visitors; but his grand air did not forsake him
and his welcome was both dignified and cordial. But I did not like
the way his eye rested on me.

But the slight venom visible in it at that moment was nothing to
what he afterwards displayed when at a slight growl from Rudge,
who stood in an attitude of offense in the doorway beyond, I drew
the attention of all to the dog by saying sharply:

"There is our witness, sirs. There is the dog who will not cross
the street even when his master calls him, but crouches on the
edge of the curb and waits with eager eyes but immovable body,
till that master comes back. Isn't that so, Mr. Moore? Have I
not heard you utter more than one complaint in this regard?"

"I can not deny it," was the stiff reply, "but what--"

I did not wait for him to finish.

"Mr. Correan," I asked, "is this the animal you gassed between the
hours of seven and eight on the evening of May the eleventh,
crouching in front of this house with his nose to the curbstone?"

"It is; I noted him particularly; he seemed to be watching the
opposite house."

Instantly I turned upon Mr. Moore.

"Is Rudge the dog to do that," I asked, "if his master were not
there? Twice have I myself seen him in the self-same place and
with the self-same air of expectant attention, and both times
you had crossed to the house which you acknowledge he will
approach no nearer than the curb on this side of the street."

"You have me," was the short reply with which Mr. Moore gave up
the struggle. "Rudge, go back to your place. When you are wanted
in the court-room I will let you know."

The smile with which he said this was sarcastic enough, but it was
sarcasm directed mainly against himself. We were not surprised
when, after some sharp persuasion on the part of the major, he
launched into the following recital of his secret relation to what
he called the last tragedy ever likely to occur in the Moore family.

"I never thought it wrong to be curious about the old place; I never
thought it wrong to be curious about its mysteries. I only
considered it wrong, or at all events ill judged, to annoy Veronica,
in regard to them, or to trouble her in any way about the means by
which I might effect an entrance into its walls. So I took the one
that offered and said nothing.

"I have visited the old house many times during my sojourn in this
little cottage. The last time was, as one of your number has so
ably discovered on t