the house, and Dr.
Lincoln, who had come in, pronounced White dead and left again, saying
that he would return at once.

I then turned from Davis, who had resumed his seat, and rejoined the
detective, but the latter knew less even than we, for to my
question--what did he make of it?--he answered "Nothing yet. The man has
been murdered, I think, that is all."

I had seen more or less of this man, Miles, and knew him to be cleverer
than the average detective, intelligent, and experienced in his
business, and disinclined to hazard opinions prematurely or
unofficially, and though I might by insistence have gleaned further
expression from him on account of my more or less authoritative
position, I did not think it advisable at the time, and allowed the
matter to pass to give my attention to Benton, who had just returned.

He told me he had sent a message to Littell at his hotel, and that he
would be down at once; also that he had been to Van Bult's rooms, but
that the latter had left the city by an early train, and his servant did
not know when he would return.

I asked him if he had summoned the officers and he said, "Yes"; that he
had found the officer on the beat, nearby, immediately after discovering
the crime, and brought him to the house, and then, by his direction, had
notified the police station, after which he had come to me. By this time
the doctor had returned, and a number of other people, official and
otherwise, were in and about the room.

After a while, I saw Littell, who had come in without my observation,
standing near the body. He turned away just then, and seeing me, came
over and joined me, but further than a mutual expression of grief and
horror, we had neither of us anything to say, and stood silently
observing the scene.

He recognized and spoke to Davis, and asked where Van Bult was. I told
him Benton's report, and he said nothing further. After a while the
Inspector of Police directed every one but the officials to leave the
room, and Littell and Davis were excluded with the others. I, by virtue
of my office, remained and joined the Inspector.

He said the Coroner's jury were about to view the body and the premises,
and that after they were gone the police would make a thorough
investigation and I decided to remain till it was completed. Very
shortly the Coroner and his jury entered, and the latter, after their
usual fashion, stood huddled together and stared about them.

Most of them seeme