ccurred than it was dismissed. All at once I
noticed that one pair of foot-prints, instead of mounting the porch
steps, had turned to one side. They led off to the east, and
disappeared round the wing in that direction. The two persons had not
come in company; the first, I presently concluded, had carried a key,
and the second had been following him. There were no retreating
impresses to indicate that either had departed.

I tiptoed to the front door and turned the knob. The door did not
yield. Then for the first time I recalled the window which our
housebreakers had forced the night before; unless the latch had been
repaired during the day, it would be an easy matter to gain access to
the dining-room, which was located in the western wing.

Now it was the eastern wing or gable which sheltered the library, the
conservatory, and Mr. Page's bedroom, and it was thither the second
man's foot-prints led. I followed them round the corner of the house.

From their appearance it was easy to trace all the mysterious
intruder's movements. Evidently after the door had closed behind the
first arrival, Number Two had stood for some time at the east end of
the porch. Then he had moved toward the same end of the house, pausing
at every window and trying the sash to ascertain whether it was
fastened. Turning at the corner, he had proceeded along the side of
the house, still testing the windows and bestowing particular attention
upon the glass conservatory. This was true of every window as far as
the bedroom, at least; beyond that I did not explore. Just as I drew
opposite the first of the bedroom windows I came to an abrupt halt.

There was a light in the room.

Nor was this all. Some person was in the room, too, and by the
silhouette on the blind I could see that he was industriously applying
himself to some task, the nature of which I could not determine. The
longer I watched the shadow on the blind, the more puzzled I grew. I
could imagine no occupation that would account for such singular
actions.

The shadow was a man's; I could distinguish that much. He appeared to
be bending over something, while his hands flew hither and thither, as
if they were performing a quick-step upon a piano. But no sound of
music came from the lighted room.

It would be impossible to say how long I stood there, the snow nearly
to my knees, fascinated by the remarkable antics of that shadow. Then
of a sudden the hands ceased fly