arge
building, with back windows overlooking a small piece of ground. The
flat was on the fourth story. Rolfe looked around the neighbouring roofs
and down onto the ground fifty feet below, but could see nothing.

He withdrew his head and was turning to leave the room when his attention
was attracted by the peculiar behaviour of the dog, which had followed
him throughout on his search. The little animal, after sniffing about the
floor, ran to the open window and started whining and jumping up at it.
Rolfe quickly returned to the window and looked out.

"Why, of course!" he muttered. "How could I have overlooked it?
Inspector," he called aloud, "come here!"

Inspector Chippenfield appeared in the kitchen in a state of some
excitement at the summons. He carried the key of the front room in his
hand, having taken the precaution to lock Miss Fanning in before he
responded to the call of his colleague.

"What is it, Rolfe?" he asked eagerly.

"This dog has tracked him to the window, so he's evidently escaped that
way," explained Rolfe briefly. "He's climbed along the window-ledge."

Inspector Chippenfield approached the window and looked out. A broad
window-ledge immediately beneath the window ran the whole length of the
building beneath the windows on the fourth floor, and, so far as could be
seen, continued round the side of the house. It was a dizzy, but not a
difficult feat for a man of cool head to walk along the ledge to the
corner of the house.

"I wonder where that infernal ledge goes to?" said Inspector
Chippenfield, vainly twisting his neck and protruding his body through
the window to a dangerous extent to see round the corner of the building.
"I daresay it leads to the water-pipe, and the scoundrel, knowing that,
has been able to get round, shin down, and get clear away."

"I'll soon find out," said Rolfe. "I'll walk along to the corner and
see."

"Do you think you can do it, Rolfe?" asked the inspector nervously. "If
you fell--" he glanced down to the ground far below with a shudder.

"Nonsense!" laughed Rolfe. "I won't fall. Why, the ledge is a foot broad,
and I've got a steady head. He may not have got very far, after all, and
I may be able to see him from the corner."

He got out of the window as he spoke, and started to walk carefully along
the ledge towards the corner of the building. He reached it safely,
peered round, screwed himself round sharply, and came back to the open
window almost at a