at
we are in luck's way so far. I asked the waterman to show me the regular
men on the stand; and it turns out that one of the regular men drove
Mrs. Mandeville. The waterman vouches for him; he's quite an anomaly--a
respectable cabman; drives his own horse, and has never been in any
trouble. These are the sort of men, sir, who sustain one's belief
in human nature. I've had a look at our friend, and I agree with the
waterman; I think we can depend on him."

The investigation required some exercise of patience at the outset. It
was not till the cab had traversed the distance between Bayswater and
Pimlico that the driver began to slacken his pace and look about him.
After once or twice retracing its course, the vehicle entered a quiet
by-street, ending in a dead wall, with a door in it; and stopped at the
last house on the left-hand side, the house next to the wall.

"Here it is, gentlemen," said the man, opening the cab door.

Allan and Allan's adviser both got out, and both looked at the house,
with the same feeling of instinctive distrust.

Buildings have their physiognomy--especially buildings in great
cities--and the face of this house was essentially furtive in its
expression. The front windows were all shut, and the front blinds were
all drawn down. It looked no larger than the other houses in the street,
seen in front; but it ran back deceitfully and gained its greater
accommodation by means of its greater depth. It affected to be a shop on
the ground-floor; but it exhibited absolutely nothing in the space that
intervened between the window and an inner row of red curtains, which
hid the interior entirely from view. At one side was the shop door,
having more red curtains behind the glazed part of it, and bearing
a brass plate on the wooden part of it, inscribed with the name of
"Oldershaw." On the other side was the private door, with a bell marked
Professional; and another brass plate, indicating a medical occupant on
this side of the house, for the name on it was, "Doctor Downward." If
ever brick and mortar spoke yet, the brick and mortar here said plainly,
"We have got our secrets inside, and we mean to keep them."

"This can't be the place," said Allan; "there must be some mistake."

"You know best, sir," remarked Pedgift Junior, with his sardonic
gravity. "You know Mrs. Mandeville's habits."

"I!" exclaimed Allan. "You may be surprised to hear it; but Mrs.
Mandeville is a total stranger to me."

"I'm