aw threw
occasionally swift glances round him; now at one of us; now at the room
or some part of it; now at the wounded man lying senseless on the sofa.

When the Superintendent had finished, the Sergeant turned to me and
said:

"Perhaps you remember me, sir. I was with you in that Hoxton case."

"I remember you very well," I said as I held out my hand. The
Superintendent spoke again:

"You understand, Sergeant Daw, that you are put in full charge of this
case."

"Under you I hope, sir," he interrupted. The other shook his head and
smiled as he said:

"It seems to me that this is a case that will take all a man's time and
his brains. I have other work to do; but I shall be more than
interested, and if I can help in any possible way I shall be glad to do
so!"

"All right, sir," said the other, accepting his responsibility with a
sort of modified salute; straightway he began his investigation.

First he came over to the Doctor and, having learned his name and
address, asked him to write a full report which he could use, and which
he could refer to headquarters if necessary. Doctor Winchester bowed
gravely as he promised. Then the Sergeant approached me and said sotto
voce:

"I like the look of your doctor. I think we can work together!"
Turning to Miss Trelawny he asked:

"Please let me know what you can of your Father; his ways of life, his
history--in fact of anything of whatsoever kind which interests him, or
in which he may be concerned." I was about to interrupt to tell him
what she had already said of her ignorance in all matters of her father
and his ways, but her warning hand was raised to me pointedly and she
spoke herself.

"Alas! I know little or nothing. Superintendent Dolan and Mr. Ross
know already all I can say."

"Well, ma'am, we must be content to do what we can," said the officer
genially. "I'll begin by making a minute examination. You say that you
were outside the door when you heard the noise?"

"I was in my room when I heard the queer sound--indeed it must have
been the early part of whatever it was which woke me. I came out of my
room at once. Father's door was shut, and I could see the whole landing
and the upper slopes of the staircase. No one could have left by the
door unknown to me, if that is what you mean!"

"That is just what I do mean, miss. If every one who knows anything
will tell me as well as that, we shall soon get to the bottom of this."

He then wen