This may be a stupid hoax,
or a quarrel exaggerated. See to it yourself, and hear what the doctor
says. If it is serious, send word back here directly, and let nobody
enter the place or leave it till we come. Stop! You know the form if any
statement is volunteered?"

"Yes, sir. I am to caution the persons that whatever they say will be
taken down, and may be used against them."

"Quite right. You'll be an Inspector yourself one of these days. Now,
miss!" With that he dismissed her, under my care.

Lehigh Street was not very far off--about twenty minutes' walk from
the station. I confess I thought the Inspector had been rather hard
on Priscilla. She was herself naturally angry with him. "What does he
mean," she says, "by talking of a hoax? I wish he was as frightened as
I am. This is the first time I have been out at service, sir--and I did
think I had found a respectable place."

I said very little to her--feeling, if the truth must be told, rather
anxious about the duty committed to me. On reaching the house the door
was opened from within, before I could knock. A gentleman stepped out,
who proved to be the doctor. He stopped the moment he saw me.

"You must be careful, policeman," he says. "I found the man lying on his
back, in bed, dead--with the knife that had killed him left sticking in
the wound."

Hearing this, I felt the necessity of sending at once to the station.
Where could I find a trustworthy messenger? I took the liberty of asking
the doctor if he would repeat to the police what he had already said to
me. The station was not much out of his way home. He kindly granted my
request.

The landlady (Mrs. Crosscapel) joined us while we were talking. She was
still a young woman; not easily frightened, as far as I could see, even
by a murder in the house. Her husband was in the passage behind her. He
looked old enough to be her father; and he so trembled with terror that
some people might have taken him for the guilty person. I removed the
key from the street door, after locking it; and I said to the landlady:
"Nobody must leave the house, or enter the house, till the Inspector
comes. I must examine the premises to see if any on e has broken in."

"There is the key of the area gate," she said, in answer to me. "It's
always kept locked. Come downstairs and see for yourself." Priscilla
went with us. Her mistress set her to work to light the kitchen fire.
"Some of us," says Mrs. Crosscapel, "may be the bette