n to fancy that such a crime had been done, and yet--my thoughts
went back to the day on which I paid my somewhat memorable visit to
Wildred and Farnham.

Suddenly came the recollection of the awful cry I had heard as I waited
in the curious octagonal room, looking at the covered portrait of
Karine. The sound had been explained, but there had been a certain
flurry and clumsiness in the explanation, I had thought, even then.

I remembered the smoke and sparks which had so mysteriously risen from
the tower, and the heat of the octagonal room adjoining it. All this,
too, had been accounted for. I had not cared at the time to invent
romances to fit into the strange appearances, which I had assured myself
were doubtless strange only in appearance; but now I could not help
dwelling upon them with an almost morbid persistency that would not be
set aside.

I thought of the woman's face which had for an instant gazed at me
through the narrow window beside the door. I reminded myself of the
surprise on the features of the decorous male factotum when he had
learned that I was not the man expected by his master, and I went over
word for word, as nearly as I could, each sentence whispered by Wildred
and his servant in the hall.

What if there were some ghastly connection between the apparent mystery
in the House by the Lock and the half-charred, headless body found
to-day in the Thames!

I was ready to accuse my own enmity towards Wildred, and my vague
suspicions of him, also my merciless desire to fasten some stigma upon
the man, of being potent factors in these mental suggestions of mine.

But I could not banish them even if I would. Continually throughout the
remainder of the evening and night I pieced together various theories,
all more or less defective, and next morning the desire was strong
within me to go and see the headless corpse.

There were at least twenty chances to one against my being able to
identify it, or finding in the pitiful remains of a tragedy any clue
such as I sought. But strange fancies steeped my brain with their potent
fumes, and I knew that I should not be able to rest until, at least, I
had absolutely proved myself mistaken.

Permission to view the body at the mortuary was easily obtained at the
local police station, when I had given my name, and mentioned that I had
come for purposes of identification.

Fortunately for my self-control, I had looked upon many a gruesome sight
during my somew