r husband to be living or not living at the present time?"

"That is a subject upon which I have not been able to form any opinion.
I have heard nothing, seen nothing to influence my mind either way. Some
other people have asked me this same question. If her mail contains any
news, it is still in the hands of the proprietor of the hotel. He has
refrained from sending it up. She has lived here, as you know, for a long
while."

"Has she no relative to share your watch or take such things in charge?"

"I have seen none. Friends she has in plenty, but no one who claims
relationship with her, or who raises the least objection to anything I
do."

He seemed about to ask another question, but refrained and allowed her to
depart after some final injunction as to what she should do in case of
certain emergencies. Then he had a talk with the proprietor, which added
little or nothing to his present knowledge; and these duties off his
mind, he went downtown.

As he expected, he found the Chief Inspector awaiting him. The death of
Madame Duclos had added still another serious complication to the many
with which this difficult affair was already encumbered, and he was
anxious to talk over the matter with one who had been on the spot and
upon whose impressions he consequently could rely.

But when he heard all that Mr. Gryce had to say on the subject, he grew
as serious as the detective himself could wish, even going so far as to
propose an immediate ride over to the District Attorney's office.

Fortunately, they found that gentleman in and ready to listen, though
it was evident he expected little from the conference. But his temper
changed as Mr. Gryce opened up his theory and began to substantiate it
with facts. The looks which he exchanged with the Chief Inspector grew
more and more earnest and inquiring, and when Mr. Gryce reached that
portion of his report which connected Mr. Roberts so indisputably with
the arrow, he called in his assistant and together they listened to what
Mr. Gryce had further to say.

With this addition to his audience, the old man's manner changed and
became a trifle more formal. He related the fact, not generally known, of
Mr. Roberts' engagement to a young girl residing on Long Island, and how
this was broken off immediately after the occurrence at the museum,
seemingly from no other reason than the unhappy condition of mind in
which he found himself, a condition added to if not explained by the
p