y, with a shame-faced apology for his weakness, he
rose once more.

"Watson would tell you that I have only just recovered from a severe
illness," he explained. "I am liable to these sudden nervous attacks."

"Shall I send you home in my trap?" asked old Cunningham.

"Well, since I am here, there is one point on which I should like to
feel sure. We can very easily verify it."

"What is it?"

"Well, it seems to me that it is just possible that the arrival of this
poor fellow William was not before but after the entrance of the burglar
into the house. You appear to take it for granted that although the door
was forced the robber never got in."

[Illustration: "GOOD HEAVENS! WHAT IS THE MATTER?"]

"I fancy that is quite obvious," said Mr. Cunningham, gravely. "Why, my
son Alec had not yet gone to bed, and he would certainly have heard
anyone moving about."

"Where was he sitting?"

"I was sitting smoking in my dressing-room."

"Which window is that?"

"The last on the left, next my father's."

"Both your lamps were lit, of course?"

"Undoubtedly."

"There are some very singular points here," said Holmes, smiling. "Is it
not extraordinary that a burglar--and a burglar who had had some
previous experience--should deliberately break into a house at a time
when he could see from the lights that two of the family were still
afoot?"

"He must have been a cool hand."

"Well, of course, if the case were not an odd one we should not have
been driven to ask you for an explanation," said Mister Alec. "But as to
your idea that the man had robbed the house before William tackled him,
I think it a most absurd notion. Shouldn't we have found the place
disarranged and missed the things which he had taken?"

"It depends on what the things were," said Holmes. "You must remember
that we are dealing with a burglar who is a very peculiar fellow, and
who appears to work on lines of his own. Look, for example, at the queer
lot of things which he took from Acton's--what was it?--a ball of
string, a letter-weight, and I don't know what other odds and ends!"

"Well, we are quite in your hands, Mr. Holmes," said old Cunningham.
"Anything which you or the Inspector may suggest will most certainly be
done."

"In the first place," said Holmes, "I should like you to offer a
reward--coming from yourself, for the officials may take a little time
before they would agree upon the sum, and these things cannot be done
too promptly. I