Burke
hesitated and bent a doubtful, inquiring look toward the alcove; yet I
am not positive that he ceased for a moment his blank, unblinking
scrutiny of me. At any rate, he was no sooner seated than he bounded
up again.

"We can have a little more light here," said he, starting toward the
alcove, behind whose curtains Stodger was at that moment, I daresay,
hastily planning a means of precipitate retreat. I was already seated
myself, and I stayed his progress only in the nick of time.

"Burke!" I called sharply.

He wheeled about, a trifle disconcerted, I imagined.

"Please sit down," I went on authoritatively. "You are not precisely
at liberty to go just where you please; for the present I 'm
responsible for your movements."

He shrugged his shoulders and returned to his chair, remarking in an
unemotional way:

"I forgot that I was under arrest."

I did n't trouble to define his position. At best it was at that
instant an anomalous one; so far as I knew there were no grounds upon
which to hold him at all; and while I would have hesitated to say that
he was actually in custody, at the same time it is also true that I
would not have permitted him to walk out of the house and away, had he
desired to do so.

"Now, Mr. Burke," I went on, "tell me just what you know about this
matter. Don't slur details; take your time."

"I know very little, Mr. Swift."

"Let's have it, nevertheless."

"About one o'clock last night I had just completed sorting some papers
in my room. They had been in a file-case so long that they were very
dusty; so when I was through I went to the bath-room--one door from
mine--to wash my hands, and while I was so engaged I was startled by a
crash, as of some one falling heavily outside.

"I picked up my candle, and looked into the hall. At first I saw
nothing, and everything was perfectly quiet; but in a moment I noticed
that an _etagere_, which had always stood at the head of the stairs,
was tipped forward against the banisters, and at the same time I heard
Mr. Maillot moving about in his room. I was much perplexed to account
for such a disturbance at that hour of the night, and for a time I
stood motionless, waiting to see what would occur next. I admit that I
was even somewhat frightened; but as nothing else happened, I crossed
over to Mr. Maillot's door--directly opposite my own--and rapped.

"He threw it open at once. He was holding a hand to his right eye, and
glared at