the door after him. He looked around as
though he was thinking about something and then, taking off his coat, he
hung it on one of the hooks near the alcove. I held my breath fearing
that he would look inside, but he did not.

"He walked about the room as though he was looking for something, and
again I was afraid that I should be discovered after all, but by and by
he went out and came back with a small suit-case. It was after he had
gone that I saw poking out of the pocket of the overcoat which had been
hung on the hook, the butt of a pistol. I didn't quite know what to make
of it, but thinking that it was better in my pocket than in his if I were
discovered, I lifted it out of the pocket and slipped it into my own.

"After a while he came back as I say and started packing the bag on the
bed. Presently he looked at his watch and said something to himself,
turned out the lights and hurried out. I waited and waited for him to
come back but nothing happened, and knowing that I would have plenty of
time if he came back again, I had a look at the pistol I had. It was an
automatic and it was loaded. I had never worked with a gun in my life,
but I thought I might as well take this as I intended committing a crime
which might land me in jug for the term of my natural life. I thought I
might as well be hung as go to penal servitude.

"Then I put out the lights and sat down by the window, waiting for Miss
Rider's return. I lit a cigarette, and opened the window to let out the
smell of the smoke. I took out the bottle of vitriol, removed the cork
and placed it on a stool near by.

"I don't know how long I waited in the dark, but about eleven o'clock, as
far as I can judge, I heard the outer door click very gently and a soft
foot in the hall. I knew it wasn't Milburgh because he was a heavy man.
This person moved like a cat. In fact, I did not hear the door of the
bedroom open. I waited with the vitriol on the stool by my side, for the
light to be switched on, but nothing happened. I don't know what made me
do it but I walked towards the person who had come into the room.

"Then, before I knew what had happened, somebody had gripped me. I was
half-strangled by an arm which had been thrown round my neck and I
thought it was Milburgh who had detected me the first time and had come
back to pinch me. I tried to push him away, but he struck me on the jaw.

"I was getting frightened for I thought the noise would rouse the people
a