ey deplored. I felt myself under
the same fascination. I wanted to test the mechanism; to follow
out then and there the instructions given with such shortsighted
minuteness and mark the result. But a sense of decorum prevented.
It was clearly my duty to carry so important a discovery as this
to the major and subject myself to his commands before making the
experiment suggested by the scroll I had so carefully deciphered.
Besides, it would be difficult to carry out this experiment alone,
and with no other light than that afforded by my lantern.
Another man and more lights were needed.

Influenced by these considerations, I restored the picture to its
place, and left the building. As I did so, the first signs of
dawn became visible in the east. I had expended three hours in
picking out the meaning concealed in the wavy lines of the old
picture.

I was early at headquarters that morning, but not so early as to
find the superintendent alone. A group of men were already
congregated about him in his small office, and when, on being
admitted, I saw amongst them the district attorney, Durbin and
another famous detective, I instinctively knew what matter was
under discussion.

I was allowed to remain, possibly because I brought news in my
face, possibly because the major felt more kindly toward me than
I thought. Though Durbin, who had been speaking, had at first
sight of me shut his mouth like a trap, and even went so far as
to drum an impatient protest with his fingers on the table before
which he stood, neither the major nor the district attorney turned
an unkindly face toward me, and my amiable friend was obliged to
accept my presence with what grace he could.

There was with them a fourth man, who stood apart. On him the
general attention had been concentrated at my entrance and to him
it now returned. He was an unpretentious person of kindly aspect.
To any one accustomed to Washington residents, he bore the
unmistakable signs of being one of the many departmental employees
whose pay is inadequate to the necessities of his family. Of his
personal peculiarities I noted two. He blinked when he talked,
and stuttered painfully when excited. Notwithstanding these
defects he made a good impression, and commanded confidence.
This I soon saw was of importance, for the story he now entered
upon was one calculated to make me forget my own errand and even
to question my own convictions.

The first intimation I rec