly the better for repairs. It was necessary to pick ones way as one went, and as the light was defective stumbles were not infrequent. Our guide paused outside a door on the topmost landing. From some mysterious recess in her apparel she produced a key. Its in ere. I locked the door so that nothing mightnt be disturbed. I knows ow particular you pleesmen is. She turned the key. We all went inwe, this time, in front, and she behind. A candle was guttering on a broken and dilapidated single washhand stand. A small iron bedstead stood by its side, the clothes on which were all tumbled and tossed. There was a rushseated chair with a hole in the seatand that, with the exception of one or two chipped pieces of stoneware, and a small round mirror which was hung on a nail against the wall, seemed to be all that the room contained. I could see nothing in the shape of a murdered man. Nor, it appeared, could the Inspector either. Whats the meaning of this, Mrs. Henderson? I dont see anything here. Its beind the bed, Mr. Phillips. I left im just where I found im, I wouldnt ave touched im not for nothing, nor yet ave let nobody else ave touched im neither, because, as I say, I know ow particular you pleesmen is. We all four went hastily forward. Atherton and I went to the head of the bed, Lessingham and the Inspector, leaning right across the bed, peeped over the side. There, on the floor in the space which was between the bed and the wall, lay the murdered man. At sight of him an exclamation burst from Sydneys lips. Its Holt! Thank God! cried Lessingham. It isnt Marjorie! The relief in his tone was unmistakable. That the one was gone was plainly nothing to him in comparison with the fact that the other was left. Thrusting the bed more into the centre of the room I knelt down beside the man on the floor. A more deplorable spectacle than he presented I have seldom witnessed. He was decently clad in a grey tweed suit, white hat, collar and necktie, and it was perhaps that fact which made his extreme attenuation the more conspicuous. I doubt if there was an ounce of flesh on the whole of his body. His cheeks and the sockets of his eyes were hollow. The skin was drawn tightly over his cheek bonesthe bones themselves were staring through. Even his nose was wasted, so that nothing but a ridge of cartilage remained. I put my arm beneath his shoulder and raised him from the floor; no resistance was offered by the bodys gravityhe was as light as a little child. I doubt, I said, if this man has been murdered. It looks to me like a case of starvation, or exhaustionpossibly a combination of both. Whats that on his neck? asked the Inspectorhe was kneeling at my side. He referred to two abrasions of the skinone on either side of the mans neck. They look to me like scratches. They seem pretty deep, but I dont think theyre sufficient in themselves to cause death. They might be, joined to an already weakened constitution. Is there anything in his pockets?lets lift him on to the bed. We lifted him on to the beda featherweight he was to lift. While the Inspector was examining his pocketsto find them emptya tall man with a big black beard came bustling in. He proved to be Dr. Glossop, the local police surgeon, who had been sent for before our quitting the Station House. His first pronouncement, made as soon as he commenced his examination, was, under the circumstances, sufficiently startling. I dont believe the mans dead. Why didnt you send for me directly you found him? The question was put to Mrs. Henderson. Well, Dr. Glossop, I wouldnt touch im myself, and I wouldnt ave im touched by no one else, because, as Ive said afore, I know ow particular them pleesmen is. Then in that case, if he does die youll have had a hand in murdering himthats all. The lady sniggered. Of course Dr. Glossop, we all knows that youll always ave your joke. Youll find it a joke if you have to hang, as you ought to, you The doctor said what he did say to himself, under his breath. I doubt if it was flattering to Mrs. Henderson. Have you got any brandy in the house? Weve got everythink in the ouse for them as likes to pay for iteverythink. Then, suddenly remembering that the police were present, and that hers were not exactly licensed premises, Leastways we can send out for it for them parties as gives us the money, being, as is well known, always willing to oblige. Then send for someto the tap downstairs, if thats the nearest! If this man dies before youve brought it Ill have you locked up as sure as youre a living woman. The arrival of the brandy was not long delayedbut the man on the bed had regained consciousness before it came. Opening his eyes he looked up at the doctor bending over him. Hollo, my man! thats more like the time of day! How are you feeling? The patient stared hazily up at the doctor, as if his sense of perception was not yet completely restoredas if this big bearded man was something altogether strange. Atherton bent down beside the doctor. Im glad to see you looking better, Mr. Holt. You know me dont you? Ive been running about after you all day long. You areyou are The mans eyes closed, as if the effort at recollection exhausted him. He kept them closed as he continued to speak. I know who you are. You arethe gentleman. Yes, thats it, Im the gentlemanname of Atherton.Miss Lindons friend. And I daresay youre feeling pretty well done up, and in want of something to eat and drinkheres some brandy for you. The doctor had some in a tumbler. He raised the patients head, allowing it to trickle down his throat. The man swallowed it mechanically, motionless, as if unconscious what it was that he was doing. His cheeks flushed, the passing glow of colour caused their condition of extraordinary, and, indeed, extravagant attentuation, to be more prominent than ever. The doctor laid him back upon the bed, feeling his pulse with one hand, while he stood and regarded him in silence. Then, turning to the Inspector, he said to him in an undertone; If you want him to make a statement hell have to make it now, hes going fast. You wont be able to get much out of himhes too far gone, and I shouldnt bustle him, but get what you can. The Inspector came to the front, a notebook in his hand. I understand from this gentleman signifying Athertonthat your names Robert Holt. Im an Inspector of police, and I want you to tell me what has brought you into this condition. Has anyone been assaulting you? Holt, opening his eyes, glanced up at the speaker mistily, as if he could not see him clearlystill less understand what it was that he was saying. Sydney, stooping over him, endeavoured to explain. The Inspector wants to know how you got here, has anyone been doing anything to you? Has anyone been hurting you? The mans eyelids were partially closed. Then they opened wider and wider. His mouth opened too. On his skeleton features there came a look of panic fear. He was evidently struggling to speak. At last words came. The beetle! He stopped. Then, after an effort, spoke again. The beetle! Whats he mean? asked the Inspector. I think I understand, Sydney answered; then turning again to the man in the bed. Yes, I hear what you saythe beetle. Well, has the beetle done anything to you? It took me by the throat! Is that the meaning of the marks upon your neck? The beetle killed me. The lids closed. The man relapsed into a state of lethargy. The Inspector was puzzled;and said so. Whats he mean about a beetle? Atherton replied. I think I understand what he meansand my friends do too. Well explain afterwards. In the meantime I think Id better get as much out of him as I canwhile theres time. Yes, said the doctor, his hand upon the patients pulse, while theres time. There isnt muchonly seconds. Sydney endeavoured to rouse the man from his stupor. Youve been with Miss Lindon all the afternoon and evening, havent you, Mr. Holt? Atherton had reached a chord in the mans consciousness. His lips movedin painful articulation. Yesall the afternoonand eveningGod help me! I hope God will help you my poor fellow; youve been in need of His help if ever man was. Miss Lindon is disguised in your old clothes, isnt she? Yesin my old clothes. My God! And where is Miss Lindon now? The man had been speaking with his eyes closed. Now he opened them, wide; there came into them the former staring horror. He became possessed by uncontrollable agitationhalf raising himself in bed. Words came from his quivering lips as if they were only drawn from him by the force of his anguish. The beetles going to kill Miss Lindon. A momentary paroxysm seemed to shake the very foundations of his being. His whole frame quivered. He fell back on to the bedominously. The doctor examined him in silencewhile we too were still. This time hes gone for good, therell be no conjuring him back again. I felt a sudden pressure on my arm, and found that Lessingham was clutching me with probably unconscious violence. The muscles of his face were twitching. He trembled. I turned to the doctor. Doctor, if there is any of that brandy left will you let me have it for my friend? Lessingham disposed of the remainder of the shillings worth. I rather fancy it saved us from a scene. The Inspector was speaking to the woman of the house. Now, Mrs. Henderson, perhaps youll tell us what all this means. Who is this man, and how did he come in here, and who came in with him, and what do you know about it altogether? If youve got anything to say, say it, only youd better be careful, because its my duty to warn you that anything you do say may be used against you. XLV. All That Mrs. Enderson Knew Mrs. Henderson put her hands under her apron and smirked. Well, Mr. Phillips, it do sound strange to ear you talkin to me like that. Anybodyd think Id done something as I didnt ought to a done to ear you going on. As for whats appened, Ill tell you all I know with the greatest willingness on earth. And as for bein careful, there aint no call for you to tell me to be that, for that I always am, as by now you ought to know. YesI do know. Is that all you have to say? Rilly, Mr. Phillips, what a man you are for catching people up, you rilly are. O course that aint all Ive got to sayaint I just acomin to it? Then come. If you presses me so youll muddle of me up, and then if I do appen to make a herror, youll say Im a liar, when goodness knows there aint no more truthful woman not in Limehouse. Words plainly trembled on the Inspectors lipswhich he refrained from uttering. Mrs. Henderson cast her eyes upwards, as if she sought for inspiration from the filthy ceiling. So far as I can swear it might ave been a hour ago, or it might ave been a hour and a quarter, or it might ave been a hour and twenty minutes Were not particular as to the seconds. When I ears a knockin at my front door, and when I comes to open it, there was a Harab party, with a great bundle on is ead, bigger nor isself, and two other parties along with him. This Harab party says, in that queer foreign way them Harab parties as of talkin, A room for the night, a room. Now I dont much care for foreigners, and never did, especially them Harabs, which their abits aint my ownso I as much ints the same. But this ere Harab party, he didnt seem to quite foller of my meaning, for all he done was to say as he said afore, A room for the night, a room. And he shoves a couple of arf crowns into my and. Now its always been a motter o mine, that money is money, and one mans money is as good as another mans. So, not wishing to be disagreeablewhich other people would have taken em if I adnt, I shows em up ere. Id been downstairs it might ave been arf a hour, when I ears a shindy acoming from this room What sort of a shindy? Yelling and shriekingoh my gracious, it was enough to set your blood all curdledfor earpiercingness I never did ear nothing like it. We do ave troublesome parties in ere, like they do elsewhere, but I never did ear nothing like that before. I stood it for about a minute, but it kep on, and kep on, and every moment I expected as the other parties as was in the ouse would be complainin, so up I comes and I thumps at the door, and it seemed that thump I might for all the notice that was took of me. Did the noise keep on? Keep on! I should think it did keep on! Lord love you! shriek after shriek, I expected to see the roof took off. Were there any other noises? For instance, were there any sounds of struggling, or of blows? There werent no sounds except of the party hollering. One party only? One party only. As I says afore, shriek after shriekwhen you put your ear to the panel there was a noise like some other party blubbering, but that werent nothing, as for the hollering you wouldnt have thought that nothing what you might call umin could ave kep up such a screechin. I thumps and thumps and at last when I did think that I should ave to ave the door broke down, the Harab says to me from inside, Go away! I pay for the room! go away! I did think that pretty good, I tell you that. So I says, Pay for the room or not pay for the room, you didnt pay to make that shindy! And whats more I says, If I ear it again, I says, out you goes! And if you dont go quiet Ill ave somebody in asll pretty quickly make you!  Then was there silence? So to speak there wasonly there was this sound as if some party was ablubbering, and another sound as if a party was apanting for his breath. Then what happened? Seeing that, so to speak, all was quiet, down I went again. And in another quarter of a hour, or it might ave been twenty minutes, I went to the front door to get a mouthful of hair. And Mrs. Barker, what lives over the road, at No. 24, she comes to me and says, That there Arab party of yours didnt stop long. I looks at er, I dont quite foller you, I sayswhich I didnt. I saw him come in, she says, and then, a few minutes back, I see im go again, with a great bundle on is ead he couldnt ardly stagger under! Oh, I says, thats news to me, I didnt know ed gone, nor see him neither which I didnt. So, up I comes again, and, sure enough, the door was open, and it seems to me that the room was empty, till I come upon this pore young man what was lying beind the bed. There was a growl from the doctor. If youd had any sense, and sent for me at once, he might have been alive at this moment.  Ow was I to know that, Dr. Glossop? I couldnt tell. My finding im there murdered was quite enough for me. So I runs downstairs, and I nips old of Gustus Barley, what was leaning against the wall, and I says to him,  Gustus Barley, run to the station as fast as you can and tell em that a mans been murderedthat Harabs been and killed a bloke. And thats all I know about it, and I couldnt tell you no more, Mr. Phillips, not if you was to keep on asking me questions not for hours and hours. Then you think it was this manwith a motion towards the bedwho was shrieking? To tell you the truth, Mr. Phillips, about that I dont ardly know what to think. If you ad asked me I should ave said it was a woman. I ought to know a womans holler when I ear it, if anyone does, Ive eard enough of em in my time, goodness knows. And I should ave said that only a woman could ave hollered like that and only er when she was raving mad. But there werent no woman with him. There was only this man whats murdered, and the other manand as for the other man I will say this, that e adnt got twopennyworth of clothes to cover im. But, Mr. Phillips, howsomever that may be, thats the last Harab Ill ave under my roof, no matter what they pays, and you may mark my words Ill ave no more. Mrs. Henderson, once more glancing upward, as if she imagined herself to have made some declaration of a religious nature, shook her head with much solemnity. XLVI. The Sudden Stopping As we were leaving the house a constable gave the Inspector a note. Having read it he passed it to me. It was from the local office. Message received that an Arab with a big bundle on his head has been noticed loitering about the neighbourhood of St. Pancras Station. He seemed to be accompanied by a young man who had the appearance of a tramp. Young man seemed ill. They appeared to be waiting for a train, probably to the North. Shall I advise detention? I scribbled on the flyleaf of the note. Have them detained. If they have gone by train have a special in readiness. In a minute we were again in the cab. I endeavoured to persuade Lessingham and Atherton to allow me to conduct the pursuit alonein vain. I had no fear of Athertons succumbing, but I was afraid for Lessingham. What was more almost than the expectation of his collapse was the fact that his looks and manner, his whole bearing, so eloquent of the agony and agitation of his mind, was beginning to tell upon my nerves. A catastrophe of some sort I foresaw. Of the curtains fall upon one tragedy we had just been witnesses. That there was worsemuch worse, to follow I did not doubt. Optimistic anticipations were out of the questionthat the creature we were chasing would relinquish the prey uninjured, no one, after what we had seen and heard, could by any possibility suppose. Should a necessity suddenly arise for prompt and immediate action, that Lessingham would prove a hindrance rather than a help I felt persuaded. But since moments were precious, and Lessingham was not to be persuaded to allow the matter to proceed without him, all that remained was to make the best of his presence. The great arch of St. Pancras was in darkness. An occasional light seemed to make the darkness still more visible. The station seemed deserted. I thought, at first, that there was not a soul about the place, that our errand was in vain, that the only thing for us to do was to drive to the police station and to pursue our inquiries there. But as we turned towards the bookingoffice, our footsteps ringing out clearly through the silence and the night, a door opened, a light shone out from the room within, and a voice inquired Whos that? My names Champnell. Has a message been received from me from the Limehouse Police Station? Step this way. We stepped that wayinto a snug enough office, of which one of the railway inspectors was apparently in charge. He was a big man, with a fair beard. He looked me up and down, as if doubtfully. Lessingham he recognised at once. He took off his cap to him. Mr. Lessingham, I believe? I am Mr. Lessingham. Have you any news for me? I fancy, by his looksthat the official was struck by the pallor of the speakers faceand by his tremulous voice. I am instructed to give certain information to a Mr. Augustus Champnell. I am Mr. Champnell. Whats your information? With reference to the Arab about whom you have been making inquiries. A foreigner, dressed like an Arab, with a great bundle on his head, took two single thirds for Hull by the midnight express. Was he alone? It is believed that he was accompanied by a young man of very disreputable appearance. They were not together at the bookingoffice, but they had been seen together previously. A minute or so after the Arab had entered the train this young man got into the same compartmentthey were in the front wagon. Why were they not detained? We had no authority to detain them, nor any reason, until your message was received a few minutes ago we at this station were not aware that inquiries were being made for them. You say he booked to Hulldoes the train run through to Hull? Noit doesnt go to Hull at all. Part of its the Liverpool and Manchester Express, and part of its for Carlisle. It divides at Derby. The man youre looking for will change either at Sheffield or at Cudworth Junction and go on to Hull by the first train in the morning. Theres a local service. I looked at my watch. You say the train left at midnight. Its now nearly fiveandtwenty past. Wheres it now? Nearing St. Albans, its due there 1235. Would there be time for a wire to reach St. Albans? Hardlyand anyhow therell only be enough railway officials about the place to receive and despatch the train. Theyll be fully occupied with their ordinary duties. There wont be time to get the police there. You could wire to St. Albans to inquire if they were still in the train? That could be donecertainly. Ill have it done at once if you like. Then wheres the next stoppage? Well, theyre at Luton at 1251. But thats another case of St. Albans. You see there wont be much more than twenty minutes by the time youve got your wire off, and I dont expect therell be many people awake at Luton. At these country places sometimes theres a policeman hanging about the station to see the express go through, but, on the other hand, very often there isnt, and if there isnt, probably at this time of night itll take a good bit of time to get the police on the premises. I tell you what I should advise. Whats that? The train is due at Bedford at 129send your wire there. There ought to be plenty of people about at Bedford, and anyhow therell be time to get the police to the station. Very good. I instructed them to tell you to have a special readyhave you got one? Theres an engine with steam up in the shedwell have all ready for you in less than ten minutes. And I tell you whatyoull have about fifty minutes before the train is due at Bedford. Its a fifty mile run. With luck you ought to get there pretty nearly as soon as the express does.Shall I tell them to get ready? At once. While he issued directions through a telephone to what, I presume, was the engine shed, I drew up a couple of telegrams. Having completed his orders he turned to me. Theyre coming out of the siding nowtheyll be ready in less than ten minutes. Ill see that the lines kept clear. Have you got those wires? Here is onethis is for Bedford. It ran Arrest the Arab who is in train due at 129. When leaving St. Pancras he was in a thirdclass compartment in front wagon. He has a large bundle, which detain. He took two third singles for Hull. Also detain his companion, who is dressed like a tramp. This is a young lady whom the Arab has disguised and kidnapped while in a condition of hypnotic trance. Let her have medical assistance and be taken to a hotel. All expenses will be paid on the arrival of the undersigned who is following by special train. As the Arab will probably be very violent a sufficient force of police should be in waiting. Augustus Champnell. And this is the other. It is probably too late to be of any use at St. Albansbut send it there, and also to Luton. Is Arab with companion in train which left St. Pancras at 1300? If so, do not let them get out till train reaches Bedford, where instructions are being wired for arrest. The Inspector rapidly scanned them both. They ought to do your business, I should think. Come along with meIll have them sent at once, and well see if your trains ready. The train was not readynor was it ready within the prescribed ten minutes. There was some hitch, I fancy, about a saloon. Finally we had to be content with an ordinary oldfashioned firstclass carriage. The delay, however, was not altogether time lost. Just as the engine with its solitary coach was approaching the platform someone came running up with an envelope in his hand. Telegram from St. Albans. I tore it open. It was brief and to the point. Arab with companion was in train when it left here. Am wiring Luton. Thats all right. Now unless something wholly unforeseen takes place, we ought to have them. That unforeseen! I went forward with the Inspector and the guard of our train to exchange a few final words with the driver. The Inspector explained what instructions he had given. Ive told the driver not to spare his coal but to take you into Bedford within five minutes after the arrival of the express. He says he thinks that he can do it. The driver leaned over his engine, rubbing his hands with the usual oily rag. He was a short, wiry man with grey hair and a grizzled moustache, with about him that bearing of semihumorous, frankfaced resolution which one notes about enginedrivers as a class. We ought to do it, the gradients are against us, but its a clear night and theres no wind. The only thing that will stop us will be if theres any shunting on the road, or any luggage trains; of course, if we are blocked, we are blocked, but the Inspector says hell clear the way for us. Yes, said the Inspector, Ill clear the way. Ive wired down the road already. Atherton broke in. Driver, if you get us into Bedford within five minutes of the arrival of the mail therell be a fivepound note to divide between your mate and you. The driver grinned. Well get you there in time, sir, if we have to go clear through the shunters. It isnt often we get a chance of a fivepound note for a run to Bedford, and well do our best to earn it. The fireman waved his hand in the rear. Thats right, sir! he cried. Well have to trouble you for that fivepound note. So soon as we were clear of the station it began to seem probable that, as the fireman put it, Atherton would be troubled. Journeying in a train which consists of a single carriage attached to an engine which is flying at topmost speed is a very different business from being an occupant of an ordinary train which is travelling at ordinary express rates. I had discovered that for myself before. That night it was impressed on me more than ever. A tyroor even a nervous seasonmight have been excused for expecting at every moment we were going to be derailed. It was hard to believe that the carriage had any springsit rocked and swung, and jogged and jolted. Of smooth travelling had we none. Talking was out of the question;and for that, I, personally, was grateful. Quite apart from the difficulty we experienced in keeping our seatsand when every moment our position was being altered and we were jerked backwards and forwards up and down, this way and that, that was a business which required carethe noise was deafening. It was as though we were being pursued by a legion of shrieking, bellowing, raging demons. George! shrieked Atherton, he does mean to earn that fiver. I hope Ill be alive to pay it him! He was only at the other end of the carriage, but though I could see by the distortion of his visage that he was shouting at the top of his voiceand he has a voiceI only caught here and there a word or two of what he was saying. I had to make sense of the whole. Lessinghams contortions were a study. Few of that large multitude of persons who are acquainted with him only by means of the portraits which have appeared in the illustrated papers, would then have recognised the rising statesman. Yet I believe that few things could have better fallen in with his mood than that wild travelling. He might have been almost shaken to piecesbut the very severity of the shaking served to divert his thoughts from the one dread topic which threatened to absorb them to the exclusion of all else beside. Then there was the tonic influence of the element of risk. The pickmeup effect of a spice of peril. Actual danger there quite probably was none; but there very really seemed to be. And one thing was absolutely certain, that if we did come to smash while going at that speed we should come to as everlasting smash as the heart of man could by any possibility desire. It is probable that the knowledge that this was so warmed the blood in Lessinghams veins. At any rate asto use what in this case, was simply a form of speechI sat and watched him, it seemed to me that he was getting a firmer hold of the strength which had all but escaped him, and that with every jog and jolt he was becoming more and more of a man. On and on we went dashing, clashing, smashing, roaring, rumbling. Atherton, who had been endeavouring to peer through the window, strained his lungs again in the effort to make himself audible.